FORTIFIED vs. standard
FORTIFIED roof vs. a standard roof
From the street, a FORTIFIED roof and a standard roof can look the same. The difference is in how they are built and what happens when the wind hits. Here is what sets them apart, and why only one of them earns you a break on your insurance.
What a standard roof is built to do
A standard roof is built to meet local code: it sheds rain and holds up in ordinary weather, with shingles nailed to a wood deck. That is enough most of the time. The trouble shows up in a hurricane, at the points a standard roof does not reinforce: the way the deck is attached, whether the deck is sealed, and how the edges are finished. Those are the first things to let go when the wind gets under the roof.
What FORTIFIED adds
The FORTIFIED Roof standard targets exactly those weak points. It calls for a sealed roof deck, enhanced ring-shank nailing, reinforced edge detailing, and wind-rated shingles, installed by a certified FORTIFIED contractor. An independent evaluator inspects the work before and after and submits it to IBHS, which issues a certificate good for five years. A standard roof has none of that paperwork, and none of the discount that comes with it.
Side by side
Here is the same roof, two ways.
| Feature | Standard roof | FORTIFIED roof |
|---|---|---|
| Roof deck attachment | Standard nailing to code | Enhanced ring-shank nailing |
| Sealed roof deck | Not required | Required |
| Edge detailing | Basic | Reinforced drip edge and starter strip |
| Shingle wind rating | Code minimum | Wind-rated to the standard |
| Independent evaluation | No | Certified evaluator, before and after |
| IBHS certificate | No | Yes, valid 5 years |
| Mandated wind insurance discount | No | Yes |
The difference in a storm
In a hurricane, the gap between the two is the whole ballgame. When a standard roof loses its deck, the house fills with water and the damage runs into everything below. A FORTIFIED roof is built to keep that deck sealed and fastened, so a storm that would have opened the house is far more likely to stay outside it. Same street, same wind, very different morning after.
The difference in cost and savings
A FORTIFIED roof costs more up front than a basic re-roof, running about $16,229 at the documented median. But it is the only one of the two that pays you back: the mandated wind insurance discount every year, the state tax credit worth up to $10,000, and a possible Fortify Homes grant of up to $10,000. If you are replacing the roof anyway, the real question is only the FORTIFIED difference, not the whole price.
See what it costs, the insurance discount, and whether it is worth it for your home.
By Louisiana Fortified HomesUpdated
See what building to the standard would take on your home.
Get connected with a FORTIFIED-certified roofer in your parish. No cost, no obligation.