Wind Mitigation


Wind Mitigation Inspection 101


Posted on Feb 8, 2015 | 0 comments

Wind Mitigation Inspection

Wind Mitigation Inspection

The quiet 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season is no reason for Floridians to be complacent about protecting their homes. Waiting until it’s officially hurricane season to add upgrades to protect your home maybe too late. As a homeowner, you should take the time during the off season to assess your home’s preparedness to withstand severe weather.  In Florida, that protection should include installing home features to prevent windstorm damage.  Not only do these wind mitigation features make your home stronger, they protect the home and can also lower your home insurance premiums over the long term.

The most common wind mitigation features include:

  • Storm shutters and panels that protect windows and other openings from wind, rain and projectiles
  • Doors and windows built to withstand wind pressure and projectiles
  • Roofing materials and coverings that shield your home from wind and rain
  • Special attachments for roofs and walls to prevent the roof from being blown off by severe winds
  • Roof and building shapes that are more resistant to high winds

Once you’ve added these features to your home, having a Wind Mitigation Inspection should be your next step. These specialized inspections are beneficial because they:

  • Inspect mitigation features present in your home
  • Review how you can make your home stronger and more resistant to damage
  • Provide written documentation to submit to your insurance company requesting premium discounts.

When it comes time for your inspection, you will want to provide copies of any documents you have from your upgrades. The inspector will perform a comprehensive inspection of your home and property, including:

  • Roof shape, materials, condition and connections
  • Home’s basic structure and construction materials
  • Attic interior
  • Exterior and garage doors, windows and skylights
  • Wall construction
  • Storm shutters/panels

Our certified home inspection professionals have the tools, knowledge and experience to make sure your home can endure the upcoming storms while also saving you money. Call Buy Your Side Home Inspections to schedule your inspection today. 407.780.0911.

 

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Construction Features That Reduce Wind Damage and Loss

Construction Features That Reduce Wind Damage and Loss

As the Northeast tries to cope with a historic blizzard bringing hurricane force winds, Floridians should be reminded that we have our own share of hurricane force winds.  It’s not too early to begin thinking about your roof’s ability to withstand hurricane-force winds. Wind Mitigation Inspections offer significant discounts to those who provide proof that their homes can competently reduce heavy windstorm damage. Call us now to see if you qualify for these discounts.

Being so close to the ocean guarantees that we will be prone to hurricanes. What does this mean for the average homeowner in Central Florida? This means storms will be potentially knocking at your rooftop beginning June 1, 2015 with incredibly strong and damaging winds. Do you know if your home has what it takes to make it through successfully? Buy Your Side Inspections is your solution.

The certified home inspection professionals at Buy Your Side Home Inspections have the tools, knowledge and experience to make sure your home can endure the upcoming storms while also saving you money. 407.780.0911.

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6 Tips for Maintaining Your Roof


Posted on Jan 23, 2015 | 0 comments

6 Tips For Maintaining Your Roof

6 Tips For Maintaining Your Roof

Your roof is a major component of your home protecting the structure from all kinds of things that want to invade and damage the interior. At Buy Your Side Home Inspections, inspecting all the components of the roof is what we do everyday.

Here are 6 tips you can easily do to maintain and extend the life of your roof.

  1. Inspect your roof a minimum of  twice a year (especially after major storms) from ground level using binoculars.  Viewing your roof from a neighbor’s home with their permission can also be another vantage point.
  2. Remove excess debris such as leaves, sticks and any other material that may be caught inside your gutters.
  3. Trim tree branches to prevent them from hanging over your roof.
  4. Examine caulking around chimney vents and reseal if necessary.
  5. Repair and/or replace missing tiles or shingles before further roof damage occurs.
  6. Check skylight seals for leaks and reseal if necessary.

If your home needs a checkup, Buy Your Side Home Inspection will ensure that your home is in top condition or let you how to get it that way in the most financially sensible manner. Call Central Florida’s most respected Home Inspection Service. 407.780.0911.

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Buy Your Side Wind Mitigation Hurricane GlassFlorida Insurance Companies are required by the Office of Insurance Regulation to give their customers policy discounts on premiums for specific enhancements to their property. If you are an owner of  improved property in Florida, then you are potentially missing out on hundreds – possibly thousands – of dollars of discounts on your annual wind insurance premiums!

Many homeowners don’t bother to get the inspection because they believe their older homes don’t have any “upgrades.” It’s really quite rare that we inspect a home in the Orange – Osceola Country area of Central Florida that doesn’t get some type of discount … usually you have at least a couple of qualifying features.

We’ve talked before about how the structural connection of the roof to every rafter/truss and walls by way of wraps, ties or hurricane clips can reduce premiums, but other features that can help save on your premiums every year include:

 

  1. Verification that the structure was designed and built to 1994 South Florida Building Code or the 2001 Florida Building Code or later
  2. Verification that the predominant roof covering installed meets 1994 South Florida Building Code or the 2001 Florida Building Code or later
  3. Verification that the roof deck attachment (including the size and spacing of nails, screws, and adhesives) can withstand uplift of 103 pounds per square foot or 182 pounds per square foot or better
  4. Determination of the roof geometry – hip roof, non-hip roof or flat roof – a hip roof with less than 10% of any other roof shape and less than 100 square feet of flat area will benefit; some, albeit rare,  insurance companies may also credit for a gable roof with verification that gable end bracing meets the minimum standard of the 2001 FL building code
  5. Verification of the wall construction type – reinforced masonry or poured concrete equaling 70% or more of the wall construction may qualify, depending on your carrier
  6. Verification of the presence water resistance to protect the dwelling from water intrusion in the form of self-adhering polymer, modified bitumen “peel and stick” or a foam adhesive barrier is applied to every seam on the roof deck and applied to each side of every rafter/truss
  7. Verification of wind-borne debris protection on every exterior opening – including all windows, doors, garage doors, and skylights – with impact-resistant coverings that meet Miami-Dade Building Code

To see if your home qualifies, BUY YOUR SIDE will 1) conduct an evaluation to determine the wind-mitigating features of your home; 2) offer suggestions for improvements and repairs you can make to strengthen it against high winds; and 3) submit the state-standard inspection report to your insurance carrier.

Commercial properties also qualify for mitigation discounts. Wind features and prices vary according to building stories – 1 to 3 stories (Standard UMVIF form): 4 to 6 stories (Type II Mitigation Verification Affidavit), and 7+ stories (Type III Mitigation Verification Affidavit).

Hurricane season starts in just a few short weeks.  Don’t delay; call us today!  407.780.0911

 

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Osceola County Wind mitigationSummer is nearly here so Central Florida homeowners are looking for accurate wind mitigation inspections in order to potentially reduce their homeowners insurance. In other words, by presenting their Osceola County, Lake County, Brevard County or Polk County homeowner’s insurance company with the effects of wind mitigation evaluations, it might be possible to save in the price of insuring their florida home.

If you’re in the market for this type of home inspection service, you’ll find Buy Your Side Home Inspection provides the highest quality in Central Florida home inspection at very affordable rates. For years owner Tommy Joynes has been letting people know that they can count on him “inspecting each home like his mama was moving in.”

Wind Mitigation Inspections are available for all single family homes, townhouses, condos and commercial buildings. Homeowner and Condo Associations also qualify for wind mitigation credits.

Insurance companies in Florida are required to recognize submitted Wind Inspections performed by qualified home inspection companies and will provide discounts based upon the construction and/or mitigation features of your home or commercial building.

Wind Mitigation inspection can potentially  save you  between 5% to 82% on your wind insurance premiums. There are currently 9  discounts available through wind mitigation and we search for all nine to help you get the best discount possible.

Click here for the 9 discounts available that could save you money!

 

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