Roof repair in Goulds, FL

Under Florida's code, you can patch no more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section within any 12-month period. Go past that line on a Goulds house and the code points toward covering or replacing the whole roof or section. A roof that was itself built, repaired or replaced to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later gets an exception. For that roof, the newer standard reaches only the portion you are fixing.

Goulds homes have a median build year of 1986, about the same as the county. That alone tells you nothing about your roof, which may have been replaced since. Check your permit records and ask the building office whether your roof qualifies for the exception.

In the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, a recover is barred when the old roof is water soaked or has two or more layers of covering. In those cases the job goes to a full tear-off to the deck.

In the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, any work on a roofing component needs a permit, filed by a licensed contractor with the owner's notification form attached. Your Goulds address has no city building department of its own, so the county's Regulatory and Economic Resources office handles the application.

After a storm, stay off the roof. From the ground, look for missing or cracked tabs, exposed felt, soft spots and ceiling stains. Photograph what you see before anything is moved. Tarp only what you can reach safely.

If roof damage may be a claim, call your insurer or agent first. Florida law bars roofers from advising on coverage, and a new claim must reach the insurer within 1 year of the loss.