A windstorm inspection, also referred to as a "windstorm mitigation inspection", windstorm insurance inspection or "Wind Mitigation Inspection", is a kind of home inspection common in the coastal areas of the Southeastern United States

Southeastern United States

The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....

. The purpose of a windstorm inspection is to determine the appropriateness of a given structure's construction in the event of strong wind

Wind

Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...

s, such as those present in a hurricane

Tropical cyclone

A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...

.

Windstorm inspections look for construction features that have been shown to reduce losses in hurricanes, such as a hip roof

Hip roof

A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...

, concrete block construction, the presence of gable end bracing

Gable

A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...

, shutters

Window shutter

A window shutter is a solid and stable window covering usually consisting of a frame of vertical stiles and horizontal rails...

 and opening protections, the presence of roof to wall attachments such as toe nails, clips or hurricane straps, and the presence of a secondary water resistance barrier.

A homeowner with windstorm insurance

Insurance

In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...

 can often submit the results of a windstorm inspection to their insurer to obtain discounts on their windstorm insurance. In Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, for example, premium discounts for certain favorable wind mitigation features are mandated by State law and can total 45% of the original policy's premium. In coastal parts of Texas, the State mandates windstorm inspections prior to certifying a new building.