Preparing for your Wind Mitigation Inspection

If you are having trouble figuring it out, here are the quick and easy steps to take to digitally sign the form:
Completing the form is easiest when done on a PC (it’s possible on a phone, but it’s not mobile friendly).

1. At the beginning of your appointment confirmation email, there is a link to the agreement form. Click that link and it will bring you to Adobe’s website.
2. Once at the website, you will see the form. Scroll down to the very bottom of the page and click “Continue” to agree to Adobe’s Terms of Service.
3. Scroll back up to the top of the page and enter the property address that will be inspected next to the blue arrow that says “Start”.
4. Once you’re done entering the address, the blue arrow will now say “Next”. Click That.
5. It will then ask for your signature (You can choose to simply type your name, or there is also an option to draw your signature if you feel skilled enough with a mouse). Then click “apply”. Then Click Next and fill out your email address, Click Next again and fill out your phone number.
6. Once everything is filled out, Click the Blue button at the bottom of the page that says “Click to Sign”.
7. This is the step that many people forget to do: Check your email for an email from adobesign@adobesign.com with the subject line “Please confirm your signature on Wind Mitigation Inspection Agreement” and then click where it says “Confirm my email address”. It will then send both of you and I a copy of the agreement form. Please note: It sometimes takes 10 to 15 minutes for Adobe to send the email with the link to click.
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If so, please email me a copy of your latest roofing permit by replying to your appointment confirmation email. Or if you have a paper copy I will need to take a photo of the first page of your that shows the application date and permit number (for paper copies: please have it ready when I arrive). Also, if your home was built in 2002/2003 or 2007/2008, as I will need the initial building permit for the home itself in addition to the roofing permit..

I will need access to your attic to check a variety of things related to the roof. Please ensure nothing is obstructing your attic access (parked cars, golf carts, shelving, stored personal items, appliances, etc.). If you have multiple attic accesses, the garage attic access is almost always preferred (if you have one) as it is typically not insulated (insulation can block important photos that need to be taken).

I can typically get around most attics without any issue, but if you have it packed tightly with personal items that make it impossible to move around, I will at least need a clear path within the attic to an exterior wall. It needs to be where the downward slope of the roof connects to the wall. If you have items stored in your attic, I do not want to be responsible if I need to move things and something happens to your personal belongings. Technically, as a Licensed Home Inspector, our inspections are visual only (with the exception of removing the deadfront of an electrical panel during a 4-point inspection).

Do not be offended, but I prefer to use my own ladder not only for liability reasons, but also because unlike a standard ladder I am able to utilize both sides of the ladder that I use.

I actually prefer the attic light stays off. I use a headlamp which is preferred over an attic light as an attic light tends to throw shadows on the images I need to take, whereas the headlamp can be zoomed in on & focused on the subject being photographed. It’s also easier to get a photo of the reflection of the adhesive used for your secondary water barrier (if present) if it is dark in the attic.

If there is no way to access your attic, please email me a copy of your original contract from your roofer that breaks down everything in detail that was included in your package from your latest roof installation by replying to your appointment confirmation email. If you you have a paper copy you can take a photo of it and email that. This is important as it will be the only documentation for things like your SWR discount credit (aka secondary water barrier), 8D nails, nail spacing, etc.

The one thing that the roofing contract will not show is your roof-to-wall connection (aka hurricane straps). If you have no attic access a blueprint might be helpful in determining the number of nails in your roof-to-wall connection, which is generally a large discount. Sometimes the only way to determine the number of nails in the roof-to-wall connection is to remove a small section of soffit, however my inspection is visual only. My license does not permit me to remove soffits, perform repairs, etc. It would be up to you as the homeowner to have a section removed and it may be worthwhile to do so, as the discount is typically very substantial. However, keep in mind that sometimes even removing a section of soffit may not make the roof-to-wall-connection visible (i.e.: there may be something obstructing the view such as a 2×4 beam).

I can “usually” get the images I need from the exterior of the home. I will be looking for labels that indicate they are Miami-Dade Approved, Large Missile Impact Rated, etc.. If no labels are visible, I can sometimes use the etching in the corner of the glass if it says MDCA (Miami-Dade County Approved) or a stamp/etching of a recognizable brand that is only impact rated (i.e: “KeepSafe Maximum”).

However, on occasion I am sometimes unable to get proper images of labels or etching from the exterior and need to inspect them from inside the living area of the home in order to take photos of certification labels that are typically found on the side of the doors and in the upper (or side) tracks of the windows.

If you have documentation/invoices for your impact glass, please have that on hand for me to photograph (as I do not take paper copies) in the event the labels on your windows/doors were removed, painted over, or are obstructed (if you have digital copies, you can email them to me).

If no etching or certification labels are visible and you do not have documentation, as a last resort: sometimes the labels on the upper track of windows are covered with decorative “press-in” vinyl or metal strips. My license and insurance do not permit me to move or remove items, it is a visual inspection only. If you have these decorative strips, you may remove them prior to my arrival (I only need a sampling, i.e.: 4-6 different size windows). Just a heads up: These strips can on occasion sometimes be a tight fit and difficult to put back in. Keep in mind that in order to receive credit, ALL glass openings must be protected, no matter how small. If just one glass opening is unprotected, the insurance company and the inspection form do not give credit, this includes not just windows and doors, but windows on garage doors, skylights, glass block, etc..

It will have a wind load certification label on it. If your garage door has aftermarket insulation covering this label, I cannot give credit without a photo of the label. My license and insurance allow for a visual inspection only, I am not permitted to remove the insulation.  You will want to ensure this label is visible prior to the inspection. The label is typically located around the center of the door or the bottom right corner (from the inside), however it is possible that it could be placed anywhere. Garage doors may have many labels, the one that is needed would specifically say something about wind load, design pressure, or impact/ANSI rating, etc. Aftermarket garage door vertical bracing without a wind load certification label or wind load documentation can only be rated as “Other protective coverings that cannot be identified as A, B, or C”. Also, Keep in mind that on some older garage doors, its is possible for them to be wind rated and not impact rated. This can create an issue if the door has windows. If a garage door has glass that is not impact rated and you have protection for all of your other glass openings, no credit can be given for that protection due to the unprotected glass on the garage door. In order to receive an opening protection credit, ALL glass openings must be protected, no matter how small. If just one glass opening is unprotected, the insurance company and the inspection form do not give credit, this includes not just windows and doors, but windows on garage doors, skylights, glass block, etc..

Those will need to be on-site and accessible for photos and permanent hardware must be installed around all openings. Keep in mind that in order to receive credit, ALL glass openings must be protected, no matter how small. If just one glass opening is unprotected, the insurance company and the inspection form do not give credit, this includes not just windows and doors, but also windows on garage doors, skylights, glass block, etc.. Insurance companies do not give partial credit because if just one opening is breached, it allows air pressure into the home which creates lift to the roof.

I will need to take photos of the exterior of the home from the front, back, and side yards. If you have a fenced yard, please have that unlocked. Also, if you have dogs, please make me aware and keep them inside, not only because your dog may think I am an intruder, but as a dog owner myself with dogs who love to run, I do not want to be responsible for a runaway pet getting loose. If you have a screened lanai or pool cage, please have those unlocked as I may need to inspect windows, shutters, or shutter hardware located in that area of the home.

No, but it may be very helpful to have it handy. There are many instances where an old report may be useful (i.e.: if you had spray foam insulation installed in your attic it may have covered much of what I need to inspect, or if certification labels on windows, doors, or garage doors are now painted/insulated over or missing, I may be able to use the images from the old report so you do not lose those credits). I am not permitted to go by my “best guess”, but if there is prior documentation with photographs by a State of Florida Licensed Home Inspector and it’s indisputable that it’s the same item in question, I can use that.

If everything goes smoothly and you’ve read through the topics on this page that apply to you, typically about 20-30 minutes. This also depends on the number of insurance discount credits you qualify for and how difficult it is to get to what I need to photograph within your attic. For example: A manufactured home with no attic access and no opening protection would be much faster to inspect than a 3-story 6,000 sq ft home with a tight/low pitch attic that is insulated, has a 3-car garage and a mix of impact glass and different types of shutters. On more than half of the homes that I inspect, I can perform most of the attic inspection at or near the attic access, but it’s not unusual for me to need to crawl on my hands and knees spread 2 feet apart on 2×4’s for as far as 30 feet with no head room and contort my body in abnormal positions through crazy openings and blown-in insulation in up to 150° heat (and I’m not a tiny guy lol). I have had inspections take as little as 15 minutes and sometimes up to an hour, but an hour is usually very rare.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, please notify me as soon as possible. I only have so many openings per day and due to the current insurance situation in the state of Florida many customers are without insurance or are in danger of losing their insurance and desperately need their inspection done as soon as possible. If you cancel at the last minute, then I will be unable to fill that spot for one of those customers, not to mention that it will leave me with an hour of dead time out on the road.

Inspections Performed on Monday through Thursday:
Pending any unforeseen issues, reports are typically delivered via email the next day by midnight. This could be anytime within an hour of the inspection up until midnight depending on my travel time between appointments and how tightly I am booked. If you do not see your report the following day by midnight, please check your spam/junk folder. Due to the pdf attachment, my emails are sometimes filtered as spam/junk mail.

Inspections Performed on Friday through Sunday: Those reports may not be sent until before business hours on Monday due to lack of urgency as most insurance companies would be closed until that time.

This is already covered above, but I’m repeating it here so there are no surprises. The form and insurance companies require I go by the weakest glazed point; therefore, all glazed openings must be protected in order to receive credit. This is not something that is “up to me”. The reason is, if one opening is breached it allows pressure into the home which creates lift to your roof.

This happens from time to time. My license specifically prohibits me from going by my “best guess” and requires I provide images/documentation to support my findings on your report. The insurance companies will not accept the second-hand word of a third party that simply told you something as acceptable proof. I would need documentation of some sort showing that the door (or other opening) is impact rated. An invoice would be ideal. If that cannot be obtained, then a letter from the builder on their letterhead with their license number stating that the door (or other opening) at your property address is impact rated would be acceptable. However, I should mention my experience nearly every time this situation has occurred is that when the customer has requested the necessary information, they end up finding out that they were misinformed by the builder or realtor. This is extremely unfortunate and completely out of my control.

Credit on the form is given only if it meets Table 1609.1.2 of the FBC 2007, which includes that they have permanent hardware/anchors installed into the exterior walls. All glass openings would need to be protected. As far as a discount is concerned, that is up to your insurance company.

Mistakes and errors happen, for example, inspectors are not required to check every single roof-to-wall connection (aka hurricane strap) for 3+ nails. We do a random sampling; the original inspector may have done nothing wrong. I am used to being the hero and saving people money, so there is nothing I dislike more than when a client loses a credit, but if I were to find a strap with only 2 nails in my sampling, I cannot risk breaking the law, committing insurance fraud, facing criminal prosecution, losing my license & business by lying on the report, please do not put me in an awkward position by asking me to lie/commit insurance fraud, as the answer will always be “no” (It’s sad that I needed to say that, but it happens far more often that I’d like and it’s very uncomfortable). Plus, the inspection is not just about insurance discounts, it’s also about the safety of you and your home. I hope you understand that this is not “me doing this to you”, this was a credit you were receiving that you were not qualified for due to an error made by someone else, I just happened to be the person in the unfortunate position to deliver the bad news. Keep in mind that insurance companies sometimes send out their own inspector to double check discount credits, also if there were storm damage, it’s very easy to tell if the discount credit was fraudulently given.

This discount is unrelated to a new roof installation. Roofers are responsible for your roof deck, re-nailing the deck as needed, your secondary water barrier, shingles (or other roof material covering), etc.. basically, just the exterior of your home. Installing the third nail typically requires someone to go into your attic and add a nail to each strap on every rafter/truss.

Your report is good for 5 years. You can use this same report during that 5-year period to shop around for insurance provided no wind mitigation-related changes have been made. If you make a wind mitigation related change, the report is no longer valid and should be updated. As a customer of SWFL Home Inspector LLC, you will receive a heavily discounted rate for any wind mitigation inspection report update during that 5 year period. You would have been emailed our current discounted rates for this year in your appointment confirmation email. That rate may increase in the future, however it will always be substantially less than a first time inspection. **PLEASE NOTE: A new 1802 Form was released (Rev04/26) with new inspection category sections. Some insurance companies are not accepting the old form (Rev 01/12) even though it states it is valid for 5 years, while others are offering a 1 year grace period.

If you perform an upgrade that qualifies you for an additional insurance discount, just reply to the original email we sent that contained your report for a discounted rate on a wind mitigation inspection report update, that way you do not need to pay for a full inspection. Your newly updated report will then be good for 5 years from the date of the updated inspection.

IT MAY NOT BE WISE TO DELAY THIS INSPECTION UNTIL THE UPGRADES ARE COMPLETED. For example, if your garage door is scheduled to be upgraded 3 months from now, waiting 3 months would mean missing out on any potential discounts you may have in the meantime (i.e. new roof). Delaying the inspection may result in the loss of hundreds of dollars. Unless it’s a matter of weeks, it’s often far better to have the inspection done now and then pay the discounted rate for a report update later. I’m mentioning this as I had one customer who was getting impact glass windows installed, but her installer kept rescheduling/delaying the completion due to supply chain issues for almost 18 months. She ended up paying thousands more in insurance premiums than she needed to during that time, just to save the discounted rate of $40 for her area at the time on a report update.

I’m a one-man show (aside from an employee who handles scheduling a few hours, 2-3 days a week). Answering the phone is difficult for me as I’m usually with a client, up in an attic or driving. I do not answer while driving — between trying to find addresses, Florida traffic, and not being able to answer most questions while driving as I cannot look up scheduling or report info on the road, it’s just not safe. My truck has been hit twice since I purchased it, and both times by someone on their phone.

I’ll sometimes reply to texts at a stoplight using speech-to-text, so apologies in advance for any wild misinterpretations. Texting or emailing is your fastest bet — I often don’t get to voicemails until the end of the day, but I’ll try to return calls within 24 hours. If you have any other questions prior to receiving your report, please feel free to to reply to your appointment confirmation email or you can text me 24/7.