Do You Need a Wind Mitigation Inspection on Your Home?
If your insurance company has suggested you get a wind mitigation inspection, you may want to take it seriously, particularly since you can see a substantial decrease in your homeowners premiums. Do we have your attention? Good!
What is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
So what is a wind mitigation inspection? Simply put, it is an inspection that sets out how prepared your home is for a hurricane. A visual examination is done by a home inspector, a licensed general contractor, engineer or building inspector. He or she will inspect various features of your home in its current condition and suggest any ways it could be improved in ways that could make it more storm-resistant.
Important Information
A wind mitigation report will give you an idea of how well your home will stand up to hurricane strength winds and water. Your inspector will check important systems of your home during a visual walk-through:
- Your roof and its installation
- The shape of your roof
- Your roof to wall ties
- The roof deck attachments
- Your windows and doors
- Garage doors
- Any secondary water resistance
- Overall dwelling condition
The factors found during the wind mitigation inspection help determine your home’s stability and to determine what building codes were in place at the time of construction. The report will then go on to highlight measures that can be taken to lessen damage that it might sustain during a windstorm. This is important information for a homeowner.
A wind mitigation inspection is not a whole home inspection. It is usually done separately or as a supplement to a whole home inspection.
A Wind Mitigation Inspection Can Save You Money
The added benefit to understanding your home’s storm-worthiness is the potential of discounts that you may be due on your homeowners insurance premiums.
Insurance companies must give discounts to homes that pass a wind mitigation inspection. This is based on the risk rating that your home receives during the inspection. These savings can be up to 88 percent of your hurricane premiums which can provide a great return on investment for your current and future insurance premiums.
How Discounts Are Determined
Wind mitigation discounts are predicated on your inspection being less than five years old. This is true even if your home’s systems have not changed. The good news is that having an inspection done will never adversely affect your premiums. Even if you get no insurance premium discounts, what you get is important information for protecting your home against future hurricanes.
Your Home’s Safety
When living in South Florida, your home should be as safe as possible for your family. By having a wind mitigation inspection conducted, you have taken an important step toward protecting your home and possibly saving on insurance premiums.
If you are interested in getting more information about a wind mitigation inspection, contact our Broward County home inspection professionals at Florida Inspections Unlimited at (305) 910-1171.