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Inspections ยท Lealman

Roof inspections in Lealman, FL

About 88 percent of Lealman homes were built before 2000, so many of them carry a roof old enough to draw an insurer's attention. Florida law sets 15 years as the age where a roof inspection starts to matter. A Lealman owner should know what the law asks, what an inspector checks, and when to book one.

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Updated October 2026

Top-down drone view of a gray-blend shingle roof with ridges, valleys and roof vents, lawn on both sides and a white fence at the left edge.

Lealman figures this page uses

Median year homes were built
1968
Mobile homes, share of housing units
24%
Share of homes built before 1980
73.2%
Share of homes built before 2000
88%

Roof age

The 15-year rule and Lealman's older homes

The median Lealman home was built in 1968, nine years older than the Pinellas County median of 1977. That fact says nothing about any one roof, because many roofs have been replaced since. It does suggest a large share of local owners will meet a roof-age question at some point.

Under Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5), an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew your policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. Past the 15-year mark, a Lealman homeowner may hire an authorized inspector, at their own expense, before the insurer requires a new roof. A report showing 5 or more years of remaining life blocks a refusal or non-renewal based only on age.

Mobile homes make up 24 percent of Lealman's housing units. Senate staff note that this section does not apply to mobile home policies, so ask your insurer or agent which roof standard applies to yours.

Inspection scope

What a roof inspection checks

On the 4-point form, the roof portion lists the covering type, age, remaining life, last permit date, and any full or partial replacement with its percentage. A damage list follows. Add photos of every slope and the form can stand in for a separate roof inspection form.

  • Cracked, cupped or curling shingles
  • Granule loss that leaves bare asphalt or felt exposed
  • Missing, loose or cracked tabs or tiles
  • Soft spots in the decking
  • Leaks seen in the attic, under the decking and on interior ceilings

Citizens wants the 4-point form for any property past 20 years of age. It also wants proof of five years of remaining life for shingle roofs past 25 years, or hard roofs such as tile and metal past 50 years. With 73.2 percent of Lealman homes built before 1980, many local owners may get that request.

Timing

When to order a Lealman roof inspection

Book one when you buy or sell, since a buyer's insurer may ask about the roof before it will write a policy. Book one when a letter from your insurer raises roof age. Book one after a storm, because slow leaks show up first as stains on ceilings. A wind mitigation inspection on form OIR-B1-1802 stays valid for up to five years if nothing material changes.

Roof permit history is part of the inspection, and in Lealman permits come from Pinellas County Building Services. Confirm any past permit with that office.

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Questions

Roof inspections in Lealman: questions

Does Lealman's 1968 median home age mean my roof is too old to insure?

No. The 1968 median year describes homes, not roofs, and many have been re-roofed since. The rule that matters is roof age. A roof under 15 years cannot be refused solely for age. Once it reaches 15 years, you may pay an authorized inspector to assess it, and a finding of 5 or more years of life left protects you from an age-only refusal.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year (place vs. county comparison, computed), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Who counts as an authorized roof inspector in Florida?

Your insurer must accept the inspector, and the statute names several kinds: licensed home inspectors, certified building code inspectors, licensed general, building, residential or roofing contractors, professional engineers, and architects. Other qualifications could also be accepted by an insurer. In Lealman, where 88 percent of homes predate 2000, ask your insurer which inspectors it accepts before you book, because that report is the document it will read.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

What does the roof section of the 4-point form record?

It records the covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, the date of the last roofing permit, and whether the roof was fully or partly replaced and by what percentage. A damage list is included too. Citizens asks for this form on properties past 20 years of age. Lealman's housing is 73.2 percent pre-1980, so many local homes may be asked for it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

How long do I have to report roof damage after a storm?

Florida bars a new or reopened property claim unless your insurer gets notice within 1 year of the date of loss. A supplemental claim has 18 months. Pinellas County saw Hurricane Hermine in 2016 and Hurricane Eta in 2020, so keep dated photos of any roof damage. Call your insurer first, since the claim is between you and them.

Source: Florida Statutes, section 627.70132 (2026), read Oct 4, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Nearby

Roof inspections near Lealman

Sources for this page(36)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1968. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year (place vs. county comparison, computed). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Hurricane Hermine (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Mobile homes, share of housing units: 24%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Share of homes built before 1980: 73.2%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Permit office: Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services - Building Services (unincorporated Pinellas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor). Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services - Building Services (unincorporated Pinellas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor). Read Oct 10, 2026.
  7. 7.Pinellas County, "Building Departments in Pinellas County" (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Share of homes built before 2000: 88%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Hurricane Eta (2020). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  11. 11.Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  12. 12.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form, Sample Form Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  14. 14.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  15. 15.Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  16. 16.OIR form. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  17. 17.Florida Statutes, section 489.147 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  18. 18.Florida Statutes, section 627.70132 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  19. 19.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services - Building Services (unincorporated Pinellas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor), Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Fla. Stat. 489.147-, Florida Legislature. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  22. 22.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  24. 24.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.Wikipedia, "Pinellas County, Florida" (secondary), Wikipedia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.NWS Melbourne, Lightning Facts and Trivia, National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.City of St. Petersburg; City of Tarpon Springs (official); Wikipedia (St. Pete Beach), City of St. Petersburg. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Lealman 2020 Census internal point (27.8197, -82.6846), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Lealman 2020 Census internal point (27.8197, -82.6846), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, stations USC00087886 ST PETERSBURG and USW00012873 ST PETERSBURG INTL AP, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.Wikipedia, "Lealman, Florida" (secondary source), Wikipedia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  36. 36.City of St. Pete Beach; Town of Redington Shores; City of Largo (official), City of St. Pete Beach. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof inspections in Lealman

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