Roof inspections in Auburndale, FL

Florida's roof-age statute, 627.7011(5), bars an insurer from refusing or non-renewing a homeowner's policy only because the roof is younger than 15 years. Older roofs are different, and the statute gives you a way to show the insurer what the roof can still do.

For a roof at 15 years or more, the homeowner may hire an authorized inspector, paying out of pocket. If that report finds at least 5 years of useful life, age alone cannot be the insurer's reason to drop the policy. A 34.9 percent pre-1980 housing share in Auburndale makes this route relevant here.

The roof section of the 4-point form lists the covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, last permit date, full or partial replacement and overall condition, plus a damage list. Citizens asks for the whole 4-point report on properties past 20 years of age. How your own policy handles it is something your agent or insurer can explain.

Citizens sets two age lines: documentation of five years of remaining life for shingle roofs past 25 years, and for tile, slate, concrete or metal past 50.

An inspector looks for the items on the insurer's list: cracking, curling, heavy granule loss, exposed asphalt or felt, missing or loose tabs, soft decking, hail marks and leaks in the attic or on ceilings. For wind mitigation, the attic items matter too: deck nailing, roof-to-wall connectors and the sealed roof deck.

• Before a sale or purchase, when a written roof condition helps both sides.
• After an insurer letter that raises roof age.
• After a wind or rain event. Hurricane Ian put a 78 mph gust at Bartow and Irma reached 75 kt there.
• Before renewal, if your wind mitigation form, valid up to five years, is out of date.

Permit history also appears on the 4-point form, and the City of Auburndale Construction Services Office issues the building permits. A contractor may not offer you anything of value for an inspection or push you to file a claim.