What Happens During a FORTIFIED Roof Installation in Louisiana

By Acadiana Roof Restoration LLC | Scott, LA | Veteran-Owned | Louisiana's First 5-Star Roof Maxx Dealer | FORTIFIED Certified

Louisiana insurers must put the state's FORTIFIED premium discounts in place no later than January 1, 2027, and many homeowners are planning a re-roof this winter. Most of the questions we hear are not about the discount. They are about the job itself: who shows up, what gets checked, and how the paperwork happens. Here is what a FORTIFIED Roof installation looks like, step by step.

Before Anyone Climbs a Ladder

IBHS, the nonprofit research group behind FORTIFIED, says to contact a FORTIFIED Evaluator before the work starts. The Evaluator is an independent third party, not your roofer, and is the person who documents the job for IBHS. If you are hoping for a Louisiana Fortify Homes Program grant, approval has to come before any work starts. Grants are up to $10,000 and are chosen by lottery, and our grant guide explains the steps. Your installer should also hold the IBHS credential, as our certified contractor guide explains.

Step 1: Tear-Off Down to the Deck

The old roof comes off so the roof deck, the plywood or OSB over the framing, is exposed. The LSU AgCenter notes that those panels must meet minimum thickness requirements for your area. This is the moment soft or damaged decking shows up. Ask your contractor for photos of the bare deck and a plain explanation of anything that needs replacing before the job moves on.

Step 2: Re-Nailing With Ring-Shank Nails

FORTIFIED requires 8d ring-shank nails, according to the LSU AgCenter, which says the raised rings double the wind uplift resistance of the roof. IBHS describes this as stronger nails in an enhanced pattern, so the deck is fastened more tightly than on a standard re-roof.

Step 3: Sealing the Roof Deck

Next comes the sealed roof deck. The LSU AgCenter describes it as a secondary water barrier that seals the gaps between the deck panels. Underlayment then goes on over it. If wind strips shingles in a storm, that sealed layer is what stands between the rain and your attic.

Step 4: Locking Down the Edges

Roof edges are where wind gets a grip. A drip edge holds the underlayment in place and becomes the anchor point for the roof cover, and a starter strip goes along the edges before the shingles. Then the roof cover goes on. Attic ventilation also has to keep wind-driven rain out of the attic. Our guide to what a FORTIFIED roof is covers the standard in more detail.

Step 5: The Evaluator's Photos

IBHS says Evaluators collect dozens of photos throughout the re-roofing process. Several of the steps above are covered within hours, and a nail pattern cannot be photographed once underlayment hides it. That is why we keep a project manager on site all day on every FORTIFIED job, and why every ARR job runs on a signed quality-control checklist. One Evaluator put it this way in an April 5, 2026 Google review: "A lot of contractors can put on a roof, but FORTIFIED takes more than that... they always give me exactly what I need to get the roof certified."

Step 6: The IBHS Audit and Your Certificate

After the job, the Evaluator sends the documentation to IBHS. A team at IBHS audits it, and only after the audit passes is a FORTIFIED designation certificate issued. IBHS says a designation is valid for five years and must be renewed if the roof is replaced. Our designation certificate guide covers what to do with it. Under Louisiana Regulation 136, policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 must discount the hurricane portion of the premium for a FORTIFIED home, up to 29 percent for a FORTIFIED Roof in south Louisiana. Ask your agent how it applies to your policy, and see our FORTIFIED insurance discount page.

What a FORTIFIED Roof Does Not Do

A FORTIFIED Roof is a stronger roof built to a tested standard and documented by a third party. It is not a promise that a storm will cause no damage, and it does not strengthen the rest of the house. That is what Silver and Gold add. And if your current roof still has useful life left, a full replacement may not be the right move yet. We will tell you that plainly.

Schedule a No-Cost Roof Assessment

We will walk you through what a FORTIFIED Roof would involve at your address, at no cost, before anything is signed. See our FORTIFIED roofing contractor page for our credentials. Lafayette 337-999-ROOF (337-999-7663). Baton Rouge 225-385-ROOF (225-385-7663).

Acadiana Roof Restoration LLC | Scott, LA | aroofrestore.com
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