Latest FEMA report on Ian
A home with an older roof and severe structural damage from Hurricane Ian winds in St. James City, FL. Courtesy, FEMA
FEMA has released a fourth Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) report on Hurricane Ian, assessing storm and flood damage to Florida homes from the September 2022 Cat 5 hurricane. It’s a follow-up to the previous reports covered in our August 2023 newsletter, Unsurprisingly, the report shows the value of new roofing, which damage assessments showed fared better than older roofs; specifically those with roofs built or replaced under the 2015 update to the Florida Building Code which focused on waterproofing homes and ensuring roofs stay attached to their structures. Many of the older homes in the impacted Southwest Florida area which were not up to code showed extensive damage from the storm, while newly built roofs sustained little to no damage. FEMA estimates Ian’s economic damages in excess of $112 billion. In the wake of such a costly storm, many Floridians are looking for ways to reduce the severity of storm impact starting with their home.
FEMA researchers mapped areas affected by Hurricane Ian and began to see that many of the older homes, usually built in the early 2000s, fared far worse in the storm – missing their roof or showing damage to other parts of the structure. Many of the specific code updates, such as requiring sealed roof decks and stronger attachments to keep the roof on the structure, stop excessive storm damage like water from seeping into your home when the shingles are ripped off. This compounding damage from the storm did not affect the neighbors of these older homes who had updated their roofs in compliance with the new code – providing a distinct control group for the MAT team.
Roof tile damage from Hurricane Ian winds of 126 mph on newer (green stars) and older roofs (red box) in a neighborhood in Placida, Florida. Courtesy, NOAA
The report found that 90% of homes with roofs installed before 2015 had damage, while only 28% of roofs installed after 2015 showed signs of damage, leading the team to conclude that “newer roof coverings generally performed better than older roof coverings.” Such findings are key in improving Florida’s building codes, which are updated every three years to ensure that storm damage is mitigated. The report has a wealth of information, observations, and images on Ian’s extensive flood damage as well.
Insurance companies have been focusing on homeowners replacing older roofs, given the growing cost of materials, roofing scams, and fraudulent lawsuits – factors all driving our double-digit rate increases. Newer roofs enjoy significant rate savings. As I told Fox 13 Tampa News this past week for a story they did on this FEMA report, “Get your roofs replaced before the storm comes. Don’t wait for a storm to get a new roof.”
LMA Newsletter of 1-8-24
