Wind Mitigation Inspections in Port St. Lucie
Wind Mitigation Inspections
A wind mitigation inspection looks at seven key areas of your roof to determine its ability to withstand strong winds and water intrusion. During a storm (yes, even a typical summer thunderstorm), heavy winds can push rain against your home, where, being water, it will find its way into any crack or crevice. Your roof is the first line of defense against wind, which is why wind mitigation inspections focus on your roof.
The inspection report will examine seven areas:
- Construction Year: the year your home was built, which tells the home inspector how strict the building codes were;
- Roof Covering: the type of roof covering (shingle, tile, etc.) and age of the roof;
- Roof Decking: the material your decking (i.e. the material your shingles are nailed to) is made of, the type of nails securing the shingles, and how far apart the nails are;
- Roof To Wall Attachment: the method used to attach the roof to your walls;
- Roof Shape: the shape and slope of your roof;
- Secondary Water Resistance: the type of material between the shingles and roof decking;
- Opening Protections: whether you have additional protections on openings such as sunroofs, garage doors, windows, etc.
Obviously, the newer, stronger, and better constructed your roof is, the more protection it can provide against wind damage.
By far, the most popular reason for getting a wind mitigation inspection is to save money on your insurance premiums! Your carrier should provide you with insurance discounts for a “passing grade.” The more wind-resistant features your roof has, the deeper your discount.Generally speaking:
- Newer roofs;
- Longer nails placed closer together;
- Upgraded materials;
- Hipped roofs;
- Secondary water resistance; and
- Higher-rated doors, windows, shutters, etc.
These items will all get you extra “credits” that your insurance company will turn into discounts.