Roof inspections in Sewall's Point, FL

Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5) bars an insurer from refusing or non-renewing a policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. Once your roof reaches 15 years, the insurer has to allow an authorized inspector, paid for by you, to check it. Age alone cannot justify a refusal when that inspection finds 5 or more years of useful life remaining.

With 44.4 percent of residents 65 or older, many owners here will see renewal letters that mention roof age. An authorized inspector can be a roofing contractor, a licensed home inspector, an engineer or an architect, if your insurer accepts that person. Ask your insurer or agent who qualifies.

The roof section of the 4-point form records the covering, roof age, remaining useful life, last permit date and percent replaced. It also lists damage such as soft decking, curling, granule loss and attic leaks. Citizens asks for documented remaining life on soft roofs older than 25 years.

An inspector walks the slopes and photographs each one. The attic matters too, because deck nailing and roof-to-wall connectors on the wind mitigation form cannot be seen from the ground. The form in use, OIR-B1-1802, stays valid up to five years if nothing changes.

• Before you buy or sell a home, so the roof's age and condition are known.
• After an insurer letter that cites roof age.
• After a named storm, once the roof is dry and safe to reach.
• Before any repair, since the 25 percent rule limits patching in a 12-month period.

Contact Town of Sewall's Point Building & Public Works to confirm your roof's permit history before the inspection. South Fork Roofing can do the inspection itself. Florida law bars roofers from offering anything of value for an inspection, and from advising on what your policy covers.