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Inspections ยท West Lealman

Roof inspections in West Lealman, FL

In West Lealman, 95.8 percent of homes were built before 2000, so a roof inspection here usually looks at an older roof. The median home dates to 1973. Insurers and Florida law ask specific questions about roofs of this age.

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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.

West Lealman figures this page uses

Share of homes built before 2000
95.8%
Share of homes built before 1980
75.3%
Mobile homes, share of housing units
30.6%
Median year homes were built
1973

Home age

Why older housing makes inspections common here

By our arithmetic, 20.5 points of West Lealman homes were built between 1980 and 1999, since 95.8 percent predate 2000 and 75.3 percent predate 1980. Many of those homes have had at least one reroof. Some have not. Only a look at the roof itself settles which group yours belongs to.

Mobile homes make up 30.6 percent of housing units here, against 9.0 percent county-wide. The HUD code governs those roofs, not the Florida Building Code. Tell any inspector up front if yours is a mobile or manufactured home. Senate staff also note that Florida's roof-age statute does not apply to mobile home policies.

Insurer rules

Understanding the 15-year rule and what the 4-point form asks for

Under Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5), an insurer cannot refuse or non-renew a homeowner policy only because the roof is under 15 years old. When your roof hits the 15-year mark, you can pay for an authorized inspector yourself, and the insurer has to accept that. A finding of 5 or more years of useful life means age alone cannot end your coverage.

On the 4-point form, the roof section lists the covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, last permit date, whether the replacement was full or partial, and overall condition. Citizens requires the 4-point inspection on properties over 20 years old. With 75.3 percent of local homes built before 1980, that reaches most of the housing here.

Citizens also wants documented remaining life of at least five years once a shingle roof passes 25 years. Tile, slate, clay, concrete and metal get a 50-year threshold instead. Your insurer or agent can explain what your own policy requires.

Inspection basics

Knowing the right time to schedule an inspection, along with what the inspector checks once on site

  • Cracking, curling, cupping, heavy granule loss and exposed asphalt or felt
  • Missing, loose or cracked tabs or tiles
  • Soft spots in the decking
  • Signs of a leak that show up in your attic or as stains on the ceilings inside your home

Order one before you buy, before you list, when your insurer sends a letter about roof age, and after a storm. Hurricane Eta in 2020 left Lake Seminole 4.1 feet above mean higher high water and cost over 40,000 Tampa Bay customers their power. Roof damage after such events is not always visible from the ground.

Permit history matters to the form, so ask the county. Roof permits in this unincorporated area come from Pinellas County Building Services. Confirm the permit record for your address with that office.

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Questions

Roof inspections in West Lealman: questions

What is the 15 year roof rule in Florida?

It is Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5). An insurer cannot refuse or non-renew a homeowner policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. At 15 years or older, you may have an authorized inspector check the roof at your expense, and the insurer must allow it. Age alone cannot serve as the reason when the inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life remaining. In West Lealman, 95.8 percent of homes predate 2000, so this rule comes up often.

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

Related: Roof inspections

Who counts as an authorized roof inspector in Florida?

Your insurer has to accept the inspector, and the statute lists who qualifies: a licensed home inspector, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building, residential or roofing contractor, a professional engineer, or an architect. Other professionals may also be recognized as qualified by the insurer. With a median build year of 1973 in West Lealman, ask your insurer for its requirements before you hire anyone.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Does a mobile home roof in West Lealman follow the same insurance rule?

Not necessarily. Mobile homes are 30.6 percent of West Lealman housing units, and Senate staff note that the roof-age section, 627.7011(5), does not apply to mobile home policies. Citizens does require a 4-point inspection when you apply for a mobile home on a property over 20 years old. Ask your insurer or agent which requirements apply to your policy.

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

Related: Roof inspections

How long is a wind mitigation inspection good for?

The current form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), took effect on April 1, 2026. As long as the structure has had no material changes and the form contains no inaccuracies, it remains valid for up to five years. It records roof covering, deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections. With a median build year of 1973 here, many attic connections are likely original. Your insurer can tell you how it uses the form.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Nearby

Roof inspections near West Lealman

Sources for this page(31)
  1. 1.Share of homes built before 2000: 95.8%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.Share of homes built before 1980: 75.3%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Mobile homes, share of housing units: 30.6%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year (place vs. county comparison, computed). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Hurricane Eta (2020). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.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.
  8. 8.Pinellas County, "Building Departments in Pinellas County" (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Hurricane Hermine (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Median year homes were built: 1973. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.City of St. Pete Beach; Town of Redington Shores; City of Largo (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  13. 13.Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  14. 14.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  15. 15.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  16. 16.Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form, Sample Form Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  17. 17.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.OIR form. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  19. 19.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.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.
  23. 23.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.Wikipedia, "West Lealman, Florida" (secondary source), Wikipedia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the West Lealman 2020 Census internal point (27.8191, -82.7388), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the West Lealman 2020 Census internal point (27.8191, -82.7388), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.City of St. Petersburg; City of Tarpon Springs (official); Wikipedia (St. Pete Beach), City of St. Petersburg. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NWS Melbourne, Lightning Facts and Trivia, National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof inspections in West Lealman

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