A wind mitigation inspection is common in Florida and can give homeowners insurance discounts based on your home’s wind-resistant features. There is a standard report that informs the insurance company of the construction features used in the home. See a sample form here.
What Is Looked At?
Wind Mitigation inspections look for features that have been shown to reduce losses during a hurricane. This takes several things into account which I have listed out in more detail below.
Building Code
This is determining the age of your home to see which building code was in effect at the time according to the permit date. If your home was permitted and built after the Florida Building Code was updated in March 2002, this may get you a discount.
Roof Information and Age
When was the roof permitted? Newer roofs have higher standards that must be followed. What type of roof covering is present?
Roof Deck Attachment
This determines how well your roof is attached to the home and its truss system and the strength of the materials used to attach it.
Roof to Wall Attachment
This shows how the roof is attached to the walls of the home. Double wraps are the strongest type of connection.
Roof Geometry
The shape of your roof plays a big role in how it withstands strong winds. A hip roof slopes down on all sides and provides the best defense against wind damage.
Secondary Water Resistance
There are different types of underlayment used under a roof covering. For this question, we are looking to see if a particular self-adhering underlayment has been used that would act as an additional layer of protection.
Opening Protection
This is a difficult discount to get because all of the window openings must be impact-rated or covered by an impact shutter. Documentation must also be provided so if your home has these features, make sure to keep all of the documents including receipts and any permits available in order to prove this in the future. If there are any stickers present that show this info, leave them in place. This also applies to any entry and garage doors.
Note, the wind mitigation inspection is not looking at the condition of the roof or any windows or doors unless it would affect their wind rating and resistance to damage. So, it is important to note that this is not a replacement for a full home inspection.
Another inspection commonly requested by insurance companies is a 4 point inspection, get more info on that here: 4 Point Inspections – What are they?
If you have any questions or need to schedule a wind mitigation inspection, contact us at 407-502-7668 or [email protected]
