High winds can cause severe damage to your home. Homes in Southeast Florida frequently experience violent and damaging winds. Therefore, it is a good idea to implement wind mitigation strategies to reduce the damage from high winds and hurricanes. 

A windstorm mitigation inspection goes over the protective features of your home. It provides you with documentation about the current state of the structure for use in determining possible discounts to your insurance premium.

There are several building techniques that can limit the damage caused by wind. Consider installing these features to add reinforcement to your home and lower your insurance premiums. 

Construction features and techniques that help with wind mitigation:

Garage Doors

They should not have windows and have track brackets that are firmly attached to the wall. It is best when there are reinforcements on all panels.

Impact-Resistant Glass

All glass doors and windows should have impact-resistant glass. They also need to be structurally attached to the building so that they cannot easily pop out of the frame. Special attention should be paid to sliding glass doors since they are most vulnerable. 

Roof Covering 

Some roof materials and attachment methods resist wind damage better than others. In Florida, the most commonly used are tiles and composition shingles. It is very important that they are attached with nails and not staples. Nails withstand wind better and hold tighter. 

Roof Shape

The geometry and build of your roof can be very important in wind mitigation. Gable roofs have end-walls that extend to the sloping roofline vertically. If the end-walls are not properly built or braced they can fail during a windstorm. Additionally, gable roofs receive a lot more pressure than hip roofs.

Roof Deck Attachment

Most important is the attachment of the roof deck to the framing and not the thickness of the deck. There are several building techniques that can prevent damage due to wind, including the usage of nails and hurricane straps. 

Roof-to-Wall Connections

The connection from roof to wall is critically important since it needs to keep the roof attached to the building. It transfers the uplift loads into the vertical walls and keeps the roof in place. Only a proper installation can help with that.

Secondary Water Resistance

In case the roof covering should fail, a secondary layer of protection can shield your home from water damage. These extra water barriers are not very common but are important to reduce leakage. 

Wind Mitigation Windstorm Insurance Discounts

Having wind insurance is important. However, it can be rather expensive. Implementing wind mitigation can reduce your insurance premium and protect your home at the same time. 

Insurance companies are required to offer discounts and credits for customers that have specific building features on their home to reduce damage. To qualify for this discount, you need a certified home wind inspection. At Kenco Home Inspections, we have the knowledge and training to offer professional windstorm mitigation inspections.

If you have windstorm insurance, you can also avoid high deductibles when you use wind mitigation techniques. That is another reason to protect your home and your investment. Consult your insurance company to go over discount calculations and specifics.

To ensure you have all the right measures in place, call today to schedule a wind mitigation inspection with Kenco!