The best way to illustrate is to give examples of what you can expect as far as damage goes at different wind speeds.
- 0-25 mph – Winds this low are unlikely to cause any notable damage.
- 25-50 mph – At this point, you may see shingles begin to be blown off. Especially on aging or damaged roofs. But for the most part, you’re still safe with wind speeds this low.
- 50-75 mph – At 50+ MPH winds are officially classified as “damaging”. Shingles will be blown off. Tree limbs and other debris will be picked up. Damaged or water-saturated trees will start to fall. 50 MPH may not seem like much, but you’re already getting into life-threatening territory.
- 75-100 mph – As winds continue to pick up you’ll start to see more and more damage. Trees will be downed. Some mobile homes could be destroyed. Large projectiles will be picked up and tossed.
- 100+ mph – When wind speeds get up to 100+ MPH you start to see major issues even in sturdy, well-built homes. You can expect to see extensive damage. Downed trees everywhere. Major damage will occur to your roof and your siding. Windows may be blown out.
At 100 MPH you’re “only” looking at a category two hurricane. Things get much, much worse beyond this point.
Protecting Your Home Against Wind
The wind is, quite literally, a force of nature. What can you do about that? You’re actually not helpless at all. There are a number of relatively simple things that you can do to protect your home against high winds.
- Clean your yard – It’s often not the wind itself that’s doing the damage. It’s the debris it picks up. Make sure you keep your yard free of potential projectiles like lawn furniture and tree branches.
- Keep up on home maintenance – Maintaining your roof will help minimize shingle loss during high-wind events. Another area to pay attention to is your garage door. The garage door is already a weak point during storms, so if yours is already compromised make sure you get it fixed ASAP.
- Get a wind mitigation inspection – A wind mitigation inspection goes over nearly every facet of your home looking for weaknesses. As a little bonus, it can also save you money on your homeowner’s insurance via wind mitigation credits.
The bottom line is that it doesn’t take much wind to cause serious damage to your home. Especially if you aren’t prepared. By getting a wind mitigation inspection you’ll be able to pinpoint the weak spots of your home and shore them up against wind before any major storms arrive. Storm season is already on your doorstep, so don’t wait until it’s too late.
Looking for a qualified home inspector in Central Florida? Please, contact us at Super Inspection Pros for more information about our home inspection process or to schedule a wind mitigation inspection of your home.
