Living in Florida, you are no stranger to the hurricanes and storms experienced on a yearly basis. With most hurricanes occurring August through October, you may feel that your home is relatively safe the rest of the year. But with severe storms happening at any time with extreme winds, your home can be vulnerable to damage. Roofingclaims.com can help you navigate new construction projects on your home or repair damages due to storms.  

Florida Storms

Although the probabilities for hurricanes to touch down in Florida is about once every three years, Mother Nature is not often predictable. In 2019, for example, there were six hurricanes that year alone. And with severe storms happening at any given time, the chances of roof damage isn’t far off. 

If you find yourself with significant roof damage, make sure to follow some steps to help protect your home from further damage, and ensure your family’s safety. First, if there’s enough damage to your roof that there is water entering your home during a storm, try to patch up any areas that you can. Even placing buckets underneath can at least aid in keeping water off of your floors and walls. If you can safely reach your electrical panel, turn off the power to your home. If there is standing water near the area, don’t try to approach and leave it to the professionals instead. Evacuating yourself and your family from the home is ideal if there’s notable damage to your home, and is safe enough outside to do so. You’ll want to call your insurance company as soon as you safely can to begin the claim filing process. What you may not know, though, is that Florida has a rule about roofing that can help save you money in the event of storm damage. 

Florida 25% Rule

The 2017 Florida Building Code for an existing building can help you when it comes time to repair your roof. Here is the specific rule:

Chapter 7 Alterations – Level 1 (706.1.1)

“Not more than 25% of the total roof area or roof section of any existing building or structure shall be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the entire existing roofing system or roof section is replaced to conform to requirements of this code.”

In layman’s terms, this means that if your roof suffered damage that covered more than 25% of the surface area, you may be entitled to an insurance claim settlement for a new roof. Depending on your insurance coverage this can vary, but it is definitely worth looking into as the cost of a new roof can certainly be costly. Repairing just sections of a roof will cause uneven areas and cause further issues, and it’s better to replace whole sections if not the entire roof if you can, enabling a smooth repairment. This Florida 25% rule applies to a variety of roofs, including shingle, tile, flat TPO, mod bit and metal. 

Repairing Done Right

Dealing with a damaged roof is stressful enough, and taking in the financial hardship involved in repairing or replacing it just adds more stress and worry. With the Florida 25% rule, you may not have to concern yourself over the cost of replacement and instead leave it in your insurance company’s hands. Make sure to know what you’re entitled to the next time a storm hits, and you’re left with roof damage.

Contact Us

Ready to find expert roof repair and replacement services? Roofingclaims.com is here to help! Our team provides the ultimate client experience, with seamless communication, staffing, budgeting, and on-site organization with quality handiwork. Call us today!