Roof inspections in Miami Lakes, FL

Under Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5), an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a policy solely because a roof is under 15 years old. Once a roof is 15 or older, the insurer must let you hire an authorized inspector at your own cost. If the report shows 5 or more years of useful life left, age alone cannot be the reason to drop or non-renew you.

An authorized inspector is someone the insurer approves who is also a licensed home inspector, building code inspector, roofing or general contractor, engineer or architect. Ask your insurer or agent who it accepts before you hire anyone. What your own policy covers is a question for them, not for the inspector.

On the 4-point form, the roof section lists the material, age, remaining life, last permit date, and how much of the roof was replaced. In Miami Lakes, where 31.4 percent of homes predate 1980, that permit date often decides the answer. Citizens asks for the form on properties over 20 years old.

The inspector looks for cracking, curling, heavy granule loss, exposed felt, loose or missing tabs and tiles, soft decking, and leaks in the attic or on ceilings. A wind mitigation inspection adds attic items you cannot see yourself, such as deck nailing and roof-to-wall connectors, all photographed.

• Buying a home: the roof age and remaining life affect whether an insurer will write the policy.
• Selling: a current report answers the buyer's first question.
• An insurer letter naming roof age: order the inspection before the renewal date.
• After a storm: Miami-Dade County had Hurricane Irma damage in 2017 and a Dorian hurricane warning in 2019, so check for lifted tabs and attic leaks.

Miami-Dade is in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, so roof work here is held to stricter provisions. Roof permits in Miami Lakes go through the Town of Miami Lakes building office, so confirm permit history with them.