If you live in an area where strong winds are common, you may need wind mitigation for your home. Wind mitigation involves implementing protection against strong winds in various ways that could keep your windows from blowing out or your roof from blowing off. 

If you add these mitigation features to your home, you might save money on your insurance. However, you'll need a wind mitigation inspection to determine what credits you qualify for. Here's a look at features that protect your home from wind damage and how a wind mitigation inspection is done.

Wind Mitigation For Your Home

There are some mitigation features you have control over and others you don't. For instance, the shape of your roof might earn you some credits even though you can't change the shape. Also, the way your roof is installed matters. The roof has to be anchored to the walls and built according to code. You may not have much control over your roof either unless you have it built to hurricane standards when you have a new roof put on.

Still, there are things you can change to make your home safer and reduce your insurance costs. These include putting shutters or impact windows on your home, reinforcing your garage door or buying an impact door, and putting a water barrier on your roof. You may also want to get new shingles if your roof is old and you should make sure the roof is built so it's anchored properly with clips or hurricane straps to hold it in place during strong winds.

A Wind Mitigation Inspection Is For Insurance Credits

One of these inspections may not be mandatory, but you'll probably want one so you can get better rates on your insurance costs. A licensed inspector performs this service for insurance companies, and they supply documentation and photographs as proof of existing wind mitigation.

The inspector checks your attic carefully to see how your roof is attached. They also check the surface of your roof to check the age of the shingles. They check doors and windows to see if they have some sort of wind protection in place. The inspector may take photos of where mitigation is in place and where it should be but isn't.

The inspector uses a checklist of current building codes to see which ones your home is in compliance with. They'll also look for permits for work that's been done on your house, including things like putting in a new roof or new windows. It's always good to save documentation of wind mitigation work you have done so you have proof you can pass on to the insurance company.

Contact a local wind mitigation service to learn more.