Why You Should Schedule A Wind Mitigation Inspection

Having your home inspected on a regular basis helps avoid expensive structural damage later down the road. But with hurricanes, you can never be prepared enough, especially when it comes to your roof.

Since roofs are the main point of contact for strong winds, you need to ensure yours can withstand not only wind gusts but also any debris traveling at high speeds toward your home.

Thankfully, a wind mitigation inspection can help determine how resilient your roof really is. 

Before looking if there’s a wind mitigation inspection near me, it doesn’t hurt to be familiar with its benefits and how it can help you receive lower insurance premiums.

What Is A Wind Mitigation Inspection?

The main goal is to evaluate the structural integrity of your roof, along with its ability to withstand water intrusion and heavy gales. 

This is quite important because Florida storms can easily push rain against your home, which may cause the water to penetrate through even the tiniest cracks. As you probably guessed, a stable and storm-resistant roof can minimize (if not completely eliminate) the chances of this happening.

During a wind mitigation inspection, an inspector will examine the following:

• Year of construction: by determining the age of the home, the inspector will have a general idea of the strength of the roof because they are familiar with how strict the building codes were at the time of construction

• Roof covering: the inspector checks the age of the roof and the condition of the roof covering (shingles, tiles, etc)

• Roof deck: your covering is nailed to the roof deck so the inspector will check the condition of this area, how far apart the nails are, and the type of nails used to secure shingles or tiles

• Roof-to-wall attachments: the inspector will determine the type of methods used to attach the roof to the walls (clips, nails, etc.)

• Roof geometry: the slope and the shape of the roof (usually gable and hip roofs in Florida)

• Secondary water resistance: this area is located between the shingles and the roof decking and acts as a secondary line of defense against water

• Opening protection: additional protective elements on openings such as sunroofs, windows, etc.

Generally speaking, the newer your roof is, the higher is the probability it’s more resistant to wind damage and other Florida weather conditions. 

You should conduct wind mitigation inspections every five years, and if you’ve done any updates or repairs in the meantime, you’ll have to schedule a new inspection.

Although general contractors can perform these inspections, you should go with a home inspector if you’re wondering about a wind mitigation inspection near me. This is due to the fact home inspectors can bundle a wind mitigation inspection with a general inspection so you can receive a discounted price. 

The inspector will take photos to strengthen the validity of the report. Photographic evidence is now required by all insurance companies as fraud is common in the Florida building industry.

On average, this inspection is fairly quick and will usually be complete within an hour. Some inspectors can also complete the report within 24 hours.

How You Can Benefit From A Wind Mitigation Report

The biggest gain for any homeowner is  insight into the resistance of the roof against extreme weather conditions. With this information, you can plan ahead and implement any retrofits that will safeguard your home in the event of a major disaster.

However, most homeowners schedule wind mitigation inspections to save significant amounts of money on homeowner’s insurance. 

Florida law states that your insurance carrier is legally obligated to provide you with a discount for extra wind-resistant features of your roof. In other words, the more of these features you have, the higher the discount will be. 

Typically, some of the features that help you earn wind mitigation credits that correspond to insurance discounts are as follows:

• Newer roof
• The length and the position of roof deck nails (the longer and closer together these nails are placed, the higher the resistance)
• Upgraded wind-resistance materials
• Hipped roofs
• Secondary water resistance features
• Doors, windows, or shutters with a higher rating
  
  

How High Of A Discount Can You Receive?

Since this is insurance we’re talking about, things can get complicated. Interestingly enough, there are no standards all insurance companies must follow for their discounts on wind mitigation features. There’s also no scientific data that confirms if some roof features are more wind-resistant than others.

This means different insurance carriers may use their own data about features they deem risky. For instance, it’s not uncommon for one insurer to offer a 5% discount for roofs attached with clips, while another may offer only 1% for the same feature.

Nevertheless, while it’s impossible to predict the discount you’ll receive, many homeowners earn at least $100 of annual credit for five years or longer. Since wind mitigation inspections run for $125 on average, the price is more than worth it.

Also keep in mind that without wind mitigation inspection, your insurance company will simply assume you have no wind-resistant features, even if you do. 

Schedule A Wind Mitigation Inspection With Guardian Angel Inspections

Scheduling a wind mitigation inspection is an easy way to save money on your insurance premiums. More importantly, this inspection gives you peace of mind and helps you plan for the future to avoid expensive repairs later down the line.

When you consider the low price of admission and the fact you can complete it on the same day as your regular home inspection, scheduling a wind mitigation inspection is truly a no-brainer.

If you’re wondering who offers the best wind mitigation inspection near me, look no further than Guardian Angel Inspections. All our experts are certified, insured, and have decades of experience they will use to provide you with the most comprehensive, yet affordable services in Southeast Florida.

Call us at 561-512-7854 or fill out our contact form and unlock lower insurance premiums and keep your roof safe, today!