Wind Mitigation Inspection
What is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
A wind mitigation inspection is an examination of a home’s existing safety features
that make it more secure and less likely to
be damaged during storms. During a wind mitigation inspection, the home inspector examines the house to determine its ability to (or lack of ability) to withstand heavy winds. Wind mitigation inspections are something every homeowner should have done.
Why Get a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
Strong winds and heavy rains can enter your home through many ways. Water entering through gaps, vents, or poorly sealed windows and doors is not the only thing that can damage your home. Strong winds can also lead to your roof detaching from the home.
Wind mitigation inspections are a written report of what characteristics your home has and what can be done to limit the amount of damage it receives. You can use this inspection to prioritize home improvement projects, such as installing new windows and doors or having the roof replaced.
Hurricane season lasts from June 1st to November 30th but even one storm could carry enough wind to damage your home. If your home is hit and you have not done a wind mitigation inspection for years, you could be dealing with a lot of property damage that could have been avoided, if only you knew what to repair.
Insurance Discounts
For home insurance companies, there is measurably less risk involved in insuring homes that have taken more precautions, so they offer HEFTY discounts for those who can report their wind mitigation.
Florida law states that property insurance companies MUST give discounts on homeowner’s premiums when they have received a certified wind mitigation inspection report and your discount will be based on the risk rating your home receives during the inspection. If you have recently replaced your roof, the new roof is up to the most recent code and will most likely qualify for additional credits.
Savings can be up to 88% off your hurricane and wind premium, far outweighing the cost of the inspection, providing an immediate payback and accumulating return on investment.
To receive these discounts, your wind mitigation inspection report must be less than 5 years old, even if your home’s characteristics have not changed. Check with your insurance agent if you are unsure of whether your mitigation report is about to expire.
The great news is that your premium will NEVER go up because of an inspection, it can only go down. There is no risk in getting a wind mitigation inspection: you either get a HEFTY insurance discount or you have valuable knowledge for protecting your home against the next hurricane.
Wind Mitigation Checklist
So what happens during a wind mitigation inspection?
Your professional home inspector will check different areas of the home during the walk-through, such as:
- Roof covering and installation (Florida-approved or permitted installation)
- Roof-to-wall ties
- Roof deck attachment to Florida building codes
- Windows and doors (required protection in wind-borne debris regions)
- Garage doors (WBDR protection and pressure eligible for discount)
- Secondary water resistance
- Documented dwelling conditions, such as style of roof design.
This checklist ensures that your home has been thoroughly checked at all the known points that water or wind can enter your home.
