Wind mitigation inspections are a vital tool for Florida homeowners, helping to secure insurance premium discounts by documenting features that bolster a home’s resistance to hurricane-force winds. Question 5 of the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802) focuses on roof shape, specifically evaluating whether your roof’s geometry qualifies for the valuable hip roof credit. A significant discount available on the form. This question assesses how the shape of your roof influences wind pressure and uplift forces, directly impacting your home’s performance in high winds and your insurance savings.
In this deep dive, we’ll explore the history of roof shape research in Florida, what Question 5 asks, how inspectors evaluate it, the science behind the hip roof advantage, common scenarios and nuances, and what it all means for you as a homeowner.
The History of Roof Shape Standards in Florida: Engineering Meets Real-World Storms
Florida’s understanding of roof geometry and wind resistance didn’t begin with forethoughts in building codes, it began with failure. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 revealed that roof shape dramatically affects wind load distribution. Gable-end roofs, with their large vertical end walls, acted like sails, concentrating uplift and shear forces at corners and edges. In contrast, hip roofs, with slopes on all four sides, deflected wind more evenly and reduced peak uplift.
This observation led to immediate code changes. The South Florida Building Code (SFBC-94), effective September 1, 1994 in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), was one of the first to incorporate aerodynamic multipliers based on roof shape. The statewide Florida Building Code (FBC 2001), effective March 1, 2002, adopted ASCE 7 wind load provisions that formally recognized hip roofs as a mitigating feature.
Subsequent updates FBC 2007, 2010, 2017, and 2020 refined wind maps and pressure coefficients, but the hip roof shape remained a cornerstone of mitigation strategy. The 2024 Applied Research Associates (ARA) Loss Mitigation Study, commissioned by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, continues to validate this: homes with true hip roofs experience lower wind losses than comparable gable-roof homes, especially when combined with strong deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections.
What is Question 5? Breaking Down the Question Itself
Question 5 on the Wind Mitigation Form asks:
“Roof Geometry: What is the roof shape?”
The possible answers are Hip, Flat, or Other Roof, but the evaluation is more nuanced than it seems. A hip roof is one where all sides slope downward toward the walls. Only a full hip roof receives the maximum discount.
To qualify for the credit:
- The majority of the roof (at least 90%) has to be a Hip shape sloping downwards to the wall.
The form also allows the choice of a Flat roof in certain cases. This is intended only for properties within buildings containing five or more units. Inspectors must document the roof shape with photos from multiple angles and may include field measurements of the roof perimeter to support their determination.
The hip roof credit is one of the few mitigation features that cannot be easily retrofitted. It’s determined by original design of home and only major additions or a complete reengineering of the roof structure could change eligibility for this credit.
How to Answer Question 5: Evaluation and Documentation
Inspectors evaluate Question 5 through visual confirmation from the ground, ladder, or drone. Key steps include:
- Measuring total roof perimeter.
- Confirming the length of non-hip features.
- Identifying roof type: Hip, Flat, Other.
- Documenting with photos: At least four corner views and one overhead (if possible), as well the field measurements taken.
- Attaching evidence to the OIR-B1-1802 form.
The Science Behind the Savings: ARA Studies and Aerodynamic Advantage
The hip roof credit is backed by decades of wind tunnel testing and post storm damage assessments. The 2024 ARA Loss Mitigation Study uses the HURLOSS model a simulation of thousands of hurricane scenarios to quantify performance.
Key findings from related ARA studies and engineering analyses show that hip roofs provide significant loss reductions compared to gable roofs, with benefits amplified when combined with strong deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections.
The aerodynamic benefit comes from:
- Even pressure distribution across all slopes.
- Reduced corner vortices that cause peak suction on gable ends.
- Lower effective wind area for uplift calculations.
These reductions translate into significant premium discounts for the wind portion of your policy
Common Field Scenarios and Nuances: What Qualifies (and What Doesn’t)
Not all “hip-looking” roofs qualify. Here are the most common scenarios:
- Full Hip Roof: All four sides sloped, no other non-hip features exist → Yes, full credit.
- Mix of Hip & Non-Hip Features: A hybrid design that may qualify for a “hip roof” rating if the total of non-hip features are less than 10% of the total roof perimeter.
- Dutch Gable / Half-Hip: A hybrid hip design that may qualify for a “hip roof” rating if the total of non-hip features are less than 10% of the total roof perimeter.
- Mansard or Gambrel Roofs: Not true hips → No credit.
- Flat Roofs with Parapets: Not hip → No credit.
Pro Tip: if you’re curious about the shape of your roof. Often times a satellite image can help you see from a different perspective and even get rough measurements of your roof perimeter.
Google Maps Satellite Imagery
What It All Means for Homeowners: Savings, Safety, and Next Steps
A “Yes” on Question 5 is a big discount on the Wind Mitigation Form. It signals that your roof is aerodynamically superior, reducing the risk of uplift failure and water intrusion during hurricanes. Combined with strong roof to wall straps and deck nailing, a hip roof can make your home one of the most wind resilient in your neighborhood.
While you can’t easily change your roof shape, knowing your status helps with insurance shopping and future planning.
Plain-Language Takeaway
If your roof slopes down on all four sides with little to no non-hip features, you likely qualify for the hip roof credit. A big discounts on your wind mitigation form. This means lower insurance costs and a roof designed to deflect hurricane winds like a pro. Still not sure? Let us at Orlando Inspex confirm it with a quick inspection and full documentation.
For more resources, visit the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation’s wind mitigation page or contact us to schedule your inspection!
