Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights at a written flat rate in Palm Springs North, FL
Skylights for homes in Palm Springs North and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Palm Springs North is a suburban subdivision in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, built out largely in the 1960s and 1970s with one-story concrete-block-and-stucco homes under gable or hip roofs of asphalt shingle or concrete tile. On a house that age, a skylight may be an original unit or a later addition, and either way it sits in a roof that has taken decades of sun, humidity and summer storms. The area is also inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so skylight work here means planning around wind-rated, impact-suited units, a permit and an inspection, not just a swap of glass.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc is a roofing contractor, and skylights are roof work for us. We give you a free estimate and a written flat-rate quote that says what is included. That covers the unit, the flashing, any rotten plywood or fascia we find, and cleanup. Our office is in Sunrise, in Broward County, and our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor certification (CCC1334537) is valid in every Florida county and can be verified on the Florida DBPR website.
Much of the original housing stock in Palm Springs North is now 50-plus years old, so first-generation roof penetrations and the sealant around them have had a long time to wear. Near-daily thunderstorms from May through October push wind-driven rain at head and side flashings. Year-round humidity, with salt-laden air even several miles inland from Biscayne Bay, works on fasteners and metal flashing. Hurricanes and tropical storms add extreme wind pressure and the risk of wind-borne debris striking glass. Sealant used in place of proper flashing tends to dry out under Florida sun, and a skylight that was fine in the dry season can start dripping once the rains return.
Problems to watch for in Palm Springs North
Sealant instead of flashing
Caulk or roof cement smeared around a skylight dries out and cracks in Florida sun. Once it fails, water gets under the roof covering around the opening.
Wind-driven rain at the head and sides
Summer thunderstorms in Palm Springs North can push rain sideways, and the upper and side flashings of a skylight take the brunt of it. A leak that only shows up in storms often points here.
Fogged or failed glazing
Condensation between panes means the seal on the unit has failed. In a humid climate like this one, a fogged unit usually needs replacing, not cleaning.
Cracked units after storms
Hurricanes and tropical storms bring wind-borne debris. An older, non-impact skylight can crack or break, leaving an open hole in the roof.
Corroded fasteners and metal
Humid, salt-laden air attacks fasteners and unprotected metal flashing, even this far inland. Corrosion can loosen the connection between curb, flashing and roof.
Rotted decking around the opening
A skylight that has leaked for a long time can soften the plywood and framing around it. We include rotten plywood and fascia replacement in the written scope.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening in the roof and set the unit with the correct flashing kit for your roof type, whether shingle or tile.
- Replacement of failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights come out and a new unit goes in. Replacements are suited to Palm Springs North's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone setting.
- Curb-mounted and deck-mounted unitsWe install either style with the proper flashing, so the roof sheds water around the unit instead of relying on sealant.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsWe look at flashing, glazing and the surrounding roof to find where water is getting in before recommending a repair or replacement.
- Impact-rated unitsWhere wind-borne debris requirements apply, we can install impact-rated skylights installed per their approval.
- Skylights combined with a re-roofOn a roof that is due for replacement, doing the skylight at the same time lets the new flashing tie into the new roof covering. Permits are pulled under our license, inspections are scheduled and passed, and the permit is closed out.
Licenses, permits and codes in Palm Springs North
Skylights in Palm Springs North fall under Florida rules overseen by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. On licensing and permits, the rule is this: "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." Because the community is unincorporated Miami-Dade County, confirm with the building department that handles your address which permit steps apply to your scope. On products: "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." If the skylight work is part of a larger roof repair, the state's roof rule may come into play: "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." Verify how it applies to your roof with the building department.
When to call
Florida's hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and around Palm Springs North scheduling tends to get busier before and after it. There is a smaller bump in the dry winter months, when seasonal residents return and schedule deferred maintenance. Leak complaints around skylights tend to cluster in the summer rainy season and after storms, while replacements are often bundled with dry-season reroofing. If you are planning a skylight job, getting a quote before the rainy season gives you more room to schedule. The phone at (954) 775-8990 is answered around the clock, and the Sunrise 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 Palm Springs North and nearby areas including Miami Lakes, Country Club, Hialeah Gardens, Palm Springs (Hialeah), Carol City, Lake Stevens, Medley, West Hialeah, Miami Gardens and Opa-locka.
Skylights in Palm Springs North: questions we hear
- Does a skylight in Palm Springs North need a product approval?
- The area is inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. The rule is: "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)." We will go over the approval for the unit when we write your quote.
- My home was built in the 1960s or 1970s. Can I add a skylight to a block-and-stucco house?
- Homes of that vintage in Palm Springs North are typically one-story concrete block with gable or hip roofs, so an opening is cut and framed through the roof, not the walls. We look at the roof covering and decking first and include any rotten plywood in the written scope.
- Is my skylight leaking because of the humidity?
- Humidity alone does not usually cause drips. More often the cause is failed flashing, dried-out sealant or a fogged unit. Heavy summer thunderstorms and wind-driven rain here expose those weak points, so we diagnose the leak at the skylight before recommending a repair or replacement.
- Should I replace the skylight when I re-roof?
- Often it makes sense, because the new flashing can tie into the new roof covering. Replacements are commonly bundled with dry-season reroofing in Florida. We can quote both together in one written flat-rate quote.
- What does the written flat-rate quote include?
- It states what is included, and our scope covers permits pulled under our own license, inspections scheduled and passed, the permit closed out, rotten plywood and fascia replacement, and full cleanup. The estimate itself is free.
Get a free skylights quote in Palm Springs North
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