Florida Home Inspections Explained: Wind Mitigation, 4-Point, and WDO Reports

If you are buying a home in Pennsylvania, a home inspection is a home inspection. An inspector walks through the property, checks the systems, writes a report, and you negotiate repairs. Straightforward.

Florida is different.

In addition to the standard general home inspection, Florida buyers routinely encounter three additional reports that most PA buyers have never heard of — and that can have a direct, significant impact on your homeowner's insurance premiums, your ability to get coverage at all, and your closing timeline.

Understanding these reports before you make an offer will save you from surprises at the worst possible time.

The Standard General Home Inspection

Before getting into the Florida-specific reports, let's establish the baseline.

A general home inspection in Florida covers the same fundamentals as in Pennsylvania: roof condition, HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical, foundation, windows, doors, and visible structural components. Florida inspectors are licensed by the state and must follow defined standards of practice.

What is different in Florida:

•Roof age matters enormously — Florida insurers often refuse to write policies on homes with roofs over 15–20 years old, or charge dramatically higher premiums. Your inspector will note the roof's estimated age and condition.
•Hurricane straps and tie-downs — inspectors check whether the roof structure is properly connected to the walls with hurricane straps, which affects wind mitigation ratings.
•AC systems — Florida homes run their AC systems year-round. An aging or undersized system is a bigger deal than in PA.
•Moisture and mold — Florida's humidity creates conditions for moisture intrusion and mold that are far more common than in Pennsylvania. Inspectors look carefully at attics, crawl spaces, and around windows.

Cost: $350–$600 for a standard general inspection on a typical single-family home. Timeline: Schedule immediately after going under contract. Florida inspection periods are typically 10–15 days.

Wind Mitigation Report

What It Is

A wind mitigation inspection evaluates how well a home is constructed to withstand hurricane-force winds. The inspector examines specific structural features and documents them on a standardized Florida form (OIR-B1-1802) that is submitted directly to your insurance company.

What the Inspector Evaluates

1. Roof covering

The type of roofing material and when it was installed. Metal roofs and certain tile roofs receive better ratings than standard asphalt shingles.

2. Roof deck attachment

How the roof decking (plywood or OSB) is attached to the roof trusses. Longer nails spaced closer together provide better wind resistance and better ratings.

3. Roof-to-wall connection

This is one of the most important factors. The inspector looks for:

•Clips — basic metal connectors
•Single wraps — metal straps that wrap around one side of the truss
•Double wraps — metal straps that wrap around both sides (best rating)
•Structural — bolted connections (best possible)

Homes built before the mid-1990s often have toe-nailed connections (nails driven at an angle) with no metal connectors — the worst rating category.

4. Roof shape

•Hip roof (slopes on all four sides) — best wind resistance, best insurance discount
•Gable roof (triangular ends) — more vulnerable to wind, lower discount
•Flat or other — varies

5. Opening protection

Whether windows, doors, and skylights have hurricane protection:

•Impact-resistant glass — best rating
•Hurricane shutters — good rating
•No protection — no discount

6. Secondary water resistance

Whether there is a self-adhering underlayment (peel-and-stick) under the roof covering that would prevent water intrusion if the roof covering is damaged in a storm.

Why It Matters: The Insurance Discount

This is the key reason to get a wind mitigation report: it can reduce your homeowner's insurance premium by 20–45%.

On a $6,000/year insurance policy, a strong wind mitigation report could save $1,200–$2,700 annually. Over 10 years, that is $12,000–$27,000 in savings.

The report is valid for 5 years. If you are buying a home that already has a wind mitigation report, ask for it — it may still be valid and save you the inspection cost.

Cost: $75–$150, often bundled with the 4-point inspection. Who performs it: A licensed home inspector, engineer, or contractor with the appropriate Florida license.

4-Point Inspection

What It Is

A 4-point inspection is a limited inspection that evaluates only four systems of a home:

Roof — age, condition, and remaining useful life

Electrical — panel type, wiring type, and condition

Plumbing — pipe materials and condition

HVAC — age, condition, and type of system

It is not a comprehensive home inspection — it does not cover structural issues, windows, doors, or dozens of other items a general inspection addresses.

Why Florida Insurers Require It

Most Florida homeowner's insurance companies require a 4-point inspection before issuing a policy on any home that is 15 years old or older. Some insurers require it on homes as new as 10 years old.

The insurer uses the 4-point report to assess their risk before agreeing to cover the property. If the report reveals significant issues, the insurer may:

•Require repairs before issuing the policy
•Exclude certain systems from coverage
•Decline to write the policy entirely

The Systems That Cause the Most Problems

Electrical panels:

•Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok panels — many insurers will not write a policy on a home with one of these panels. They were manufactured from the 1950s through the 1980s and have a documented history of breaker failure. Replacement costs $2,000–$4,000.
•Aluminum wiring — used in some homes built in the 1960s–1970s. Some insurers decline or surcharge. Can be remediated with COPALUM connectors.
•Knob-and-tube wiring — very old, almost always requires full replacement before coverage.
•Double-tapped breakers — a common finding, usually inexpensive to correct.

Plumbing:

•Polybutylene (PB) pipe — gray plastic pipe used from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Many insurers will not cover homes with PB plumbing due to failure risk. Replacement is a significant expense ($3,000–$8,000+ depending on home size).
•Galvanized steel pipe — older homes may have galvanized supply lines that are corroding from the inside. Insurers may require replacement.
•Cast iron drain lines — common in older Florida homes. Cast iron corrodes over time; replacement is expensive but not always required immediately.

Roof:

•Age is the primary concern. Most insurers want to see at least 3–5 years of remaining useful life. A roof inspector estimates remaining life based on condition, material, and installation date.
•A roof with less than 3 years of estimated remaining life will often trigger a requirement to replace before coverage is issued.

HVAC:

•Systems over 15–20 years old may trigger surcharges or require replacement. Florida's climate is hard on AC systems.

The 4-Point Is Not a Substitute for a General Inspection

This is a critical point for PA buyers to understand. The 4-point inspection is required by your insurer — it is not a substitute for a thorough general home inspection. You need both.

The 4-point tells your insurance company whether they will cover the home. The general inspection tells you what condition the home is in.

Cost: $75–$150, often bundled with the wind mitigation report.

WDO Report (Wood-Destroying Organism Inspection)

What It Is

A WDO inspection — also called a termite inspection or wood-destroying organism report — evaluates a home for evidence of:

•Subterranean termites — the most destructive and most common in Florida
•Drywood termites — live inside wood without soil contact; harder to detect
•Wood-destroying beetles (powder post beetles, old house borers)
•Wood-destroying fungi (wood rot caused by moisture)

The inspector examines accessible areas of the home — crawl spaces, attics, garages, exterior wood, and interior baseboards — and documents any evidence of active infestation, previous infestation, or damage.

Why Florida Is Different from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has termites — primarily Eastern subterranean termites — but the risk is moderate and seasonal. Florida is a different situation entirely.

Florida has some of the highest termite pressure in the United States. The state is home to multiple termite species, including the Formosan subterranean termite, which is significantly more aggressive and destructive than the Eastern subterranean species common in PA. Florida's warm, humid climate allows termites to be active year-round.

In Southwest Florida, it is not a question of whether a home will encounter termites over its lifetime — it is a question of when and how well protected it is.

What the Report Covers

Active infestation: Live termites or beetles present in the home. Requires treatment before closing in most cases. Previous infestation: Evidence of past activity (frass, mud tubes, damaged wood) with no current live activity. May or may not require treatment depending on extent. Damage: Structural damage to wood members caused by termites, beetles, or fungi. Damage is noted but the WDO inspector does not assess structural significance — that requires a separate structural engineer evaluation. Conducive conditions: Conditions that make infestation more likely — wood-to-soil contact, moisture intrusion, wood debris under the home, etc.

Treatment and Repair

If active termites are found, the seller typically pays for treatment as a condition of sale. Common treatment methods:

•Liquid termiticide treatment — applied to the soil around the foundation; $800–$1,500
•Bait station systems — ongoing monitoring and baiting; $1,200–$2,000 initial + annual fees
•Fumigation (tenting) — required for drywood termites; the entire home is tented and fumigated; $1,500–$3,500 depending on home size. The home must be vacated for 2–3 days.

Structural damage repair is separate from treatment and can range from minor (a few hundred dollars for a damaged sill plate) to significant (thousands for structural members in a crawl space or attic).

Termite Bonds

Many Florida homes have an existing termite bond — a service contract with a pest control company that provides annual inspections and covers retreatment if termites return. When buying a Florida home, always ask:

•Is there an existing termite bond?
•Is it transferable to the new owner?
•What does it cover — treatment only, or treatment plus damage repair?

A transferable termite bond with damage coverage is a valuable asset. Some bonds cover up to $1 million in damage repair.

Cost: $75–$150 for the WDO inspection. Treatment costs vary widely. Who performs it: A licensed pest control operator (PCO) with a WDO license. This is a separate license from a general pest control license.

Putting It All Together: The Florida Inspection Package

Most experienced Florida buyers order all four reports simultaneously during the inspection period:

|---|---|---|---|

Total typical cost: $575–$1,050 for all four reports on a standard single-family home.

Many inspection companies offer bundled pricing — ask for a package quote when you schedule.

How These Reports Affect Your Closing

Insurance binding: Your lender requires proof of homeowner's insurance before closing. If the 4-point or wind mitigation report reveals issues that make the home uninsurable (or only insurable at a prohibitive cost), you need to know this before you remove your inspection contingency — not the week before closing. Negotiation leverage: Issues found in any of these reports can be used to negotiate repairs, credits, or price reductions. A roof with 2 years of remaining life, a Federal Pacific panel, and active termites are all legitimate negotiating points. Timeline: Order all inspections within the first 3–5 days of your inspection period. Getting reports back, reviewing them, and negotiating repairs all takes time. Do not wait until day 8 of a 10-day inspection period to schedule.

What PA Buyers Are Often Surprised By

After helping dozens of Pennsylvania families buy in Florida, these are the inspection findings that catch PA buyers most off guard:

The insurance cost impact of a bad wind mitigation report — PA buyers often do not realize how much the roof shape, age, and construction details affect insurance premiums.

The 4-point killing a deal — Finding out a home has a Federal Pacific panel or polybutylene plumbing after removing the inspection contingency is a painful situation. Always get the 4-point done early.

Termite activity in a home that looks perfect — Termites in Florida can cause significant damage with no visible exterior signs. The WDO inspection is not optional.

Roof age as a deal-breaker — A 20-year-old roof in Pennsylvania is not unusual. In Florida, it may mean you cannot get insurance, or that you need to budget $15,000–$25,000 for a replacement immediately after closing.

Questions About Florida Inspections?

As a Florida-licensed Realtor who has guided hundreds of buyers through the inspection process, I can help you understand what you are looking at and what it means for your purchase. Call me at 239-414-8435 or reach out through the contact form — I am happy to walk through any inspection report with you.