Roof repair in Pasadena Hills, FL

In any 12-month period, the Florida Building Code allows patching of no more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section. After repairs pass that limit, you have to replace or recover the entire roof section. That line, more than anything else, separates repair from replacement in Florida.

There is an exception. When the roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or any later edition, current code applies only to the part being repaired. The median Pasadena Hills home dates to 2003, and 43% of units were built in 2010 or later. That does not tell you what code your roof was built to, so check your permit records.

Homeowners here are 88% of occupied households, so most readers are deciding for their own roof. If the decking is soft or wet, a patch will not hold and replacement is the honest answer.

• Stay off the roof. Look from the ground for missing shingles, lifted flashing and gaps at the ridge.
• Check the attic and ceilings for stains or drips. Take dated photos of anything you find.
• Cover openings only from the ground or a ladder you can use safely, and keep receipts.
• Leave coverage questions to your insurer or agent. Roofing contractors in Florida are prohibited by law from giving advice about insurance coverage.

Florida sets a one-year clock from the date of loss for a new property claim, so a Pasadena Hills homeowner hurt by a September storm should have notice with the insurer before the next September. For permits, Pasadena Hills is unincorporated, so Pasco County Building Construction Services handles them. The building official decides whether a minor repair requires one.