Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights trouble, quoted at a flat rate in Ojus, FL
Skylights for homes in Ojus and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Ojus sits about two miles inland from the Atlantic in northeast Miami-Dade, inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. A skylight that drips, fogs between the panes or shows a brown stain on the ceiling is often a flashing problem rather than a glass problem. Heavy summer thunderstorms push rain sideways at the head and side flashings. Sea breezes carry salt, and sealant used in place of proper flashing dries out in the Florida sun.
Flat Rate Roofing does roofing only. We look at the skylight, the flashing and the roof around it, then give you a written flat-rate quote that says what is included. The estimate is free. Our office is in Sunrise, and our Florida certified roofing contractor license, CCC1334537, can be verified on the Florida DBPR website.
Much of the housing in and around Ojus dates from the 1950s through the 1980s: concrete block and stucco under flat, tile or shingle roofs, with newer townhome and condo construction along Biscayne Boulevard toward Aventura. On a roof that old, a skylight may have been added or re-flashed more than once, and each patch is another place for water to get in. Ojus grew up around limestone quarries, and the porous rock and high water table keep things damp, so rust is a steady problem for exposed steel. Salt air and long humid summers add to it on skylight flashing, fasteners and curbs. Because the area is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, wind-borne debris and storm season from June through November shape every repair-or-replace decision. Many townhome and condo communities here are also HOA-governed, so check your association's approval process before work begins.
Problems to watch for in Ojus
Sealant standing in for flashing
Caulk or roofing cement smeared around a skylight can dry out and crack in Florida sun. Water then gets under the curb during the next heavy summer downpour.
Wind-driven rain at head and side flashings
Thunderstorms in Ojus can drive rain sideways. If the head or side flashing was not built correctly, the water goes under the flashing instead of off the roof.
Fogged or condensation-filled units
Moisture between the panes means the seal has failed. Long humid summers with the air conditioning running most of the year make fogging and ceiling condensation more noticeable.
Cracked or damaged glazing
After a storm, wind-borne debris can crack a dome or glass unit. A cracked skylight should be looked at promptly so water stays out of the ceiling below.
Rust and corrosion around the curb
Salt-laden sea breezes and constant dampness in this part of Miami-Dade can corrode fasteners, flashing and unprotected metal around a skylight.
Old units on older roofs
Homes from the 1950s through the 1980s may have skylights that were added or patched long ago. Replacing the unit together with its flashing often makes more sense than patching it again.
What we do
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsWe check whether the water is coming from the flashing, the curb, the unit itself or the roof nearby, and put the answer in a written quote.
- Replacement of failed, fogged or cracked unitsWe replace the unit with the correct flashing kit, whether it is curb-mounted or deck-mounted.
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame a new opening into the roof and flash it properly. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement is included in the scope.
- Impact-rated unitsFor a roof in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, we can work with impact-rated skylight units. Verify the unit's approval with the building department.
- Work combined with a re-roofIf the roof is being redone, the skylight can be flashed into the new roof system. We pull permits under our own license, schedule and pass inspections, close out the permit and do a full cleanup.
Licenses, permits and codes in Ojus
The site's roofing rule reads: "Roofing work in Florida legally requires a licensed roofing contractor and generally a permit from the local building department; a contractor's license is verified on the Florida DBPR website." The regulator is the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. A skylight job can also involve glazing or structural framing, so confirm the right license category with DBPR or the building department. Because Ojus is in Miami-Dade: "Miami-Dade and Broward are Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Roofing products used there need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for that use; elsewhere in Florida they need a Florida Product Approval (or local approval). Either way the product is installed per its approval." Verify the specific skylight unit's approval and impact rating with the building department before you buy. If the skylight is part of a larger roof job, the 25% roof rule may apply: "Florida's 25% roof rule (Florida Building Code, Existing Building volume, section 706.1.1): when more than 25% of a roof or roof section is repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period, the entire roof or section has to be brought up to current code." It also says: "How it is applied can vary, so verify with your city or county building department."
When to call
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and many Ojus homeowners start preparing in May and June. Others call right after a named storm, or in November through April when seasonal homes reopen. A skylight that leaks is worth checking before the next heavy rain. Outside storm season, replacements can be bundled with a dry-season reroof. The phone at (954) 775-8990 is answered around the clock, and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. You can also request a free estimate with the form on this page.
We serve Ives Estates, Highland Lakes, Eastern Shores, Uleta, the Greynolds Park area, the Biscayne Boulevard and Ives Dairy Road corridors, the Oleta River area, and nearby Aventura, North Miami Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, North Miami and Miami Gardens.
Skylights in Ojus: questions we hear
- Can my leaking skylight just be re-sealed?
- Sometimes the source is only the flashing, but sealant used in place of proper flashing tends to dry out in Florida sun. We inspect it and write down in the flat-rate quote exactly what is included.
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone affect a skylight in Ojus?
- Ojus is in Miami-Dade, which is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Roofing products there need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for that use, and the product has to be installed per its approval. Verify the skylight unit's approval with the building department.
- Why do skylights in Ojus seem to corrode and leak sooner?
- The area is about two miles from the Atlantic, so salt-laden sea breezes and constant humidity act on metal flashing and fasteners. A damp limestone-based setting adds to rust on exposed steel.
- Do I need to check with my HOA before replacing a skylight?
- Many townhome and condo communities in and around Ojus are HOA-governed. Those associations may have their own approval steps, so check with yours before work is scheduled.
- Do you work in Ojus if your office is in Sunrise?
- Yes. Our Florida certified roofing contractor license is valid in every Florida county and can be verified on the Florida DBPR website. Call (954) 775-8990 or use the form to request a free estimate.
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