Roof inspections in Lake Clarke Shores, FL

For a roof 15 years or older, Florida Statute 627.7011(5) lets you have an authorized inspector check it at your own expense. When that inspection finds 5 or more years of useful life remaining, the insurer may not refuse or non-renew you solely because of the roof's age. The inspector can be a licensed roofing contractor, home inspector, engineer or architect the insurer accepts.

A roof section is part of the 4-point form. It records covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, last permit date, whether the replacement was full or partial, and a list of damage. For properties more than 20 years old, Citizens requires a 4-point inspection. With the 54.2 percent pre-1980 share here, many local owners may be asked for one.

Citizens also asks for proof of at least five years of remaining life on shingle roofs older than 25 years and on hard roofs older than 50. Before you order anything, read your own policy and renewal letter, then ask your agent how those age lines apply to a 1978-era house.

An inspector looks for the items the forms list: cracking, curling, granule loss, exposed felt, loose or missing tabs or tiles, soft decking spots, and leaks in the attic or on ceilings. Wind mitigation forms also have the inspector photograph hidden attic details, such as deck nailing and roof-to-wall connectors.

• Before you buy or sell a home built in or near 1978.
• If a letter from your insurer raises the age of your roof.
• After a storm. Palm Beach County felt Hurricane Irma in 2017.
• Before any repair near the 25 percent line.

Roofing contractors may not offer anything of value for an inspection or advise you on coverage. Call the Town of Lake Clarke Shores building office to confirm what a roof permit requires.