WIND MITIGATION

Wind Mitigation Inspections in Coral Springs & South Florida

Get Your Wind Mitigation Report in as Little as 24-48 Hours. Our experienced team has you covered. Call (954) 608-3366.

A Wind Mitigation Report can help you save thousands on your windstorm insurance.

Is your insurance premium killing you? Has your premium jumped 30% or more?  If so, you are not alone.  There used to be over 30 carriers to choose from and now there are fewer than half a dozen.

A Wind Mitigation inspection (Uniform Mitigation Verification Report)  is a way to save big bucks on your insurance premium if your home has certain features that reduce risk of damage or loss in a hurricane. Since 2003 insurance companies in Florida have been required to give insurance discounts on a whole range of items if they are present. Savings of up to 40% are possible!

These are particularly important in south Florida which has been designated a High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ). Almost every home has one or more features that provide added protection against windstorm and may qualify for some insurance discounts. Moreover, if your house is in Broward or Miami-Dade and was built after 1994 (building application date must be after Sept 1st, 1994) it will usually have been built with many wind resistive construction features that are likely to qualify you for significant discounts.  The rest of Florida did not update their building codes until March 1st 2002.

In order to get those insurance discounts, you need to have a Wind Mitigation Inspection performed to see if your home has certain features. Even if you don’t have impact glass or hurricane shutters you may still qualify for a discount. The following items make your home more resistance to wind storms and may qualify you for discounts:

 If your house has had a new roof since 1994 you may qualify for a significant discount!
Also the shape of the roof can give you a big insurance discount – a hip roof is the best shape to withstand hurricane force winds.

  Roof decks that have been installed with 8d nails and 6 inch spacing. Most older houses qualify for this credit as roofs are renailed when they are replaced.
  Material of roof deck.
  Hurricane clips or straps that attach the roof structure to the walls. Again, lots of houses will get a discount for the clips or straps they have.
  Protection of openings (windows and doors) with shutters or impact glass.
  Secondary water barrier that prevents the roof from leaking if the roof covering is damaged.
  Home built after September 1994  and built to the Florida Building Code in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties or after March 2002 in Palm Beach County and the rest of Florida.

VERY detailed report, and was able to expertly list some of the more urgent items to take care of when prioritizing issues to fix. Very professional, forthcoming, and friendly. I recommend his service at the highest level! Thank you, Mike! – Review of Wise Home Inspection By Jason Steidl

How To Save Money on Your Wind Insurance Policy AND Increase Your Protection from Hurricanes.

1. If not all the windows and doors are impact rated (or not protected by impact-rated panels or shutters), then this is a great thing you can do to bring down your insurance premium – and give you more protection should you get hit by a serious hurricane.  Make sure that every opening is protected as your insurance rating is based on the weakest link.  To make sure that everything is installed properly, make sure that permits are pulled. I often see impact doors installed without using the proper screws.  Remember that a Category 5 hurricane has winds of 157 mph and more so the doors and windows have to be able to withstand enormous wind pressure in addition to windborne debris.  Most manufacturers require the door frames to be installed with at least 16 tapcon screws for Miami and Broward.  Always check the manufacturer’s instructions for your hurricane zone.
2. Older homes may not have proper hurricane straps.  These are metal straps that hold the roof to the wall so it doesn’t blow off in a major hurricane.  The minimum requirement is that these straps have at least 3 nails and that the strap is not more than half an inch from the struss where it is embedded into the wall.  If your Wind Mitigation Report says that your Roof Wall connections are “toenails” then you do not have proper hurricane straps.  Contact a wind mitigation retrofit company to have these retrofitted.
3. Insurance companies may also penalize you if you have an older roof.  Each insurance company has different requirements so check with your insurance agent.

How Much Damage Does a Hurricane Cause?

Watch this video to see what damage is caused by the different category hurricanes.

Do I need a 4 Point Inspection?

For a small inspection fee, you may be able to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year on your insurance premiums! Call us today.

Schedule Your Home Inspection or call (954) 608-3366