Save Money on Homeowners Insurance Premiums with Wind Mitigation Inspection

Wind Mitigation Inspection: A Smart Way to Save Money on Your Home Insurance

Homeowners in Seminole or Volusia Counties of Central Florida may be eligible for a significant discount on their home insurance premium. How? By getting a wind mitigation inspection from First Choice Home Inspections.

A wind mitigation inspection is an examination of your home's protective features that can reduce the damage caused by strong winds, such as hurricanes. These features include the type and age of your roof, the way your roof is attached to the walls, the type and spacing of the nails used to secure the roof sheathing, the type of underlayment that protects the roof sheathing, and the type and quality of the openings, such as windows, doors, skylights, and garage doors.



Insurance companies are required by law to offer discounts to homeowners who have these wind-resistant features in their homes. The wind credit discounts can range from 10% to 70% depending; on the level of protection your home already has. The only way to get these discounts is by having a certified wind mitigation inspector provide a report that verifies your home's features.

Wind Mitigation Inspector in Seminole and Volusia Counties

That's where First Choice Home Inspections comes in. We are a licensed and insured home inspection company that offers wind mitigation inspections in Seminole and Volusia Counties. Our inspectors are trained and experienced in identifying and documenting the wind mitigation features of your home. We use state-of-the-art equipment and software to produce a detailed and accurate report that you will submit to your insurance company.

Our wind mitigation inspection takes about 45 minutes to complete and costs $150.00. It can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your home insurance premium every year. It can also give you peace of mind knowing that your home is better prepared for severe weather events.

Don't let the insurance companies charge you more than you need to pay. Contact First Choice Home Inspections today at (386) 624-3893 to schedule your wind mitigation inspection and start saving money on your home insurance.

 

Frank Carr, Florida Licensed Home
Inspector

Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
 

First Choice Home Inspections

Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida

(386) 624-3893 

Website:  http://1homeinspector.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsLlc

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-choice-home-inspections

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn

The home inspection and who should be in attendance

 

The home inspection is a detailed and meticulous evaluation of a structure. The home inspector should be allocated the utmost consideration while allowing them to concentrate during inspection of the property or future home. To safely inspect a house requires a thorough understanding of the components and how they function and relate to one another. Before the inspection, we like to enquire if the buyer has any concerns with the property. Buyers often feel uneasy if the seller or the agent follows the inspector and injects their opinion or disputes their discoveries. We have had several clients walkout at this point because they feel the seller or their agents are trying to hide or conceal defects.

Should the home seller be at the inspection? What about their real estate agent?

 

Who should attend the home inspection?

A home buyer hires the home inspector because the inspection is for their sole benefit. Often the real estate agent will recommend an inspector. An agent is required to offer several inspectors for the buyer to choose from and not present only their inspector. The choice of the inspector is ultimately the home buyer's choice.  

The buyer's agent usually coordinates the home inspection with the homeowner's agent once the inspection is scheduled. The agents should also ensure access to areas of the home like the attic, garage, electrical panel, water heater, gates, and keys for locked doors. The areas that are locked or inaccessible will not be inspected.

The buyer can bring friends, relatives, and an agent to the inspection. We recommend limiting the number to three or less. Fewer people ensure the inspector can concentrate on the inspecting and not what else is going on during the inspection. During COVID, we have also required masks for all who attend the inspection. The inspectors are not responsible for damage caused to the home by pets and children in attendance. The seller may limit the number of people a buyer can bring with them or insist on being present during the inspection. The inspector is there for the buyer and will not interact or discuss the property with the seller or their agent. You should avoid having the seller or their agent interact with your home inspector.

 

When the buyer cannot attend

Often only the homebuyer’s agent is present at the inspection. A buyer is not required to attend and may
have to work, be out of state, or not want to be present.

When the buyer attends the inspection, we can visually and verbally convey the findings before writing the report.  

 

Should the Sellers attend the inspection?

It is not advisable the sellers or their agents are present during the inspection. The homeowner or their agent that follows the inspector and prevents him or distracts him from inspecting should be a red flag for the buyer. We have an inspection agreement; we enter into with the buyer that prohibits our interaction with the sellers or their agents. Sellers may prevent or interfere with private conversations between the inspector and the buyer. Some homeowners have intentionally shadowed the inspectors or tried to distract the inspector. This type of interaction or interference often leads to the buyers pulling out of the deal.

 

Hiring your inspector

When hiring a home inspector, you should seek a highly recommended inspector. Verify their licenses and insurance. Look out for inspectors that have too many reviews. 

Often inspectors that have been in business for twenty years have only one or two reviews a year. Some new inspectors have hundreds of reviews, but are they legit? After completing your research and being confident in your decision, hire the best inspector you can find.

 

 

Frank Carr, Florida Licensed Home
Inspector

Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
 

First Choice Home Inspections

Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida

(386) 624-3893 

Website:  http://1homeinspector.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsLlc

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-choice-home-inspections

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn

Painting Tips from Your Deltona Home Inspector

Paint keeps your wood siding from rotting and the stucco from cracking. Florida weather takes a toll on our homes. As a home inspector, we see the results of DIY projects and even professional projects gone wrong every day.

Stucco

Fill cracks before painting!

When you purchase a new stucco clad home in Florida, it will usually have an acrylic paint. Builders choose acrylic paint because it has a higher permeability value not just its lower cost. After five years, this paint oxidizes or becomes caulky and will rub off on your hand.

Fill cracks before painting.

Permeability means the stucco can breathe better, which is what stucco is supposed to do. This allows the stucco siding to cure slowly for the first five years after construction. During this time you will typically see cracks appearing from the home settling. Do not use an Elastomeric paint within the first five years, as it will seal the stucco and may cause more cracks. After five years you want to fill any cracks that have developed and seal the stucco siding to keep the moisture out.

An acrylic paint will not last as long as an Elastomeric product, so it will have to be repainted more often but is less expensive. Elastomeric paint seals the siding and will stretch; this allows small cracks to be covered. Once you use an Elastomeric paint you should only use an Elastomeric over the top of it. Acrylic paint does not stretch and will crack as the Elastomeric paint moves with the expansion and contraction of the home.

Vinyl

Vinyl siding comes in a variety of colors and extra care needs to be exercised when choosing to paint vinyl siding. The formula for white or light colors of vinyl is different from that used for colored vinyl siding. 

The reason is a light color reflects more heat and UV rays, while a darker color absorbs them. White or light color vinyl siding should never be painted a dark or flat color. Painting this vinyl will cause it to absorb heat which makes the siding warp. 

Nothing looks worse on a home than warped vinyl siding. Lighter and glossy paint reflect more heat and UV rays. Darker and flat paint colors absorb heat and UV rays. 

Wood

It is import to make sure extra care is used when preparing wood siding for paint. Clean and replace all damaged wood before painting. Make sure your wood is dry enough to paint or you will seal in the moisture. Remove old dried caulk from joints. Caulk all joints that are open. All wood decays and rots, but moisture accelerates the process.

Do you need a primer?? Yes, primer not only helps the paint stick better and make the color more consistent but it also absorbs into the wood. Do not use expensive paint over dried out or new wood, it is very porous and will absorb more of the expensive paint. Priming is necessary to stop wood-bleeding or if you are covering gloss, grease, or other areas that make paint-adhesion difficult. Primer is cheaper than paint and should be used to prepare the wood for paint. 

Is Paint and Primer in one a scam?? It is great for just changing color, but is a more expensive product than paint and goes on thicker with 1/2 the coverage area and should be avoided on wood that will absorb a lot of paint.

Give yourself plenty of time to complete the project or hire a professional. Do not leave unprotected wood exposed to the weather and make sure all paint is dry before it rains.

These are just a few of many suggestions. If you are in doubt, please hire or consult a professional. Choosing the wrong paint can lead to extensive damage. Painting the exterior of a home is a huge and important project. The time to decide if it is too much work for your skill level is before you invest in paint, brushes, rollers, pans, tape, tarps, and tools.

Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
 

First Choice Home Inspections

Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida

(386) 624-3893 

Website:  http://1homeinspector.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsLlc

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-choice-home-inspections

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/+FirstChoiceHomeInspectionsDeltona

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stChoiceHomeIn