Strengthening Homes with FORTIFIED and STINGER Solutions
From Gulf Coast hurricanes to Midwest tornadoes, the risks of severe weather are real, and their destructive impacts are making headlines more often. Demand is high for roofing systems that deliver protection during these extreme events, and in more common storms where winds as low as 50 mph can cause damage and allow water to enter homes. The FORTIFIED™ program gives contractors a proven path to deliver that performance confidently. And with STINGER fasteners and underlayments, meeting its high roofing standards is fast, easy, and efficient.
Why Build FORTIFIED?
FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction and re-roofing program designed to strengthen homes against severe weather, including high winds, hail, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Built on real-world testing and proven building science, the program helps you go beyond code to deliver structures that protect against weather damage by addressing known weaknesses in common building practices. Homes built or retrofitted to FORTIFIED standards are more likely to withstand severe storms, protecting families and reducing costly damage.
Developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the FORTIFIED program helps contractors deliver stronger builds that add real, lasting value. In many states, homes with FORTIFIED certification may even qualify for insurance discounts—a sign that insurers recognize the added protection these homes provide and an added layer of reassurance and savings for homeowners.
How STINGER Supports FORTIFIED Roofing
The FORTIFIED Roof standard includes several key upgrades, and STINGER products are designed to support three of the most critical:
- A sealed roof deck that helps prevent water intrusion if shingles, metal panels, or tiles are lost
- Stronger attachment using ring-shank fasteners in enhanced nailing patterns
With STINGER, meeting FORTIFIED requirements doesn't mean slowing down. Our system of underlayments, fasteners, and tools helps you build to these high standards quickly and efficiently.
EXO Synthetic Underlayments
A sealed roof deck is one of the most important elements of the FORTIFIED Roof standard, and that's exactly where The STINGER EXO underlayments add critical protection. As a secondary moisture barrier, they help prevent water intrusion if shingles are lost, providing a critical layer of protection beneath the roof covering.
All STINGER EXO underlayments are approved for use under the FORTIFIED Roof standard. They're built for tough weather and demanding jobsite conditions:
- Preprinted fastening pattern to ensure correct fastener spacing, critical for FORTIFIED compliance and consistent edge protection
- Slip-resistant backing and a spunbond surface for improved walkability
- UV exposure resistance up to 6 months
- Limited warranties of 25, 35, or 50 years
Pro Tip:
Use EXO25 FIT at the eave and ridge to meet staggered double-layer requirements, without cutting into your full-width rolls. STINGER's half-width solution reduces overlap waste when FORTIFIED or local codes require 50% + 2" coverage, saving a full roll, on average, for every 25 squares installed.
CN100B Cap Nailer + NailPac® Fasteners
The CN100B Cap Nailer, paired with STINGER NailPac fasteners, delivers what FORTIFIED requires: 1" plastic caps paired with ring shank nails, spaced precisely with the help of the EXO pre-printed fastening pattern, to resist wind uplift and protect the roof deck.
This combo:
- Seals the roof deck to FORTIFIED standards, preventing water intrusion at every fastener point
- Delivers strong holding power, reducing blow-offs and lateral slippage
- Speeds up install time with a pneumatic cap tool
Together, they give crews a fast, field-proven way to install underlayment in accordance with FORTIFIED attachment requirements, without slowing down the job.
Raise the Standard with STINGER
Every component in the STINGER system is engineered for performance, on the roof and on the jobsite. Whether you're re-roofing a home in a high-wind zone or building new to FORTIFIED standards, you need products that perform under pressure.
When you install EXO underlayments with STINGER cap fasteners and the CN100B Cap Nailer, you're giving homeowners a roof system built to perform when it matters most. And you're delivering installs that stand up to your own unrelenting standards as well as the next storm.
FORTIFIED standards call for superior installs. STINGER helps you deliver.