Shingle Wind Ratings Explained: ASTM D3161, D7158, and High-Wind Installation

Class F means an asphalt shingle passed ASTM D3161’s fan test at 110 mph; Class H means it passed ASTM D7158’s uplift test for basic wind speeds up to 194 mph, stated as ultimate design wind speed in the current edition, D7158-24a, as ARMA cites it. Neither number promises the roof survives that wind. ASTM itself says the fan-test results do not directly correlate to wind speeds in service, and a manufacturer’s wind warranty depends on how the shingles were nailed and sealed.

A wind class is a lab result. Its mph means little until you know which edition of the standard it comes from, which speed basis it uses, and how your roof was installed. For how shingles compare with other materials overall, see the guide to choosing a roofing material.

What a Wind Rating Actually Tests

Asphalt shingles resist wind in two ways: nails hold each shingle to the deck, and a factory sealant strip bonds each course to the one below once the sun warms it. Wind tests check how well that system holds against lab conditions on new, properly installed samples.

The lab cannot reproduce your roof. ASTM’s own page for D3161, the fan-induced wind test, states that results do not directly correlate to wind speeds experienced in service. Real storms bring gusts, debris, roof edges and corners that see higher uplift than the middle of a slope, shingles that have aged, and nailing that may not match the test. Read every rating as “passed this test,” not “survives this storm.”

ASTM D3161: Classes A, D, and F

D3161 blows air across installed shingles with a fan for a set duration and records whether they stay down. According to NRCA’s technical article on the wind resistance of shingles, shingles that pass the two-hour test at 60 mph are Class A, at 90 mph Class D, and at 110 mph Class F. As of 2026, ASTM lists D3161/D3161M-20, reapproved in 2025, as the active edition.

Class F is the top D3161 class, and you will see it on data sheets and in program requirements. Its 110 mph is a fan speed in a lab, not a design wind speed from a building code map, so it cannot be compared directly with the mph your building department uses.

ASTM D7158: Classes D, G, and H, and Why the Numbers Changed

D7158 measures uplift resistance of the sealed shingle and assigns a class by the wind speed it can resist. It is where the conflicting numbers in quotes and online come from, because the class speeds have changed across editions while the class letters stayed the same.

The current values come from ARMA’s March 2026 bulletin on using ASTM D7158 where standard conditions do not apply, which cites ASTM D7158/D7158M-24a. The 2005 and 2016 values come from the NRCA article above, which says the first edition “was published in 2005 (designated as ASTM D7158-05)” and based on ASCE 7-02. ASTM’s catalog lists several editions in between, and this page does not give their class speeds.

The speed basis explains the rest. ARMA’s bulletin notes that “Starting with the 2010 edition, the ASCE 7 standard uses ‘ultimate’ wind speeds (Vult) in their design wind speed maps.” Ultimate speeds are higher numbers for the same design event than the older basic wind speeds the first edition used, which is why the same Class H can be written as 150 mph in old literature and 194 mph today.

How to read the mph in a quote:

• If someone tells you Class H is a 150 mph shingle, they are quoting the 2005 first edition’s basic wind speed. That is not the current class speed.
• If someone quotes 190 mph, that is the 2016 edition.
• Compare a class speed with a design speed only when both are on the same basis, which today means Vult.

Matching a Rating to Your Local Design Wind Speed

Your building department, not the shingle wrapper, sets the wind speed your roof has to meet. Ask for the design wind speed for your address and the basis it is stated on; adopted codes use ASCE 7 maps, and current editions state those speeds as Vult. For shingles already on your house, find the product name in your contract, invoice or warranty registration, then read the class on that product’s data sheet.

The code also points to the test. Seattle’s adopted 2021 Residential Code, Chapter 9, section R905.2.4.1, requires asphalt shingles to be tested to ASTM D7158 and classified under a table tied to wind speed, with D3161 used for products outside D7158’s scope. Seattle’s chapter is the International Residential Code with local amendments, and other towns enforce other editions, so ask your building department which classes its edition accepts at your design speed instead of relying on a summary.

Programs can set fixed requirements above code. The IBHS re-roofing checklist for the 2025 FORTIFIED Home Standard (version 2024.1), which applies to FORTIFIED projects permitted on or after November 1, 2025, or installed on or after that date where no roof permit is required, says asphalt shingles “must be ASTM D3161 (Class F) or ASTM D7158 (Class H) rated and be installed with six nails per high-wind installation instructions.” If you are pursuing a FORTIFIED Roof designation, that requirement applies regardless of what the local code allows; a later checklist version may change it, so ask the roofer which version applies to your job. Shingle class is also only one part of a wind-resistant roof; deck attachment, edges and sealing are covered in hurricane-resistant roofing.

Warranty Wind Coverage Depends on Installation

A quote advertising “130 mph shingles” may be quoting warranty wind coverage, which is a different number from the test class and comes with its own conditions. Ask which one the bidder means.

One manufacturer’s terms show how tight those conditions are. GAF’s Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty, for installations after January 1, 2025, gives its lifetime shingles 130 mph wind coverage with “special installation” and 110 mph without. Special installation means 6 nails per shingle plus the maker’s starter strip at eaves and rakes, except for shingles in its LayerLock line, which reach the higher coverage with 4 nails plus the starter strip. Other manufacturers set their own terms, so read the warranty for the exact product on your quote.

Three installation details carry the wind coverage:

1. Nail count and placement. Nails in the wrong zone or overdriven nails lose holding power; roofing nail placement covers what correct nailing looks like.
2. Starter strips at eaves and rakes. Edges see the highest uplift, and the starter strip supplies the sealant bond for the first course; see starter strips and ridge caps.
3. Sealing. Until the sealant strip bonds, nails alone hold the shingle. ARMA notes that sealing time varies with slope, orientation and sun exposure, and that shingles can be hand-sealed in very cold weather; temperature rules are covered in roofing in cold weather.

Questions to Ask Before Accepting a High-Wind Shingle Quote

Accept a high-wind quote only when every mph in it is tied to a named standard, edition or warranty, and the installation the warranty requires is written into the contract. Send these questions to the bidder and keep the written answers:

1. Which standard and class does the shingle’s data sheet show (D7158 Class G or H, D3161 Class F), and from which edition?
2. Is the mph in your quote a test class, a warranty wind limit, or a design wind speed?
3. What design wind speed did the building department give for this address, and on what basis?
4. Which installation does the warranty’s wind coverage require: nails per shingle, starter at eaves and rakes, and any required accessories? Will the contract list each one?
5. If the roof goes on in cold weather, how will you handle sealing, and does the manufacturer require hand-sealing?
6. Who registers the warranty, and when will I receive the registration?

If the bidder cannot answer the first four in writing, the “high-wind” label on that quote is a sales description. Ask for the data sheet and warranty document, then compare quotes on the class, the warranty conditions and the written installation scope.

This guide is general information for U.S. homeowners, not legal, insurance, tax, or engineering advice. Codes, laws, and policy terms vary by location and change over time; confirm details with your local building department, your insurer, or a licensed professional.

Sources

• Standard Test Method for Wind-Resistance of Asphalt Shingles (Fan-Induced Method), ASTM International
• The wind resistance of shingles, Professional Roofing (NRCA)
• Using ASTM D7158 Where Standard Conditions Do Not Apply, Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
• 2021 Seattle Residential Code, Chapter 9: Roof Assemblies, City of Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections
• Re-Roofing Checklist for FORTIFIED Home Designations (version 2024.1, for the 2025 Standard), Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
• GAF Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty (RESWT160L-0426), GAF