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Repairs ยท Fort Lauderdale

Roof repair in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fort Lauderdale's worst recent rain came on April 12, 2023: 11.74 inches in three hours at the airport gauge, and 25.91 inches by the end of the day. Water like that finds tired flashing and lifted ridge caps fast, and in this High-Velocity Hurricane Zone city even a small fix goes through a permit.

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Updated October 2026

Aerial view of a dense cluster of downtown high-rise buildings surrounded by a grid of streets and neighborhoods.
Close view across a gray shingle roof slope with a black pipe boot, a palm and a green lawn below.Our work
Photo: Fort Lauderdale Arts and Science District by formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped

Local know-how

Where Fort Lauderdale roofs let water in

FEMA's post-storm teams keep returning to the same finding: wind damage to the roof covering is a primary source of water intrusion, and when ridge vents blow off they leave long open slots in the deck. Leaks also follow the places the code requires flashing, such as wall-to-roof joints, changes in slope and every pipe or vent opening.

Storm records here show both kinds of load. Tropical Storm Eta's flooding in 2020 put water inside some buildings in Fort Lauderdale, and during Irma in 2017 the hurricane center logged a 97-knot gust at Deerfield Beach. After Hurricane Ian, the damage FEMA's team saw most often was at hips and ridges, on newer and older roofs alike.

Tile behaves differently. The tile industry's technical briefs say broken tiles in a hurricane usually come from flying debris rather than wind pressure, so one cracked tile after a storm is a reason to check the underlayment beneath it.

Permits

Repair permits and the 25 percent cap in Fort Lauderdale

Section 1512.3 of the Florida Building Code treats any repair or maintenance of a roofing component in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone as permitted work, and the city's Permitting Services handles a repair permit like any other roofing permit. Parts going back on need a product approval (1521.2), and the repair may not create new ponding water (1521.3).

Size sets the next limit. Once more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section is repaired or replaced within 12 months, Section 1521.4 sends the whole section to current code, unless the existing roof was built to the 2007 code or later (Fla. Stat. 553.844(5)). In a city where the median house dates to 1973, the date on the last full re-roof permit decides which side of that line you are on.

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Questions

Roof repair in Fort Lauderdale: questions

Can a handyman fix a roof leak in Fort Lauderdale?

Not as a way around the rules. Florida exempts casual, minor or inconsequential work below a set contract price from contractor licensing, but the exemption does not cover anyone who advertises as a contractor, or a job split up to stay under the limit (Fla. Stat. 489.103(9)). Fort Lauderdale adds a second hurdle: in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone every roofing repair needs a permit under Section 1512.3, and the HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application has to be completed and signed by a contractor. Ask whoever you hire to pull that permit with the city's Permitting Services.

Source: Fla. Stat. 489.103, read October 5, 2026; 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.3 (UpCodes transcription), read October 5, 2026.

Related: Roof repair

What should I check on my Fort Lauderdale roof after a big storm?

Start from the ground and the attic, not the ladder. Citizens Property Insurance's inspection form lists what to look for: cracking, curling, heavy granule loss, exposed felt, missing, loose or cracked tabs or tiles, soft spots in the decking, and leaks in the attic or on ceilings. Eta's flooding in 2020 reached the inside of some Fort Lauderdale buildings, so look at ceilings along exterior walls too. If you plan to report damage, Florida law gives one year from the date of loss for notice of a new claim to reach your insurer, and your insurer or agent answers coverage questions.

Source: Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form (Insp4pt 03 25); Fla. Stat. 627.70132; both read October 4-5, 2026.

Related: Roof inspections

Why do flashing and edge metal corrode on Fort Lauderdale roofs?

Salt. FEMA's coastal guidance says metal corrosion is most pronounced on homes within 3,000 feet of the ocean, and Fort Lauderdale sits on the Atlantic with about 100 marinas along its waterways. One steel maker's terms exclude areas within 1,500 feet of salt water for the same reason. In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, components used in a repair must carry a product approval (Section 1521.2), so ask what metal the replacement flashing, drip edge and fasteners are made of, and keep the metals compatible so one does not eat the other.

Source: FEMA P-499 Technical Fact Sheet 1.7 (mirror); 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1521.2 (UpCodes transcription); both read October 5, 2026.

Related: Roof repair

Nearby

Roof repair near Fort Lauderdale

Sources for this page(42)
  1. 1.NWS Miami, 'Fort Lauderdale Extreme Rainfall and Flooding - April 12th, 2023' StoryMap. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.Median year homes were built: 1973. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Permit office: City of Fort Lauderdale - Development Services - Permitting Services. City of Fort Lauderdale - Development Services - Permitting Services. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Wikipedia, 'Fort Lauderdale, Florida' (revision 1372249038). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Tropical Storm Eta (2020). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta (AL292020). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.NWS Miami, 'Fort Lauderdale Extreme Rainfall and Flooding - April 12th, 2023' StoryMap; OpenFEMA. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.FEMA FL-RA2. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.FBCR Ch. 9. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  10. 10.ICC Building Safety Journal, Karl Fippinger, 2024-02-07. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.TRI Alliance Technical Brief #2022-001 and #2021-01. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from C-14 (the research cites it "as C-14").
  13. 13.Florida Statutes, section 553.844 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form, Sample Form Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  15. 15.Florida Statutes, section 627.70132 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  16. 16.FEMA P-499 Technical Fact Sheet 1.7 , mirror. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), tables B01001, B01002, B01003, B25001, B25003, B25004, B25024, B25034, B25035, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.City of Fort Lauderdale - Development Services - Permitting Services (official page), City of Fort Lauderdale. Read Oct 5, 2026. Official municipal building and permit page (name and link only).
  19. 19.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta (AL292020), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Florida Statutes, section 489.103 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  22. 22.Wikipedia, 'List of municipalities in Florida', Wikipedia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (POP100, HU100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 layer 26 (Incorporated Places), U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.Official website: City of Fort Lauderdale, Historic Preservation, City of Fort Lauderdale. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), tables B01001, B01002, B01003, B25001, B25003, B25004, B25024, B25034, B25035, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.Florida Building Commission, 'Setting New Standards for Safety: The Florida Building Code' (2004 publication; wind-speed figures in it are outdated and not used), Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.Broward County, Board of Rules and Appeals, Broward County. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NWS Miami, Weather Safety - Lightning, National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.Senate SB 808 staff analysis pp. 3-4, The Florida Senate. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), Florida Building Commission (UpCodes viewer). Read Oct 5, 2026. unofficial transcription; verify on floridabuilding.org
  34. 34.FBC-B 2023 Ch. 1, International Code Council (Florida Building Commission). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.Florida Statutes, section 718.112 (2026), The Florida Senate. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  36. 36.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  37. 37.Insp4pt 03 25, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  38. 38.FBC-Building 2023 Chapter 2 definitions, Florida Building Commission (UpCodes viewer). Read Oct 5, 2026. unofficial transcription; verify on floridabuilding.org
  39. 39.FBCR 2023 Ch. 9, International Code Council (Florida Building Commission). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  40. 40.miamidade.gov, Miami-Dade County. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  41. 41.OIR form, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  42. 42.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration point estimates at the Fort Lauderdale 2020 Census internal point (26.1412, -80.1467), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof repair in Fort Lauderdale

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