Recovery Assistance & Mitigation Planning

Recovery Planner Jennifer Gerbasi

 

Build Back Better with a Fortified Roof

Thursday October 07, 2021 07:06 am

Terrebonne Parish

Department of Planning and Zoning

Recovery Assistance and Mitigation Planning

FloodSafe Minute

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, more than ever before, home and business owners will be rebuilding their homes, businesses and lives.  As we rebuild in Terrebonne, consider building back better with a Fortified roof or building.  FORTIFIED Home is a voluntary set of construction standards designed to strengthen homes against specific types of severe weather such as tornadoes, hailstorms, and hurricanes. Each of the three levels of FORTIFIED protection requires multiple layers of defenses to prevent a cascade of damage. However, no home is 100% “hurricane-proof,” “tornado-proof” or even “stormproof.” Damages can be significantly reduced.  The checklist that follows provides a guide to repairing and documenting roofs that have a FORTIFIED designation.   The FORTIFIED Roof™ Standard Details can be found at www.fortifiedhome.org/standards.  The reroofing checklist is attached, but more information is available on the site.  These are voluntary actions above and beyond the standard code requirements, and therefore will not be enforced by Parish inspectors.  Contractor documentation or evaluator certification will be needed to ensure that the work is done correctly and can be certified. 

Fortified Benefits

Safety

Fortified is a nationally recognized building method based on more than 20 years of scientific research and real-world testing by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Your roof provides the first line of defense against the elements and an IBHS FORTIFIED Roof™ provides better protection against severe weather.

Insurance Savings

Having a Fortified roof or structure can save anywhere from 15% to over 50% on homeowner’s insurance.  See the attachment for discounts available from insurance providers in Louisiana. 

Contractors

Get a Fortified certified builder from this link  Find a Provider (force.com) or provide a licensed roofer with the attached checklist so that they can see what is involved.   A list of the currently Fortified evaluators, roofers and builders serving Louisiana is attached.  Roofers that want to get certified can take the class online at FORTIFIED Wise University

Evaluators

To earn the insurance benefits of a Fortified roof or building, documentation needs to prove the method of construction.  Evaluators can inspect it at various points and provide that documentation and certify the construction.  The inspection process is required to be certified, whether done by an evaluator or the builder themselves.  It can't be done after the roof is finished.  

While lab and real-world experience has proven FORTIFIED to be remarkably effective at limiting storm damage, we do expect some homes with FORTIFIED designations to experience limited damage during extreme weather.

In selecting any vendor, check for a license from the Louisiana State Contractors Licensing Board and request proof of insurance. 

Related Information

Reroofing Checklist
Fortified Providers - Reference - Not Recommendation
Fortified Fact Sheet Background
Flood Insurance Discounts for Fortified
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