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Windward Building Consultants |
Wind Mitigation What is wind mitigation? In Florida, the FBC (Florida Building Commission) has implemented requirements for improvements in performance of structures during high wind events. Among the measures are mandated discounts to be offered by insurance companies for wind mitigation such as impact glass, hurricane shutters or panels, roof tie-downs, secondary water barriers and like improvements. This can result in substantial homeowner's policy discounts. The state also introduce the My Safe Florida Home grant program. This was initially to help homeowners identify areas where improvements could be achieved. Then they could apply for grants to offset some of the expense for those improvements. However, like most programs of this type it has been under-funded, leaving little if any incentive. How is WBC involved? Most insurance companies require that all improvements for wind mitigation be verified by a state licensed building inspector (licensed contractors, engineers and architects may also be used). WBC performs the required physical inspection and completion of the appropriate forms. In addition, WBC offers consulting services to assist you in deciding when or how to improve the performance of you home against wind. Schedule an appointment How can I decide whether to mitigate or not? There are several factors to consider. 1. The first consideration is the age of the home. Homes built within the past five years may have most of the features already installed. Older homes are likely to need one or more of the mitigation improvements. Even if some of the features are not present on your newer home, there may be only a small return on your investment if improvements are made. On older homes, may of the components may be nearing the age of replacement. 2. Second, consider the condition of your home. Replacing worn roof coverings or leaky windows is expensive. Many homeowners will put off replacement until there is no other option. Florida will be requiring wind mitigation measures for the roof assembly whenever a roof covering is replaced beginning in mid-2008. So you may have no choice but to upgrade when that time comes. However, this mandatory improvement is certainly in your best interest and may result in savings on your homeowner's insurance policy. Another benefit may be appreciated only when a hurricane affects your home. The likelihood of serious wind or water damage may be drastically reduced. Imagine being able to return home after an evacuation to find your home with minimal damage. 3. Third, is return on investment (ROI). Roof covering and window replacement are costly improvements. There is certainly some value added to your home when these have been upgraded. However, the ROI will not be 100%. Most will yield only a 50-70% of the cost of the improvement. So ask "how long do I intended to own this property"? If you plan to stay for two or more years the ROI begins to improve. You should compare the cost of the improvement against the value added and the potential for savings from your insurance provider. There may be other ways that these improvements can save you money. For instance most replacement windows will result substantial energy savings. New windows have thermal breaks and insulated glass to reduce heat conductivity and hot climate Low-E coatings to reduce heat and UV radiation.
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