WHAT DOES A WIND MITIGATION LOOK FOR?

Wind Mitigation Inspection 101

Wind Mitigation inspections are more than just routine checks; they’re an opportunity to uncover valuable discounts on your homeowner’s insurance. By examining the construction features of your home, these inspections highlight how well-equipped your property is to withstand the forces of wind. There are seven key questions that form the cornerstone of Wind Mitigation, each tied directly to potential savings. Let’s explore these questions in detail:

Question 1- When was your home built?

Our journey begins even before we step onto your property. By consulting the Property Appraiser’s website, we ascertain the construction date of your home. This date is crucial as it determines the building standards applicable at the time of construction, particularly important for homes in Central Florida, where the 2001 Florida Building Code is a benchmark. Homes built on or after March 1, 2002, are eligible for discounts due to adherence to these enhanced standards.

Question 2- When was your roof replaced?

While we perform our public record search to determine the age of the home, we also perform a permit search to identify when the roof was originally installed or subsequently replaced. Having your roof installed or replaced after 03/01/2002 with a finished permit will qualify you for a second discount on the form.

Question 3- How is your decking attached to your trusses?

Close-up image of a nail embedded in wooden decking, with a tape measure showing the nail's length. — Measuring nail penetration depth to determine uplift forces in wind mitigation

Photo of a tape measure extended across a roof truss with several exposed nails. — Inspection of nail spacing and depth in roofing components for wind mitigation credits.

Now that we have verified the age of the home and roof, we send a qualified inspector out to your property and into your attic. We go inside the attic to see the construction methods used in securing the roof together. The first question asks how your roof decking is attached to the trusses. Your roof decking is the wood that the Shingles, Tile, Metal, etc. lay upon. The trusses in your home are the structural framework of the roof, giving your roof its shape. If your roof deck is secured to your trusses with nails measuring 2.5 inches and spaced at no more than 6 inches, you would qualify for this discount.

Question 4- How are your trusses attached to the walls?

image of a metal hurricane tie securing a wooden roof truss to the wall. — A metal strap used to reinforce the roof-to-wall connection and is a discount on the wind mitigation

A metal strap nailed to the roof truss for wind mitigation. — Secure truss-to-wall connection with a metal strap for enhanced wind resistance.

Inspection of a truss to wall connection in a building. — Examining the crucial connections that ensure a building’s structural integrity.

After determining how your decking connects to the trusses, we look into how your trusses get anchored to your walls. This connection is crucial as it’s the main point holding your roof to the walls of your home. This discount calls for metal connectors called Hurricane Clips or Straps to be used throughout the roof. The clips and straps are held to two standards to qualify.

The connectors must have at least 3 nails and a specific nailing requirement for straps.
The connectors must be anchored or embedded in your wall within 1/2 inch of the truss it’s securing.

Question 5- Do you have a predominant hip roof shape?

Your roof shape plays a critical role in how your home handles high wind loads. A Hip Roof, with slopes on all sides like a pyramid, allows wind to pass over smoothly, minimizing uplift forces. To qualify for this discount, at least 90% of your roof must be of this design.

Question 6- Was there a secondary water resistance installed on the entire roof?

Close-up of an SWR (Secondary water Resistance) — Zooming in on the details of a thorough roof inspection

Here we look at the material placed between the decking and the outer layer of your roof. Having a Secondary Water Resistance also known as SWR, SWB (Secondary water barrier), or Peel-n-stick is designed to be an extra layer of protection against water intrusion. This rubber membrane is different from standard underlayments like felt and synthetic felt. Furthermore, it must be used across the entirety of the roof to qualify.

Question 7- Are there impact-rated openings or shutters protecting all Glazed and subsequent non-glazed openings?

This last discount verifies your home’s protection against flying wind debris. This could either be through having impact-rated openings or hurricane shutters. This discount is staggered with all glazed openings needing to be protected first, and an extra discount being applied if non-glazed openings are also protected.

Glazed openings (windows, doors with glass, skylights, glass block)
Non-Glazed openings (Solid entry and garage doors)

Your home may already have what it takes to withstand Florida’s toughest winds, but are you reaping the financial benefits? Complete a wind mitigation inspection to unlock potential insurance discounts. Contact us to schedule yours and start saving sooner.