Welcome to Central Florida, your new home, and the tail end of hurricane season. As you get settled into your new neighborhood, we recommend taking time to review the home inspection report, paying extra attention to the condition of your roof, water drainage systems, and any wind mitigation features mentioned (or recommended) by your inspector.
Remember: Most homes only receive a “whole home” inspection when a real estate transaction occurs. Every once in a while, an insurance provider might request a “4-point inspection” to evaluate property risk or a “wind mitigation” inspection. Wind mitigation inspections can help you in more ways than one. You can save money while making your home safer.
This might seem like a lot to think about, but it’s all part of staying fully prepared for Atlantic hurricane season, which runs between June and November. You’ll get used to it before you know it – but for now, it’s crucial to craft a full-spectrum hurricane preparedness plan for you and your family.
Many new homeowners overlook that wind, rain, and standing water (flooding) are all separate threats to consider before the weather turns rough.
Wind Mitigation & Hurricane Home Prep Tips For New Homeowners In Florida
For new homeowners, Florida offers a lot of opportunities and some challenges. One of the most important things to figure out is just how soon you can ensure your home is ready for next year’s hurricane season. Since rain and wind can delay the repairs or upgrades you need, it’s wise to take the current weather into account.
Florida’s late fall and early winter seasons are relatively mild, making them ideal for assessing your home’s hurricane readiness and upgrading wind mitigation features. If your insurance agency requires a wind mitigation report or you need to update insurance info, schedule a wind mitigation inspection with a local, trusted, and licensed home inspector.
During the inspection, we’ll assess the house’s existing hurricane protection, appraise its condition, and provide recommendations for any structural or system repairs, replacements, or additions to improve your home’s ability to withstand future storms.
In addition to keeping your home and family safe, wind mitigation inspection reports can be used to save money on existing insurance policies or help you shop around for better premiums from other insurance carriers. And, of course, they also save you money by eliminating or reducing damage to your home from severe storm events.
Florida Wind Mitigation Features Explained
Wind mitigation features and other hurricane-ready home improvements are designed to protect homes from severe wind and water damage. These features increase home safety and value. They include things like:
- A roof that’s in good shape. Your roof is a key player in protecting your home from wind and rain. Hopefully, your roof was inspected before you finalized your home purchase. During a wind mitigation inspection, we’ll keep an eye out for missing or damaged shingles, roof rot, or other signs that your roof is in need of repair or replacement.
- Reinforcing the continuous load path. The continuous load path runs from the house roof to its foundation. All structural elements along this path must have strong, reinforced connections that protect your home from shearing under high wind loads. During wind mitigation inspections, the roof to wall connections are inspected.
- Adequately reinforced gables. You may need architectural layout prints for your home or a licensed engineer to strengthen the gables. If they are taller than four feet, bracing and framing the tops and bottoms can substantially strengthen your wind resistance.
- Hurricane-strength exterior doors and windows. Hurricane-rated doors and windows are more structurally robust, intentionally designed to withstand high winds. They also include additional features, such as permanent exterior shutters, shatterproof glass, or interior shutters.
- Clear soffit vents. Soffit vents draw cooler air into an attic, simultaneously forcing hot, humid air back out of a home. They are part of a home’s energy-efficient climate control. However, if the soffit vents are blocked, air can’t move through, and this makes the roof more prone to storm damage. During a wind mitigation inspection, we can verify whether the soffit vents are free of debris.
- Water barriers. Water is also a significant threat to your home, and high wind speeds can exacerbate the amount of water that penetrates the exterior envelope. During a wind mitigation inspection, we’ll evaluate the home’s water barriers and waterproofing features – paying extra attention to the roofing system – to ensure they’re in good condition. If we see an area that could use improvement, we’ll note it in the inspection report.
What Does a Wind Mitigation Inspection Offer?
1. Identify Any Existing Storm Damage
Our inspection can reveal existing storm damage that hasn’t been remedied or that may not have been repaired as expertly as it should be. Sometimes, a home’s previous owners performed bare minimum improvements just to get ready for a sale, but these may not be enough to qualify for your insurance carrier’s wind mitigation credits. We’ll make recommendations outlining how to fix or add features that protect your home from wind and water damage.
2. Get Recommendations For Increasing Wind Protection
If you’ve purchased an older home, it may not meet your insurance carrier’s criteria for cost-saving wind mitigation credits. We’ll provide a list of steps you can take to increase wind protection, which can translate into savings on your insurance premiums.
Your Florida Home Safety Checklist: Taking Additional Hurricane Prep Steps
Your wind mitigation inspection may have provided information about your home’s structural condition, but there are other hurricane awareness and preparation tips that will serve you well in our hurricane-prone state:
- Maintain storm-ready landscaping. Pruning trees and large shrubs prevents dead or dying branches from being dislodged and flying around in a storm. When severe winds are predicted, it’s also recommended that you remove all non-attached patio furniture, lawn ornaments, children’s toys, and other yard equipment to prevent them from being blown around. During a storm, these loose objects can pose a threat to your property and others.
- Protect exterior doors and windows. When a hurricane is in the forecast, take extra precautions by protecting exterior doors and windows from being blown open or struck by flying debris. You can do this by moving heavy furniture and/or sandbags in front of the doors. Permanent hurricane shutters are ideal, but you can also protect non-hurricane-rated windows using plywood. Remember, sandbags and even plywood may be available free or at a reduced cost from local grocery stores or community organizations.
- Have an emergency preparedness plan for the family. We recommend visiting the National Weather Service’s page outlining What to Do Before the Tropical Storm or Hurricane. In addition to providing further information on how to protect your home and the importance of reviewing insurance policies to ensure you have adequate coverage, they also offer tips on how to assemble an emergency preparedness kit that can take care of your family and pets in case of a prolonged emergency without access to power, water, or safe transportation.
Inspections With Super Inspection Pros (SIP)
No matter the forecast or your insurance requirements, you don’t have to go it alone. Super Inspection Pros (SIP) is here to make sure your home is truly hurricane-ready. We want to make sure new Florida residents like you understand everything they need to know about wind mitigation, roof checks, and storm prep.
SIP always guarantees an inspection date within 72 hours of your initial contact, and you’ll receive the final report within 24 hours of our inspection. Once your inspection is final, you’ll have all of the information you need for both insurance and to get your home ready for next storm season, and enjoy peace of mind knowing your home and your family are safe.
