Florida is one of the worst states for hurricanes. The high winds that come along with these hurricanes can cause some serious property damage.
If you don’t have the right safety features in place, these storms can even lead to injury or loss of life.
That’s why you need to get a wind mitigation inspection for your home. But safety—while important—is only one of the benefits of getting this inspection.
We’ve put together a quick list of the most important benefits of wind mitigation below.
So let’s get started!
What Is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
The word “mitigate” means to lessen in force or intensity. In other words, a wind mitigation inspection helps you find ways to reduce the impact high winds have on your home during a storm or a hurricane.
The inspection will show you the weak points of your home and recommend features that can reinforce them. It’s a good idea to get this inspection before you purchase a new home. But if you haven’t gotten it done for the home you live in now, you should schedule an inspection as soon as possible.
The exact process can vary depending on where you live and the condition of your home.
What Does the Inspector Look For?
During a wind mitigation inspection, your inspector will check the areas of your home that the wind will affect the most.
Some of these things include the following:
- The roofing material
- The shape of the roof
- The material of the walls
- Reinforcement of the roof and gables
- How the roof deck, trusses, and walls are attached
- How well openings (like hurricane windows and shutters) are protected
- Secondary water resistance
- Age of your home
If your home already has the proper wind mitigation features, your inspector will give it the seal of approval in their report. If your home needs some work, your inspector will write a detailed report that can help you figure out what steps to take next.
Understanding the Benefits of Getting a Wind Mitigation Inspection
A wind mitigation inspection helps you understand how well your home will stand up to strong winds during a storm, but that isn’t the only benefit. A wind mitigation inspection can actually help you save a lot of money and hassle in the years to come?
How?
We’ve put together a quick list of the top five benefits of getting a wind mitigation inspection to answer that question for you.
1. Finds and Reinforces Weaknesses in Your Home
While helping your home withstand high storm winds isn’t the only benefit of wind mitigation, it is one of the most important ones.
During the inspection, your inspector will check for parts of your home that are weak against wind and tell you how to make them stronger. This might include reinforcing your walls to your foundation and your roof to your walls to create a continuous load path. Or it might involve putting coverings over your windows and doors to protect them from wind and flying debris.
These things will help your home resist heavy winds that could otherwise do a lot of damage.
2. Lowers Your Insurance Cost
When you get a wind mitigation inspection, you can actually lower your home insurance premiums. In fact, in Florida, you can save nearly 50% of your premium by getting this inspection (you can read more about that here).
Because of this, even though you might have to pay a large sum of money upfront for wind mitigation, you will be saving more money in the long run.
3. Helps Protect Surrounding Buildings
Getting a wind mitigation inspection doesn’t just protect your home. It also helps protect all the other buildings around you.
Since your home will have enhanced wind-resistance, the buildings around your home will have a lower risk of being damaged by flying debris during a storm. This means you can help keep your neighbors’ property safe from strong winds.
It also means you can reduce the risk of damage to other features on your property, such as a shed, deck, or outdoor living space.
4. Saves You Time and Money After a Storm
Wind mitigation protects your home from strong winds and flying debris during a storm. Because of this, you won’t have to spend a lot of time recovering after a storm.
Cleaning up any debris on your property will be a faster and easier process. You might not even have to spend money on a professional cleaning team. And you also won’t have to spend as much money—or any money at all—on repairs.
Along with your lowered insurance cost, this will make your savings even greater.
5. Protects Your Family During a Storm
A wind mitigation inspection also ensures your family is protected during storms or hurricanes.
This is the most important benefit of wind mitigation. Saving money is nice, but the safety of your family should be your top priority. If for nothing else, this is the main reason you should get a wind mitigation inspection.
Understanding the Benefits of Getting a Wind Mitigation Inspection
If you live in Florida (or anywhere else that experiences intense storms), you should get a wind mitigation inspection as soon as possible. Not only will it help you reinforce your home’s weaknesses, but it’ll also help you save money and keep your family safe.
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