Roof inspections in West Miami, FL

Under Florida law, a homeowner's policy cannot be refused or left unrenewed by an insurer only because the roof is under 15 years old. Once a roof reaches 15 years or more, you are entitled to have an authorized inspector examine it, and the cost falls to you. Age alone cannot be the reason for refusal or non-renewal if that inspection finds 5 or more years of useful life remaining.

Authorized inspectors include a licensed home inspector, a building code inspector, a licensed contractor or roofing contractor, an engineer or an architect. The insurer must approve the person. Confirm the choice with your insurer or agent before you pay anyone.

For properties older than 20 years, Citizens Property Insurance asks for a 4-point inspection. In West Miami, 53.5 percent of homes predate 1980, so that form will come up often. Its roof section records covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, last permit date, any partial replacement and overall condition.

Citizens also wants documented useful life for roofs older than 25 years (shingle) or 50 years (tile, slate, concrete or metal). For the exact terms of your own policy, the person to ask is your insurer or agent.

Inspectors work from the damage list insurers use: cracking, curling, heavy granule loss, exposed felt, loose or missing tabs or tiles, soft decking, and leaks in the attic or on ceilings. For wind mitigation, they also photograph attic items you cannot see, such as deck nailing and roof-to-wall connectors.

Order one when you buy or sell, when your insurer sends an age letter, or after a storm. Only 50.3 percent of occupied homes here are owner-occupied, so many roofs belong to landlords who may want a record on file. Miami-Dade is in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, and Irma left about 1,000 county homes with major damage.

A repair that touches more than 25 percent of the roof in 12 months can trigger full replacement. Roofs built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition fall outside this rule. For roof permits, confirm the current steps with the City of West Miami Building office.