Roof repair in Hialeah Gardens, FL

Patching is capped in Florida at 25 percent of a roof or roof section during any 12-month period. Past that line, the whole roof or section must be replaced. One exception applies. When the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, current code covers only the part being repaired.

The 2007 code took effect in 2009, so a roof from the 1992 median-build era of Hialeah Gardens homes does not qualify on that basis. That suggests many neighbors will meet the 25 percent line sooner. The housing is newer than the county's 1980 median, but the age of a home does not tell you the age of its roof.

In the HVHZ, a permit is required for work on any roofing component, and that includes repair and maintenance. The application must be executed by a licensed contractor and carry the owner notification form and product approval pages. Repairs also may not create new ponding water.

For permit questions, start with the City of Hialeah Gardens building office, which handles roof permits here. The code lets the building official decide whether an ordinary minor repair can go ahead without a permit, so ask before you assume a patch is exempt.

• Stay off the roof. Look from the ground for missing tabs, lifted ridge caps and loose soffit.
• Check ceilings and the attic for visible leaks and soft spots, as inspectors do.
• Photograph everything before any tarp goes on.
• Report any loss to your insurer. You must give notice of a claim within 1 year of the date of loss.

About 61.2 percent of occupied homes here are owner-occupied, so many of you decide about repairs yourselves. Only 38.7 percent of housing is single-family detached, and 32.8 percent sits in buildings of 10 or more units. If you rent or live in a multi-unit building, report damage to the owner or association.