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Repairs ยท Palm Beach Gardens

Roof repair in Palm Beach Gardens, FL

An EF-2 tornado with estimated peak winds of 130 mph spent 11 minutes on the ground in Palm Beach Gardens on April 29, 2023, starting just east of I-95. Wind like that tears shingles, ridge caps and vents first. Most repairs here start with finding which of those parts failed.

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Updated October 2026

White statue of a robed figure on a beige wall framed by palm trees under a blue sky.
Close view across a gray shingle roof slope with a black pipe boot, a palm and a green lawn below.Our work
Photo: Cathedral of Saint Ignatius Loyola - Palm Beach Gardens 06 by Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Storm damage

Where roofs fail in wind and tornadoes

Hurricane Milton's EF-3 tornado on October 9, 2024 did its worst damage in the Avenir community. Part of a new supermarket roof collapsed, and homes there had heavy roof damage. Your roof does not need a direct hit to suffer. Lifted edges and lost shingles let rain reach the decking.

Ridge vents are a common weak point. FEMA notes that losing one can open large holes in the roof deck, and its example house had ceilings collapse though only ridge shingles and the ridge vent were gone. Soffits also perform poorly in hurricanes, and a failed soffit often means water inside.

Leaks also follow flashing. After a tornado like the 2023 one, look at the spots where a wall meets the roof, where the slope changes, and around vent pipes and chimneys. Those are the joints where lifted metal lets water in.

Repair versus replace

Repair or replace: the 25% rule

For a Palm Beach Gardens roof, patching has a ceiling. Once more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section is repaired in 12 months, the code calls for redoing the entire roof or section. A roof built, repaired or replaced to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later is the exception, and only the work itself must meet current code.

The median Palm Beach Gardens home was built in 1995, newer than the county's 1986 figure. That says nothing about any one roof, so find your roof's last replacement date. Of occupied homes here, 73.0 percent are owner-occupied, so most repair decisions rest with the homeowner.

A small repair may not need a permit. The code lets the building official approve ordinary minor repairs without one. Ask the City of Palm Beach Gardens Building Division before work starts, since that call is theirs.

After the storm

What to do safely after a storm

  • Stay off the roof. Take photos from the ground and from your attic hatch.
  • Cover openings only from a safe position, and keep receipts for any temporary materials.
  • Note soft decking, missing tabs, exposed felt, and ceiling leaks, the items insurers' inspectors check.
  • Report damage to your insurer or agent. A new claim must reach the insurer within 1 year of the loss date.

Florida law bars roofing contractors from soliciting claims or advising you on coverage. What your policy pays is a matter between you and your insurer.

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Questions

Roof repair in Palm Beach Gardens: questions

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

Under the Florida Building Code, not more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section can be repaired, replaced or recovered in 12 months unless the whole roof or section is replaced or recovered. The exception applies when the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced to the 2007 code or later. A local government cannot change that exception. For Palm Beach Gardens, permits go through the City Building Division.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

Does Palm Beach Gardens have tornado risk to roofs?

Yes. An EF-2 tornado with 130 mph estimated winds touched down just east of I-95 on April 29, 2023. Hurricane Milton's EF-3 tornado on October 9, 2024 hit the Avenir community hardest. Palm Beach County has also seen an EF-2 tornado collapse a house roof during Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Source: NWS Miami, 'Palm Beach Gardens EF-2 Tornado - April 29th, 2023' StoryMap, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

Do I need a permit for a roof repair in Palm Beach Gardens?

It depends. Florida's code allows ordinary minor repairs without a permit if the building official approves, so the local office decides. Roof permits here go through the City of Palm Beach Gardens Building Division. Call them with the size and type of repair before work begins. Larger repairs and replacements generally need one.

Source: FBC-B 2023 Ch. 1, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

Can my insurer drop me because my roof is old?

Florida law sets limits for roofs 15 years or older. Under 627.7011(5), you may order an authorized inspection at your own expense, and a result showing 5 or more years of useful life left blocks a refusal or non-renewal based only on age. Your roof's age counts from when 100 percent of its surface was last built or replaced. For details on how this affects your own coverage, ask your insurance agent or the insurer directly.

Source: Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026), read Oct 4, 2026

Related: Roof repair

Nearby

Roof repair near Palm Beach Gardens

Sources for this page(35)
  1. 1.NWS Miami, 'Hurricane Milton' StoryMap (Oct 9, 2024 tornado outbreak; preliminary data). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.NWS Miami, 'Palm Beach Gardens EF-2 Tornado - April 29th, 2023' StoryMap. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Median year homes were built: 1995. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 73.0% (19,935 of 27,294). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, B25034, B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Permit office: City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division. City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  8. 8.Hurricane Ian (2022). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ian (AL092022). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Hurricane Dorian (2019). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Florida Building Commission, 'Setting New Standards for Safety: The Florida Building Code' (2004 publication; wind-speed figures in it are outdated and not used). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.FEMA FL-RA2. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.FBCR Ch. 9. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  14. 14.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  15. 15.Florida Statutes, section 553.844 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.FBC-B 2023 Ch. 1. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form, Sample Form Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  18. 18.Florida Statutes, section 627.70132 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  19. 19.Florida Statutes, section 489.147 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  20. 20.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  21. 21.City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division, City of Palm Beach Gardens. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.Fla. Stat. 489.147-, Florida Legislature. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  23. 23.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ian (AL092022), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  30. 30.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Palm Beach Gardens 2020 Census internal point (26.8488, -80.1671), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof repair in Palm Beach Gardens

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