Roof inspections in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL

Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5) bars an insurer from dropping or declining a homeowner policy on roof age alone while the roof is under 15 years. At 15 years, you may hire an authorized inspector, at your cost, before any replacement is demanded. A finding of 5 or more years of useful life left blocks a refusal or non-renewal over age.

The insurer has to accept the inspector, so ask it for its list before you book anyone. The statute lets home inspectors, building code inspectors, roofing contractors, engineers and architects all qualify. What your policy covers is for your insurer or agent to answer.

The roof section of the 4-point form records the covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, last roofing permit, how much was replaced and the overall condition. Citizens requires that form for properties over 20 years old, and its roof-age line is 25 years for shingle and 50 years for hard roofs such as tile or metal. Many homes in this town fall in that older group.

An inspector looks for cracking, curling, heavy granule loss, exposed asphalt or felt, loose or missing tabs or tiles, soft decking and visible leaks. For wind mitigation they also record attic items you cannot see, such as roof deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections, with photos. Broward sits in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, so those details carry weight here.

Good times to book are a purchase or sale, a roof-age letter from your insurer, or the days after a storm. During Irma in 2017, a 97-kt gust was measured at Deerfield Beach and coastal Broward saw 2 to 4 feet of surge inundation. Keep the claim deadlines in mind: notice within 1 year of the date of loss, or 18 months for a supplemental claim.

If the inspection leads to repairs, the 25 percent rule applies, and a roof built or replaced under the 2007 code or later gets an exception. Roof permits go through the Town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Building Division, so check with that office on what your job needs.