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Upon renewing a homeowners policy or seeking for another insurance carrier, your insurance agent may request a Wind Mitigation Inspection. This inspection can be performed by a Florida Licensed Home Inspector and can help in obtaining insurance discounts. However, this form is really difficult to comprehend and not understanding the difference between the ratings can end up costing you some money in the long run.
To help you make the right home improvements and understand your report, the best possible rating for each section will be disclosed here under. This will help you decide which home alterations you wish to perform to attempt to improve your wind mitigation rating, since doing so may reduce your insurance premium. Then, after modifications have been made, you may contact Florida Wisdom Home Inspections for a re-inspection.
Uniform Wind Mitigation Form (OIR-B1-1802)
Section 1. Building Code:
In order for the property (NON HVHZ-Palm Beach County) to qualify for the best rating “A”, the house must have a building permit application date after 03/01/2002.
In order for the property (HVHZ-Broward County/Miami) to qualify for the best rating “A or B”, the house must have a building permit application date after 09/01/1994.
This information is obtained at the building department. No improvements can be made for this section.
Section 2. Roof Covering:
In order for the property (NON-HVHZ) to qualify for the best rating “A”, all structurally attached roof systems must have a permit application date on or after 03/01/2002.
In order for the property (HVHZ) to qualify for the best rating “A or B”, all structurally attached roof systems must have a permit application date after 09/01/1994.
The only way to improve this section is to replace the older roofing systems. At re-roofing, the roof deck attachment (section 3), the roof to wall attachment (section 4), the secondary water resistance (section 6), and opening protections such as skylights and solar tubes (section 7) can be improved. If needed, it will be the perfect opportunity to make multiple changes at once!
Missing roof permit
In rare cases, some houses don’t have a roof permit available at the building department. Those roofs usually have been installed without the required permit and city inspections. In that scenario, the homeowner won’t be able to obtain the credit for that section until the roof is replaced.
Section 3. Roof Deck Attachment:
In order for the property to qualify for the best rating “C”, the roof deck (usually 7/16” plywood or OSB sheathing) must be attached to the trusses or rafters with 8D nails and spaced 6 inches in the field. For dimensional lumber or tongue & groove roof decks, the requirements are different, but they can also be classified under this category if nailed properly.
Most of the time, this section is automatically improved at re-roofing, since "C" requirements are the newer deck attachment standards.
No attic access
The inspector measures nail length and spacing from inside the attic to determine the rating. If the attic is not accessible, the homeowner won’t be able to obtain the credit for that section, until attic access is provided.
Incorrect nails
If the nailing pattern or nail type is incorrect, changing the roof covering material and re-nailing the deck to code will give you access to this credit.
Spray foam insulation
If spray foam insulation is covering the entire roof deck, and the sheathing is not visible from the attic space, homeowners cannot receive this credit unless pictures are taken and an inspection is performed right before installation. If this wasn’t done ahead of time, one way to obtain this credit would be to request a letter from your roofing contractor including a description of 1) the type of nail used, 2) the roof deck type, and 3) the nail spacing. Every inspector works differently and may not accept those documents for proof. We do.
Condominiums
Please take note that any reinforced concrete flat roof deck “D rating” automatically receives this credit.
Section 4. Roof to Wall Attachment:
In order for the property to qualify for the best rating “D”, two separate straps that wrapped around the top of the trusses and secured with a minimum of 3 nails OR one single strap that wrapped around the top of the trusses and secured with three nails on each side (6 total) must be found on each trusses.
Unfortunately, those types of connectors are rarely found. Metal connectors found in most houses are usually clips ”B” or single wraps “C”. Rest assured, a discount is also available for “B” OR “C” rating.
To improve this section, contact a company who specializes in retrofitting older homes to adhere to current wind mitigation standards. Make sure to use a Florida licensed company who carries insurance. That’s the best way to make sure the updates will be done correctly. When the work is done incorrectly, the correction won’t qualify for the credit.
Condominiums
Please take note that any reinforced concrete roof deck will automatically receive this credit and will be classified under “E”.
Spray foam insulation
Unfortunately, if spray foam insulation is covering all of the hurricane straps, this credit cannot be applied, since there is no other way to identify what type of attachment is being used. The best way to prevent this problem is to have a wind mitigation inspection prior to installing spray foam insulation. However, some insulation companies may lack education on this subject which can lead to headaches for homeowners.
No attic access
Houses without attic access won’t be able to obtain the credit for that section, until attic access is provided.
Section 5. Roof Geometry:
In order for the property to qualify for the best rating “A”, the roof must be a “hip roof” with no other roof shape (like flat or gable) greater than 10% of the total roof perimeter.
The inspector documents all of the non-hip roof shapes then compares them to the total roof perimeter. No improvement can be made for this section.
Tip
If your house qualifies as “hip” and you plan on building an addition with a flat roof, attaching the roof structure to the house wall as opposed to attaching it to the main roof structure may allow you to keep that discount. Otherwise, this new flat roof may change your original rating for “C” which does not provide any insurance credit.
Section 6. Secondary Water Resistance (SWR):
In order for the property to qualify for the best rating “A”, a self-adhering polymer modified-bitumen roofing underlayment (commonly referred as peel-and-stick) or seam tape (on all joints and seams) must be applied directly to the roof deck, before installing the roof covering material.
Tip
Proof must be provided to the inspector to qualify for this discount. A roofing contract (mentioning the type of underlayment used) and pictures are needed. At re-roofing, it is strongly recommended that you ask your roofing contractor for those documents/pictures ahead of time. Many roofing companies do not provide documentation, so be careful and stay on top of it!
Section 7. Opening Protection:
In order for the property to qualify for the best rating “A.1”, all of the house openings must be covered by approved materials (like shutters) or need to be impact rated. This means; all glazed (windows, glass blocks, solar tubes, skylights, doors) and non-glazed (garage doors, entry doors) exterior openings need to have been tested for cyclic pressure and 9lbs large missile impact.
Homeowners who qualify for “A.2” rating could upgrade their wind pressure rated garage or entry doors for impact rated products. Doing so could change their rating for “A.1”, which is the best rating.
Depending on the property location, if you qualify as “A.3”, you may be able to receive a discount on your insurance policy as well. Contact your insurance agent for more information.
Before replacing or upgrading any opening protection devices, consult with both your insurance agent and a Florida licensed contractor experienced in the installation of impact-rated opening protection to confirm if replacement would be beneficial for you.
In conclusion, features that can help you qualify for the best insurance discounts are:
A home with a building permit application date after March 2002
A roof permit application date on or after March 2002 for all roof systems
A strong roof deck material attached 6 inches on center with 8D nails
Strong roof-to-wall connectors such as clips or wraps to tie the roof system to the walls
A roof for which nearly all of the perimeter is “hip-shaped”
A SWR (peel-and-stick roof underlayment) to help prevent roof leaks
Opening protections, such as shutters or impact windows, on all glazed or non-glazed openings
Please take note that insurance carriers may process the answer found on the wind mitigation form in several ways which will ultimately impact your insurance premium. Insurance standards are continuously changing, therefore relying only on this article is not recommended.
Homeowners should send a request to their carrier or insurance agent (in writing) to find out if any improvements could be made to receive additional credits/discounts. Home inspectors are not qualified to discuss homeowners insurance policies, rates, and/or discounts. Homeowners must contact an insurance professional, before making replacements or updates. Florida Wisdom Home Inspections LLC assumes no liability, makes no representations, and cannot guarantee whether a mitigation credit would be awarded once all modifications have been made.
After your home improvements have been addressed, you may contact us for a re-inspection to attempt to improve your wind mitigation rating. If you have any questions regarding the result of your wind mitigation inspection, please feel free to reach out !