Heat, sun, heavy rain and hurricane wind make Florida one of the hardest climates on a roof, so a shingle roof here wears out sooner than the same roof up north. Age alone does not decide it, though. A well kept older roof may have years left, and a young roof installed badly or hit by a storm may need to come off now. These seven signs tell you more than the calendar about whether your roof needs replacing.
1. The roof is getting old
If your home still has its original shingles and they are getting on in years, have the roof inspected before the next hurricane season. Florida insurers can ask for an inspection on a roof 15 years or older, and a roof shown to have five or more years of life left cannot be refused for its age alone. See roof inspections.
2. Granules in the gutters
Granules are the coating on a shingle that blocks the sun and sheds water. When your gutters fill with them after every rain, the shingles are worn. Once a shingle loses its granules, the mat underneath cracks, curls and soaks up water, and in Florida sun that happens fast.
3. Cracked, curled or missing shingles
Shingles cupping at the edges, blistering or cracking across the face no longer seal. A missing shingle after a wind event leaves the underlayment and deck open to the rain, and in a summer storm water gets in within minutes. A few damaged shingles are a repair. When the damage covers a whole slope, piecemeal repair starts to cost as much as a new roof.
4. Daylight in the attic
On a bright day, turn off the attic lights and look up. Light coming through the deck means gaps in the roof, and anything that lets light through lets water through. Light in many places points to a failing deck or widespread shingle loss.
5. Stains inside or an active leak
Ceiling stains, peeling paint high on the walls, or a drip after rain are the most urgent signs. By the time water reaches a room, it has already gone through the deck and insulation, and long exposure brings mold and rot. Act quickly; see roof repair for a leak now.
6. Two layers of shingles already
The Florida Building Code allows no more than two layers. If your home already has two, the next roof must be a full tear-off. Your county's permit records show past reroofs, or a roofer can count the layers during an inspection.
7. Storm damage across a whole slope
A roofer checking for storm damage looks for impact marks, lifted tabs, broken seals and damaged underlayment across the whole roof, not just the obvious missing patches. When a whole slope is damaged, a repair can cost as much as replacement, and a new roof puts the whole system at one inspected standard. If a named storm hit your home, photograph the damage before any work starts. Our guide to hurricane roof damage covers what to photograph.
When it is time
A licensed roofer specifies Florida product approved materials for your wind zone and pulls the permit before any work starts. Our roof replacement page shows every package, and the instant estimate emails you a starting price for each in minutes.
How do I know if my roof needs replacing or just a repair?
As a rule of thumb, if the roof is young and the damage is in one place, a repair makes sense. An older roof, damage across the roof, or two layers already on it usually calls for replacement. We tell you which one you have, and the inspection is always free.
How many layers of shingles are allowed in Florida?
Two. If your home already has two layers, the next roof is a full tear-off.
Will a new roof lower my insurance?
Often, through wind mitigation credits. On our Essential, Preferred, Signature and metal roofs, the wind mitigation inspection is included in your price: once the roof passes final inspection and is paid, we set it up with a licensed inspector.
The service: Roof replacement