Underlayment is the layer nobody sees. It goes down first, stays there for decades, and gets attention twice: when someone asks what was used, and when water finds a way past the covering above it.
In most markets, those moments are straightforward. In high-wind and fire-prone regions, they are not, because the answer depends on more than how the product performs. It depends on whether that product is approved for the work being done, and whether the documentation is there to show it.
So for roofing contractors choosing a roofing underlayment for high-wind areas, there are two questions instead of one: what the material does, and what paperwork stands behind it. Here is how the options compare, what a Class A rating covers, and which approvals matter where.
Where Felt Falls Short
Felt has been the default for a long time, and the reason it struggles has nothing to do with how it is installed. It is the material. Felt is organically saturated, so it takes on water instead of shedding it, and the oils that make it work slowly leave it.
Our ProtecTite underlayments are built to replace both #15 and #30 felt. They are water repellent and non-absorbent. They do not wrinkle, crack, or stiffen in the cold. They will not dry out or leach oil in high heat the way organically saturated felts do. The synthetic composition will not support mold, and it is fully recyclable. The weight difference is what crews notice first: against #15 felt, our Platinum is 8 times lighter and 35 times stronger, and the wider roll means fewer laps and less handling, which is where the 30 percent faster install comes from.
Mechanically Fastened vs. Self-Adhered
This is the real fork in the road, and it is not the one most comparisons draw. Our ProtecTite line is mechanically fastened, held to the deck at fastener points. GripWalk is the top surface, a high-traction layer that runs cooler underfoot and stays grippy even when there is moisture on it. Skid-Resist is the bottom layer, which helps keep the sheet intact and keeps the fabric from tearing while it is being fastened.
Our Epistik line is self-adhered. The adhesive bonds the membrane across its entire surface rather than at scattered points, and a split release liner makes the sheet manageable going down. Because the bond is continuous, the membrane seals around fasteners driven through it, and all three Epistik products pass the industry nail sealability test for self-adhered underlayment. One clarification on the peel-and-stick versus synthetic question: our Epistik Plus is a fully synthetic composition. The split is not synthetic versus bituminous. It is fastened against fully adhered.
What a Class A Fire Rating Actually Covers
This one is worth getting right before a submittal goes in. A Class A fire rating describes a complete roof assembly. The deck, the fastening, and the covering over the top are all part of what was tested. Move any of those, and the rating does not follow.
That is why our own code reports are worded carefully. They say that when the underlayment is installed in the assembly described in the report, the assembly meets Class A. Our ProtecTite and Epistik underlayments are approved for use in those tested Class A assemblies, and the reports spell out what each assembly consists of. If an inspector asks the question, the report is the answer, and both of ours are published at epilay.com for roofing contractors to pull before the job starts.
What Matters in High-Wind Markets
Florida runs two approval systems. A statewide Florida Product Approval covers most of the state. It does not cover the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which is Miami-Dade and Broward counties. HVHZ work needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, tested under Miami-Dade’s own protocols. Our ProtecTite Platinum and Plasfelt carry it, and so do all three Epistik products. In those two counties, the fastening pattern named in the Notice of Acceptance is the one that governs.
Texas works on insurance rather than code. Texas Department of Insurance approval governs windstorm insurability along the designated coastal catastrophe areas, which means the product on the roof can affect whether a homeowner’s windstorm coverage holds up. Our line carries TDI approval. Then there is FORTIFIED, the above-code standard from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. It asks for stronger deck attachment, a sealed roof deck, locked-down edges with starter courses at eaves and rakes both, and rated vents and penetrations. An independent evaluator verifies it, so it is not something a company can claim for itself, and becoming a FORTIFIED contractor takes training and project registration of its own. Our underlayments are approved for use in FORTIFIED roof systems.
Choosing the Right Epilay Product
ProtecTite is the mechanically fastened side of our lineup: Platinum, Ultra, Superior, Plasfelt and Shingle Pro. They share the same construction, the same GripWalk top and Skid-Resist bottom, and they step up in thickness, strength, and warranty length as you move up the line.
Epistik is the self-adhered side: Plus, SA-250, and Ice and Water. Plus and SA-250 are built for general dry-in work with different surfaces and facers. Ice and Water is granulated and fiberglass-reinforced for the eave and valley work that name implies. All three carry lifetime limited warranties covering product replacement or refund.
EpiStrip rounds it out. Our granulated starter roll is self-adhering, which takes cutting shingle tabs off the starter course entirely, and it has a self-sealing strip on the granulated side to resist wind uplift right at the edge. Worth knowing if FORTIFIED is in the conversation, since the standard calls for starter courses at eaves and rakes both.
One thing roofing contractors should check rather than assume: approvals differ by product. Not everything in our line carries everything, so confirm against the documents for the specific product. We publish data sheets, installation instructions, code reports, and approval documents for every product at epilay.com.
Specify With the Documentation Behind You
The assembly decides the fire rating. The jurisdiction decides which approval applies. The documentation names which product is covered.
Our lineup covers both mechanically fastened and self-adhered work, backed by third-party code reports, Miami-Dade and Florida Building Code approvals, TDI approval, and products approved for use in FORTIFIED roof systems. Visit epilay.com to compare the lineup and pull the documentation for any product. For help matching a product to a specific job and jurisdiction, contact us.
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