Know how your tile roof stands up to wind

What does a wind mitigation inspection check on a tile roof? It checks the parts of the home that help it resist wind. On a tile roof, that means the tile covering, how the tiles and roof deck are fastened, how the roof ties to the walls, the roof shape, the water barrier under the tile, and the openings such as windows and doors. The inspector records these features on a state form. Your insurer then decides what discount, if any, applies. This guide walks through each part for homeowners in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Kendall, Naples, Fort Myers and Boca Raton.

What a wind mitigation inspection covers on a tile roof

A wind mitigation inspection is a documented review of the features that affect how a home handles wind. Florida insurers use it when they work out wind discounts. The form is the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, Form OIR-B1-1802, which a state rule adopts by name.

See Fla. Admin. Code R. 69O-170.0155 for the form.

The inspector records what is there. The insurer applies the discount. Information on premium discounts for hurricane loss mitigation is available from the Office of Insurance Regulation.

A tile roof falls under the same categories as any other roof. The tile details sit inside each category. Many homeowners think the inspection grades the roof. It doesn’t. It documents features. For background on tile systems, read our tile roofing guide.

Roof covering and how the tiles are fastened

The roof covering is the first thing recorded. On a tile roof, the inspector notes whether the tile is concrete or clay, along with the tile profile.

The inspector also looks at how the tiles are attached. Fasteners and clips are part of that picture. Depending on access, the inspector may look from the roof, the attic, or both. Installation matters as much as the material itself.

High-wind tile work follows published installation methods. The Tile Roofing Industry Alliance publishes installation guides for tile roofs in Florida.

Visible damage gets noted during the visit. Cracked tiles, broken tiles, and tiles that have slipped are all part of what the inspector sees. Two tile roofs can record differently. Installation and condition both count toward what is written down.

Roof deck and roof-to-wall connections

The roof deck and the roof-to-wall connections are the parts you can’t see from the street. Both matter for wind. The roof deck is the sheathing under the tile. The inspector checks its material and how it is attached, from the attic where access allows.

Florida law ties reroofing to these parts. See Fla. Stat. § 553.844.

Roof-to-wall connections tie the roof framing to the walls. Fla. Stat. § 553.844 reads: “For houses that have both hip and gable roof ends, the priority shall be to retrofit the gable end roof-to-wall connections unless the width of the hip is more than 1.5 times greater than the width of the gable end.” Fla. Stat. § 553.844 reads: “Roof-to-wall connections shall not be required unless evaluation and installation of connections at gable ends or all corners can be completed for 15 percent of the cost of roof replacement.” The inspector identifies how each one is made. Common types include toe nails, clips, and straps.

Older homes can differ. The same statute limits retrofit requirements for existing buildings. For buildings in the wind-borne debris region with an insured value of $300,000 or more (or, if the building is uninsured or no insured value is documented, a just valuation of $300,000 or more), § 553.844(3)(b) says a roof replacement must incorporate the roof-to-wall techniques in § 553.844(2)(b)3. Under that subparagraph, these connections are required only if evaluating and installing them at gable ends or all corners can be completed for 15 percent of the cost of roof replacement. For homes with both hip and gable ends, gable-end connections get priority. The exception is when the hip is more than 1.5 times wider than the gable end.

Roof shape, secondary water resistance, and opening protection

The inspector records roof shape, such as hip or gable. Shape affects which roof-to-wall connections get priority, as noted above.

Secondary water resistance is the water barrier under the tile. For edge details, see our tile roof drip edge guide.

Opening protection covers the home’s openings. The statute names adding or strengthening opening protections as a windstorm mitigation measure. The inspector records the windows, doors, and garage doors, along with the type of protection each has. If you’re weighing upgrades, our impact windows and impact doors services cover that work.

Tile condition and what it can mean for the report

The report records the roof as it looks on the day of the visit. It is a snapshot, not a forecast.

Cracked or broken tiles and slipped tiles get noted. Our guides on cracked tiles after a storm and why roof tiles slip explain what to check on the roof.

Repairs made later are documented in separate records. They are not added to the earlier report.

Damage does not automatically change the insurance result. The insurer decides how it applies the findings. Two common mistakes are assuming one cracked tile costs a discount, and assuming a fresh repair erases the record.

A wind mitigation form is also not a general roof condition check. A general inspection asks whether the roof is in good shape. The wind form asks which wind-resistance features are present. These are two different questions, and each document answers only one of them.

Records to gather and how to read the finished report

Gather permit records, roof installation paperwork, tile and underlayment product information, and any prior inspection reports before the visit. Each one helps show what was installed and when.

Miami-Dade County’s hurricane mitigation guidance covers roof-sheathing attachment and the secondary water barrier. Those are the same areas the inspector records, so the same paperwork often answers the questions.

Permit records show when work was done. Installation paperwork shows how the tile was set. Product information identifies the tile and underlayment. Prior reports give a earlier point of comparison.

Read the finished report as a record of observed features. It is not a pass or fail certificate. Keep a copy in your own files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Talk with our team about your tile roof

If your tile roof has cracked or slipped tiles and an insurance renewal is coming up, you may be unsure what the inspector will record. Our team at ASP Superhome can talk through your roof and your questions with you. Start with a free first consultation, which is confidential and carries no obligation to continue, through our contact page. For background first, read our tile roofing guide.