Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Skylights for homes in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Fort Lauderdale sits in a tropical, year-round humid climate with a hot, stormy wet season from roughly May through October, and that is exactly when skylight problems announce themselves. Wind-driven rain pushes at head and side flashings, and constant UV bakes any sealant that was used in place of proper flashing. With a median year built of 1972 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year (2022) data, many single-story concrete block and stucco homes here are on their second or third roof, and skylights cut into those roofs decades ago rarely match the flashing details of the system around them today.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc works throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties from one office at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise. In Fort Lauderdale we install new skylights cut and framed into the roof, replace failed, fogged or cracked units, fit curb-mounted and deck-mounted units with the correct flashing kit, diagnose leaks at existing skylights, and set impact-rated units — often as part of a re-roof, which is the cleanest way to get the flashing right. Every job comes with a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included.
Fort Lauderdale is called the 'Venice of America' for its hundreds of miles of canals and Intracoastal frontage, and that waterfront exposure matters overhead as well as at ground level. Constant salt air off the Atlantic and the city's canals accelerates corrosion on exterior metal, so skylight flashings, fasteners and frames on waterfront homes can degrade earlier than they would inland. Much of the single-family stock predates modern building codes, so an older skylight may not carry the impact and wind pressure documentation now expected in Broward County, which sits inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code.
Problems to watch for in Fort Lauderdale
Sealant used instead of flashing
A bead of caulk around a curb is a short-term fix that the Florida sun dries out and cracks. Once it fails, water tracks down into the deck and shows up on the ceiling during the May–October rainy season.
Wind-driven rain at the head flashing
Near-daily thunderstorms and tropical systems drive rain sideways and uphill. Water that a vertical shower would never reach can be forced under head and side flashings that are not lapped correctly.
Fogged or failed glazing
High year-round humidity makes condensation inside a double-glazed unit obvious. Once the seal fails the unit stays cloudy and is a replacement, not a repair.
Corroded fasteners and frames
Salt air along the Intracoastal and the canals corrodes metal faster than inland conditions. Rusted screws and pitted flashing legs loosen the weather seal over time.
Units with no current approval documentation
Skylights set decades ago on 1950s–1970s homes may predate today's windborne-debris requirements. In Broward's HVHZ a replacement unit generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance.
Flashing that fights the roof system
Barrel tile, asphalt shingle and low-slope roofs all need different details, and Fort Lauderdale has all three, including flat sections over additions and Florida rooms. A kit meant for one system leaks on another.
Rotten deck around the opening
A slow leak softens the plywood at the curb long before anyone sees a stain. We include rotten plywood and fascia replacement in our scope so the new unit lands on sound framing.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening into the roof and build the curb so the unit sits correctly on the slope. The flashing is integrated with the surrounding roof system rather than relying on sealant.
- Replacing failed, fogged or cracked unitsWe remove the old unit and set a new curb-mounted or deck-mounted skylight with the manufacturer's matching flashing kit. Where impact-rated glazing is required, we specify a unit with the appropriate approval.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsNot every ceiling stain near a skylight starts at the skylight. We trace the entry point at the head, sides, curb or adjacent roof field before recommending anything.
- Impact-rated units for the HVHZBroward sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so skylights generally need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance; elsewhere a Florida Product Approval applies. We confirm the correct documentation with the building department.
- Skylight work combined with a re-roofReplacing a skylight while the roof is open is the most reliable way to get flashing laps and underlayment in the right order. It also avoids disturbing new roofing later.
- Permits and closeoutWe pull permits under our own license, schedule and pass inspections, and close the permit out. Full cleanup is part of the job.
Licenses, permits and codes in Fort Lauderdale
Skylight work in Florida is usually performed under a license. Installation and replacement in a roof is typically handled by a licensed roofing contractor, or by a general or building contractor, and glazing or window specialty licenses can also apply depending on scope. Florida does not have a widely recognized standalone state 'skylight' license class, so confirm the correct scope with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), and with the Fort Lauderdale building department — local county and municipal building departments and contractor licensing boards also play a role in South Florida. Adding or replacing a skylight normally requires a permit, particularly where the roof opening or framing is altered, and like-for-like replacement may still require a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions. Units must meet Florida Building Code impact and wind pressure requirements, with flashing details compatible with the surrounding roof system. Flat Rate Roofing Inc holds Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the DBPR website, and the company is insured.
When to call
Leak complaints tend to surface during the May–October rainy season and after storms, while replacements and upgrades are commonly scheduled in the drier months, often alongside a re-roof. Fort Lauderdale also sees seasonal residents return between November and April, and opening a long-vacant home is a practical time to look at a skylight that has been quietly weathering. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so if you are considering an impact-rated unit it is worth starting the permit conversation early. Call (954) 775-8990 or request an estimate with the form on this page — the phone is answered around the clock, and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
We serve Fort Lauderdale including Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, Las Olas Isles, Colee Hammock, Sailboat Bend, Flagler Village, Imperial Point, Poinsettia Heights, Tarpon River, Croissant Park and Galt Ocean Mile, plus nearby Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Dania Beach, Davie and Hollywood.
Skylights in Fort Lauderdale: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a skylight in Fort Lauderdale?
- Adding or replacing a skylight normally requires a permit from the local municipal building department or county building division, especially where the roof opening or framing is altered. Even like-for-like replacement may still require a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions. We pull permits under our own license and close them out.
- Does my skylight have to be impact-rated?
- Broward and Miami-Dade are designated as the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code, and in the HVHZ a skylight generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. Elsewhere a Florida Product Approval applies, with impact-resistant glazing or approved protection required in windborne-debris areas. Verify the specific requirement with your local building department.
- Why do skylights on waterfront Fort Lauderdale homes seem to fail sooner?
- Constant salt air off the Atlantic and the city's many canals accelerates corrosion on exterior metal, which affects fasteners and flashing legs. Combined with year-round humidity and heavy UV, that can shorten the service life of hardware compared with inland conditions.
- Should I replace a skylight at the same time as my roof?
- It is usually the better sequence. With the roof open, the flashing kit, underlayment and laps can be installed in the correct order instead of being worked around finished roofing, and in Fort Lauderdale's 1950s–1970s housing stock the deck around an old curb often needs attention anyway.
- My ceiling is stained near the skylight. Is the skylight the leak?
- Not always. Wind-driven rain during the rainy season can enter at nearby flashings, valleys or the roof field and travel to the lowest point, which is often the skylight shaft. We diagnose the entry point before recommending a repair or replacement.
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