Wind Mitigation Features You Should Consider Adding to Your Roof

Tips to Bolster Your Roof’s Wind Mitigation

Every home requires a solid roof for prime safety all year round. While the roof protects your family, it remains susceptible to damage by weather elements, including rain and wind. Strong winds, especially in areas like Florida, pose the greatest threat to any roof.

Roof wind mitigation strategies can help you safeguard your home. They can cut property damage when hurricanes or windstorms strike. You can save some money with homeowners insurance when you consider the different windstorm mitigation options for your home.

Here we explore various wind mitigation features you can install in your home to prevent roof damage.

What Is Roof Wind Mitigation?

Wind mitigation entails adding features to your roof or house to minimize damage often associated with strong winds. Wind mitigation features can be integrated into structures during construction or later on. Different types of wind mitigation features allow you to limit roof damage and lower home insurance premiums.

Types of Wind Mitigation for Your Roof

Whether you are currently building or living in a purchased home, roof wind mitigation strategies reinforce your protection:

• Choosing durable roof material

If you are seeking to replace your roof or build a new home, selecting a roofing material that can withstand high winds is essential. For one, the material should meet the ASTM D3161 Class F standards with a wind resistance feature of 110 mph and above. The roofing component should also have an impact resistance of UL 2218.

• Installing roof-to-wall attachments

Wind uplift can disrupt your roof truss and ruin your home. To ensure protection, include roof-to-wall connections in your house. Instead of using single wraps with a few clips for fixing the truss, consider adding a double metal wrap with nails/screws on both sides.

• Adding roof deck components

You can only install roof deck material during roof construction or replacement. This wind mitigation option involves securing the roof perimeter using 0.625″ plywood panels. You’ll also need to fasten the panels using ten-penny nails.

• Installing a secondary water barrier

Without water barriers, your roof might be exposed to water damage. This concern arises when water enters the deck from different directions. If you want greater protection against wind and water damage, consider adding a secondary water barrier. This can b in the form of a self-adhering membrane or adhesive SWR foam. These materials attach to the roof decking preventing water intrusion and roof damage during storms.

• Adding window and door protection

During storms and hurricanes, the risk of internal pressurization with consequent damage to the home is quite high. Installing extra protection for openings like doors and windows by adding hurricane covers over them, can significantly reduce the effects of windstorms in your home. You can upgrade your doors, including garage doors and windows, to hurricane-resistant varieties as a wind mitigation strategy.

• Bracing gable roofs

If your roof is made of gables more than 4″, reinforcing the ends can enhance your home wind resistance. But this might require prints of the home’s architectural layouts for effectiveness.

Homeowners Insurance in Florida

In Florida the Division of Emergency Management recommends that you install roof wind mitigation features for extra protection. In 1992 when roof wind mitigation features were unheard of. Insurance companies suffered staggering losses following the strike of Hurricane Andrew. Now you need a wind mitigation strategy to enjoy discounts on homeowners insurance premiums.

Coleman Insurance Agency lets you save money by connecting you to the best insurance companies in Florida. For the best homeowners insurance and auto insurance in Florida, contact us today at (727) 441-9911 for a free consultation.