Wind mitigation in West Central Florida
Wind mitigation is the process of adding features to your home that help withstand or increase resistance to high winds caused by a major storm or hurricane. It can also protect your family in the event of a major storm. Without the right roof installation, “Gone with The Wind” may be more than just the name of a classic movie.
According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, 15% to 70% of home insurance premiums in Florida can be attributed to wind-damage risk. While there is an upfront cost involved, outfitting your home with wind mitigation features can result in significant long-term savings.
Wind mitigation can earn you an insurance discount
Every home insurance company in Florida must offer wind mitigation discounts. All residential structures including single family homes, condos, townhomes and apartments qualify for premium credits.
Wind mitigation credits were mandated by the Florida Legislature several years ago, and they earn premium discounts for construction methods within your roof that resist damage by wind. There are several categories of credits, and within the several categories there are several levels of discounts. The age of the home and roof will be examined and inspectors will also be noting and taking photos of the roof deck attachment, roof to wall connection, roof shape and the existence of a secondary water resistance barrier.
Your wind mitigation inspection and report
The wind mitigation inspection is primarily concerned with when the roof covering (shingles, tile, etc.) were installed (2002 and after gets a credit), roof deck attachment (how the roof’s decking was attached to the truss below, ie. nails or staples) and how the roof truss is connected to the walls of the home.
At Kennedy Roofing (formerly KCG Construction & Roofing), we are wind mitigation experts. With your new roof, we’ll prepare a wind mitigation inspection report for you, complete with the required photos. All you have to do is mail it off to your insurance company.
Quality components
A lot of different quality components go into our premium roofing system, including a secondary water barrier, a polymer bitumen underlayment, a starter strip, better stainless steel nails so there’s no rusting.
Roof-to-foundation and roof-to-wall anchoring
We will reinforce your home’s walls to the roof and foundation to establish a continuous load path. This enables the outer structure of your home to resist strong winds.
An important indicator of your home’s strength is how your roof truss attaches to the walls. When securing a roof truss to the wall, options include nails, hurricane clips, single wraps, and double wraps. The more expensive options such as clips, straps, and wraps can result in the most insurance savings.
In the past, rafters and trusses were often fastened in place with toenails, which was easily compromised in gale-force winds. Even after hurricane clips became popular, some roofers only put them on every other truss or rafter, while others used too few nails.
Water barriers
We will seal your roof deck, or the layer in between the primary structure and the insulating layer of your roof, to prevent water intrusion that may otherwise occur if roof shingles blow away in extreme wind or from flying debris. This also provides an extra layer of insulation, making your home more energy efficient. Credits are given for the length of nails used as well as their spacing on the roof deck. The longer the nail and the closer the spacing, the more credits your insurance carrier will offer. If your home has a secondary barrier to prevent water damage, you can apply for this specific credit as well.
