Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL
Skylights for homes in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea sits directly on the Atlantic, with most of the town only a few blocks wide between the beach and the Intracoastal. That means constant salt-laden wind and spray, year-round high humidity, and a wet season of near-daily afternoon thunderstorms from June through October. A skylight is a hole cut in the roof, so it lives or dies on its flashing — and wind-driven rain driven sideways at a head flashing finds weak points fast.
We install new skylights cut and framed into the roof, replace failed, fogged or cracked units, and diagnose leaks at skylights that are already there. Both curb-mounted and deck-mounted units are handled with the correct flashing kit for the roof covering, which matters on the flat and low-slope sections and tile roofs that are common on the town's 1950s–70s concrete block homes. Flat Rate Roofing Inc is a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor, CCC1334537, with one office at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise.
The local angle here is corrosion. Because the town is squeezed between the ocean and the Intracoastal, salt air attacks unprotected metal — fasteners, drip edge and flashing — years faster than it does inland in Broward County, and the same exposure that rusts out vent caps and exterior hardware works on skylight flashing and screws. On the older mid-century block houses and the low- and mid-rise condo and motel-style buildings along El Mar Drive and A1A, we often find that previous repairs relied on sealant smeared where a flashing kit belonged. Florida sun dries that sealant out, and the next wet-season storm pushes water under it.
Problems to watch for in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Sealant used instead of flashing
Caulk and roof cement applied around a skylight curb will harden and crack under Florida sun and heat. Once it opens, wind-driven rain from a summer afternoon storm runs straight into the opening.
Leaks at head and side flashings
Storms here push rain sideways, not just down, so water attacks the uphill head flashing and the sides rather than the lower edge. These leaks often show up on an interior ceiling several feet from the skylight itself.
Fogged or failed glazing
With humidity high all year, a unit whose seal has failed will fog and hold condensation between the panes. That is a sign the glazing assembly is done, not something a sealant bead fixes.
Corroded fasteners and metal
A few blocks from the Atlantic, salt spray rusts unprotected screws, clips and flashing metal. Coated or stainless hardware is worth specifying on any coastal Lauderdale-by-the-Sea skylight.
Old units with no impact rating
Skylights installed decades ago on 1950s–70s homes may predate current wind-borne debris requirements. Replacement is the opportunity to install a unit with current design-pressure and impact ratings.
Low-slope and tile roof details
Flat or low-slope sections and tile roofs each need a different flashing approach than a shingle deck. Mixing the wrong kit with the wrong roof covering is a recurring source of recurring leaks.
Condo and association approvals
Condo and townhome associations are widespread in and around town, and many have their own approval process before exterior work starts. We will work to the documentation your board or management asks for.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the new opening, set the unit, and flash it into the roof covering. Where framing is altered, we confirm the correct permit and scope with the building department first.
- Replacement of failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights are replaced with units carrying Florida Product Approval and ratings suited to the site. In Broward County, Miami-Dade NOAs are generally required for these assemblies.
- Curb-mounted and deck-mounted workBoth mounting types are installed with the manufacturer's matching flashing kit for your roof covering. The kit replaces sealant as the primary water barrier, with sealant only in its intended role.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsNot every ceiling stain near a skylight starts at the skylight. We trace the entry point before recommending repair or replacement.
- Skylights combined with a re-roofThe cleanest time to replace a skylight is while the roof covering is open. Bundling the two means one set of flashings, installed together.
- Deck repairs and cleanupRotten plywood and fascia replacement is included in our scope, so soft decking found around an old opening is addressed rather than covered up. Full cleanup is part of the job.
Licenses, permits and codes in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
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 — in Broward County, the 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 or pressure ratings are inspected. Florida Building Code requirements for glazing in the wind-borne debris region apply, and because Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is in Broward County, inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, Miami-Dade NOAs are generally required; skylights near pools or decks may also interact with safety glazing requirements. Verify specifics with the building department. We pull permits under our own license, schedule inspections and close the permit out. The company is insured, and our certification CCC1334537 is verifiable on the Florida DBPR website.
When to call
Leak complaints cluster in the summer rainy season and after storms, and demand around here spikes ahead of and during hurricane season, June through November and peaking August through October. Skylight replacements are often bundled with dry-season reroofing, and the November–April snowbird season brings another wave as seasonal owners return and have deferred repairs looked at. Whenever you call, the phone is answered around the clock, and the Sunrise office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Call (954) 775-8990 or use the form on this page for a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included.
We serve the Commercial Boulevard village center, El Prado Park area, El Mar Drive beachfront, Terra Mar, Bel Air and adjacent Sea Ranch Lakes, plus nearby Fort Lauderdale areas such as Imperial Point and Coral Ridge, Hillsboro Shores in Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, Hillsboro Beach and Deerfield Beach.
Skylights in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a skylight in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea?
- A permit is typically required for new skylight openings and usually for replacements, because framing, flashing and impact or pressure ratings are inspected. We pull the permit under our own license and close it out after inspection. Confirm any town-specific requirements with the local building department.
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone apply here?
- Yes — Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is in Broward County, which is inside the HVHZ along with Miami-Dade. That means Miami-Dade NOAs are generally required for skylight units, in addition to Florida Building Code glazing requirements for the wind-borne debris region.
- Why do skylights near the beach fail faster?
- The town is only a few blocks wide between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal, so salt-laden wind and spray reach almost every roof. Salt corrodes fasteners, flashing and drip edge faster than inland Broward, which is why coated or stainless hardware is worth the upgrade.
- My skylight only leaks in heavy storms. Is that normal?
- It usually points to the head or side flashing rather than the glass. Wind-driven rain during the June-to-October wet season can push water up and under flashing that handles ordinary rainfall fine. A leak diagnosis will locate the entry point before anything is replaced.
- Can a skylight be replaced during a re-roof?
- Yes, and that is often the cleanest approach, since the roof covering is already open and the flashing can be integrated in one pass. Replacements are commonly bundled with dry-season reroofing. Ask for a free quote covering both.
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