Roof repair in South Bay, FL

South Bay's median home dates to 1974, while the countywide median is 1986. Also, 67.9 percent of local homes predate 1980, where the county share is 33.5 percent. That suggests many roofs here have been patched or replaced more than once, and some decks may be worn.

About 13.3 percent of South Bay housing units are mobile homes, compared with 2.8 percent countywide. Mobile homes follow the federal HUD code, not the Florida Building Code, so confirm which rules apply to your roof before work starts.

Under the 25 percent rule, you may patch only a quarter of a roof or roof section in any 12 months. Go beyond that and the whole roof or section is replaced. One exception exists for a roof that was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition. For those roofs, only the repaired portion must meet today's code.

In South Bay, the permit question for a small repair belongs to the City of South Bay Planning and Building office. The code lets officials approve ordinary minor repairs without a permit, so ask them before any work begins.

Roof age also matters to insurance. At 15 years or older, a roof can be checked by an authorized inspector you hire, and the insurer must let you do that. If the inspector finds 5 or more years of useful life left, the insurer may not drop or refuse the policy over age alone. With 67.9 percent of South Bay homes built before 1980, that rule is likely to come up for many owners here.

• Keep off the roof while wind and lightning are still active.
• Photograph missing shingles, lifted flashing and ceiling stains from the ground and from inside.
• Check the attic for daylight, wet insulation or soft spots in the decking.
• Place a tarp or cover only if you can do it from a safe position.
• Tell your insurer about the damage promptly, since a claim notice has a one-year limit from the loss.