A wind mitigation inspection is a specialized home inspection that evaluates a home's ability to withstand high winds and windstorms, such as hurricanes. The inspection focuses primarily on the construction features that can reduce wind damage risk, especially the roof, walls, doors, windows, and garage doors. A certified inspector assesses things like:
- The year the home was built and applicable building codes at that time
- Roof covering type, age, and materials
- Roof deck materials and how shingles are attached
- How the roof is attached to the walls (e.g., clips, straps)
- Roof shape and geometry
- Secondary water resistance barriers under shingles
- Opening protections such as hurricane shutters, impact-resistant windows, and reinforced garage doors
The purpose is to identify features that help the home resist wind damage and water intrusion caused by storms. This inspection can help homeowners obtain insurance premium discounts if the home has favorable wind-resistant features. The report is typically valid for up to five years. Wind mitigation inspections are common in hurricane-prone coastal areas of the Southeastern United States and are often required or encouraged by insurance companies to qualify for windstorm insurance discounts. Homeowners, condo owners, or even renters can benefit financially from having a wind mitigation inspection performed for their property. In summary, a wind mitigation inspection is a detailed assessment of how well a home is built and constructed to resist wind damage, which can influence insurance premiums and provide peace of mind regarding storm preparedness. This inspection differs from a 4-point inspection that assesses roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems for insurance purposes but does not focus on wind resistance. The inspection is usually conducted by certified professionals like general contractors, building inspectors, or licensed home inspectors and costs around $100 on average. This inspection has practical benefits in reducing insurance costs (sometimes by up to 40-45%) and improving understanding of a home's storm resilience.
