Wind Mitigation

What is the purpose of Wind Mitigation?

Wind mitigation is the process of reducing the likelihood of your home suffering damage during windstorms. Homeowners and builders add features to help homes withstand high winds. A wind mitigation inspection includes:

The home's basic structure and construction materials
Roof shape, materials, condition and connections
Wall construction
Exterior and garage doors, windows and skylights
Storm shutters/panels (installed or stored on the property)
Attic interior

A wind mitigation inspection can add up to substantial savings. Florida homeowners may save hundreds on their premium. Insurers in your state may not provide as steep discounts, but the extra protection alone may make wind mitigation worth the effort.

7 Ways How to Tell How Wind Resistant Your Home Is:

1. Building Code

What year was your home built? Home build before 2001 have different buidling criteria standards than those built in 2002 till today. If you home is older, you might want to consider doing some upgrades to strengthen your home against strong winds which could help you save money on homeowners insurance.

2. Roof Covering

Depending how resilient your home is against wind and water damage, depends on the roofing material. Most common materials are:

· Asphalt/Fiberglass shingle

· Concrete/Clay tile

· Metal

Insurance companies are able to consider what materials your roof is made out of and verify if you are eligible for any wind mitigation discounts.

3. Roof-Deck Attachment

To qualify for wind mitigation credits, it is essential to have a roof that has a proper amount of nails with the proper length and design to withstand most winds. All homes built after 2002 fall into a “Category C” which is the best option (this means plywood/OSB roof sheathing with a minimum thickness of 7/16” attached to the roof truss/rafter).

4. Roof-to-Wall Attachment

How well is your roof attached to the walls? This is quantified by 8 options:

A. Toenails

B. Clips

C. Single wraps

D. Double wraps

E. Anchor bolt

F. Other

G. Unknown

H. No attic access

Double wraps are considered the strongest whereas toenails provide homes with the least amount of protection. Companies are unable when there is no attic access to determine the roof-to-wall attachment. If your roof-to-wall attachment falls under the ‘Unknown’ or ‘Other’ category your company should be able to assess the photographs in the inspection to determine whether you qualify for a credit.

5. Roof Geometry

What shape is your roof? The options are typically:

1. Hip roof

2. Flat roof

3. Other

A ‘Hip roof’ is ideal as all sides slope downward to aid in resisting clashes with hurricane winds. A ‘Flat roof’ has one or more sides with a vertical angle straight dropdown. This provides a strong path of resistance for high winds to prompt more forceful direct impact.

6. Secondary Water Resistance

This is an additional layer put onto homes built after 2001 in order to provide water protection and attached under the shingles. Secondary water resistance is not something people invest in unless they are installing a new roof.

7. Opening Protection

This particular Wind Mitigation inspection focuses on “glazed openings” (glass) and “non-glazed openings” (entry and garage doors). If windows are not properly impact resistant with shutters or tempered glass, flying debris can break through and compare the entire pressure barrier of your home. This portion of the inspection determines if your home has impact-rated materials installed on every glass unit, if entry doors have proper sealing, and if every attachment is properly secured.