Roof inspections in Surfside, FL

Under Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5), your insurer cannot refuse or non-renew a policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. Once the roof reaches 15 years, you have the right to hire an authorized inspector at your own expense. A report showing 5 or more years of useful life left takes age off the table as a reason to drop you.

The inspector has to be someone your insurer will accept. The statute names home inspectors, building code inspectors, roofing and general contractors, engineers and architects, plus anyone the insurer recognizes as qualified. Call your insurer or agent before you book, so the report is not rejected.

In a Surfside home built around 1973, the roof section of the 4-point form is the page that matters most. It records the covering material, roof age, remaining useful life and the date of the last roofing permit. Citizens asks for the 4-point on properties more than 20 years old. Ask your insurer or agent what your policy does and does not cover.

An inspector looks for cracking, curling, heavy granule loss, exposed felt, missing or loose tiles or tabs, and soft spots in the decking. The inspector also checks the attic underside and interior ceilings for leaks. The report comes with photos of every roof slope.

• Before you buy, so you know the roof's remaining life.
• Before you sell, so a buyer's inspector finds nothing new.
• If your insurer sends you a letter about how old your roof is.
• After a storm, to document damage within the 1-year claim notice window.

Miami-Dade County, where Surfside sits, is one of only two counties in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone. Any repair that follows an inspection is subject to the 25 percent rule: if more than 25 percent of a roof section is repaired in 12 months, the whole section must be replaced, unless it was built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later. Confirm permit steps with the Town of Surfside Building office.