Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Franklin Park, FL
Skylights for homes in Franklin Park and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Franklin Park sits in Broward County's humid subtropical zone, with a May–October rainy season of near-daily thunderstorms and salt-laden air drifting in from the Atlantic about five miles east. That combination is hard on anything that penetrates a roof: a skylight is a hole in the roof covering, and it only stays dry if the flashing, the roof deck and the unit itself are all in good shape. Wind-driven rain pushes water uphill at head and side flashings, and constant humidity finds any gap left by sealant that has dried out in the Florida sun.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc installs new skylights cut and framed into the roof, replaces failed, fogged or cracked units, and diagnoses leaks at existing skylights. We handle both curb-mounted and deck-mounted units with the correct flashing kit for the roof covering, and we fit impact-rated units where the opening calls for them. Skylight work often makes the most sense combined with a re-roof, while the deck is open and the flashing can be integrated properly instead of patched around.
Housing in Franklin Park is dominated by modest single-family homes built roughly from the 1950s through the 1970s, almost all concrete block with stucco, on small lots, with low-slope or gable roofs. Many of these homes predate current Florida Building Code wind standards, so an original skylight or a dome added decades later may not carry the ratings expected today. Franklin Park is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers Broward and Miami-Dade, so glazing in the roof is held to strict impact and pressure requirements. On low-slope sections in particular, a curb that was never flashed correctly tends to show itself during the summer rainy season.
Problems to watch for in Franklin Park
Sealant used instead of flashing
Caulk and mastic smeared around a curb will dry out and crack in the Florida sun. Once it fails, wind-driven rain gets under the edge of the unit with nothing behind it.
Leaks at head and side flashings
Thunderstorms during the May–October rainy season drive rain sideways and uphill. The head flashing at the top of the skylight is usually where that water finds a way in.
Fogging and condensation inside the glass
A failed seal lets moisture into the unit, and in a climate with year-round humidity the fogging does not clear. The glazing itself has to be replaced; resealing the outside does not fix it.
Corroded fasteners and metal flashing
Salt air drifting in from the Atlantic a few miles east corrodes fasteners, flashings and drip edge over time. Rust streaks around a skylight are a reason to look closer at what is holding it down.
Units that predate current wind standards
Mid-century homes in this area were built before today's code, and older domes may not have impact or design-pressure ratings. Wind-borne debris is a bigger concern here than hail.
Rotten decking around the opening
A slow leak at a curb soaks the plywood before anyone sees a ceiling stain. We include rotten plywood and fascia replacement in our scope so the new unit lands on sound wood.
Low-slope installations done wrong
Many Franklin Park roofs have low-slope sections or additions. Those need a properly built curb and the right flashing detail, not a deck-mounted unit dropped onto a flat membrane.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening into the roof and tie the flashing into the roof covering. Where framing is altered, that affects which permits and inspections apply.
- Replacement of failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights are replaced with units carrying the required ratings for this site. We match the flashing kit to the roof type rather than relying on sealant.
- Curb-mounted and deck-mounted workBoth methods have their place depending on slope and roof covering. We build or rebuild curbs where a low-slope section calls for it.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsNot every ceiling stain near a skylight starts at the skylight. We look at the head and side flashings, the surrounding field and the deck before recommending work.
- Impact-rated unitsBecause Broward is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, we specify units with the approvals and design-pressure ratings suited to the opening.
- Skylights combined with a re-roofReplacing units during a re-roof lets the flashing be integrated with the new covering. Permits are pulled under our own license and the permit is closed out.
Licenses, permits and codes in Franklin Park
Skylight work tied into the roof covering is normally performed by a DBPR-licensed roofing contractor; glazing or general/building contractors may also be appropriate depending on scope and whether structural framing is altered. Assume licensed work is required and confirm the correct category with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, or with your local building department — the Broward County Central Examining Board of Building Construction Trades also plays a role for registered and specialty contractors. A permit from the local building department is typically required for new openings and usually for replacements, since framing, flashing and impact/pressure ratings are inspected. Florida Building Code requirements for glazing in the wind-borne debris region apply, units require Florida Product Approval with ratings suited to the site, and in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone — Broward and Miami-Dade — Miami-Dade NOAs are generally required. Skylights near pools or decks may also interact with safety glazing requirements; verify specifics with the building department. Flat Rate Roofing Inc holds Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the Florida DBPR website, and the company is insured.
When to call
Leak complaints cluster in the summer rainy season and after storms, and replacements are commonly bundled with dry-season reroofing. Locally, demand spikes ahead of and during hurricane season from June through November, with a secondary bump in the cooler, drier months from November through April when seasonal residents return and schedule deferred repairs. If you noticed a drip at a skylight during a summer storm, it is worth looking at before the next one. Call (954) 775-8990 — the phone is answered around the clock, and the office in Sunrise keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm — or request an estimate with the form on this page. You get a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included.
We serve Franklin Park and nearby areas including Boulevard Gardens, Roosevelt Gardens, Washington Park, Melrose Park, Broadview Park, Lauderdale Manors, Rock Island, Dorsey-Riverbend, Oakland Park and Lauderdale Lakes, as well as Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Plantation, Wilton Manors, Sunrise and Tamarac.
Skylights in Franklin Park: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a skylight in Franklin Park?
- A permit from the local building department is typically required for new skylight openings and usually for replacements, because framing, flashing and impact and pressure ratings are inspected. We pull permits under our own license, schedule the inspections and close the permit out. Verify any specific requirement with the Broward County or applicable local building department.
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone apply here?
- Yes. Franklin Park is in Broward County, and the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone covers Broward and Miami-Dade. In that zone, Miami-Dade NOAs are generally required for skylight units, along with design-pressure and impact ratings suited to the site.
- My skylight is fogged up inside. Can it be resealed?
- Fogging between the glazing means the unit's seal has failed, and in a climate with year-round humidity it does not clear on its own. Resealing the exterior does not repair the glazing. The unit itself needs to be replaced.
- Can a skylight go on a low-slope roof?
- Many Franklin Park homes have low-slope or gable roofs on concrete block structures built roughly from the 1950s through the 1970s. Low-slope sections generally call for a properly built curb and a flashing detail suited to that covering. We look at the slope and the existing roof before recommending an approach.
- Should I replace skylights during a re-roof?
- It is often the cleanest time to do it, since the flashing can be integrated with the new roof covering rather than patched around an old unit. Replacements are commonly bundled with dry-season reroofing. Ask about it when you request your free quote.
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