Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Plantation, FL
Skylights for homes in Plantation and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Plantation's housing stock is dominated by 1960s–1990s concrete block and stucco homes, with the median home dating to about 1982 according to Census ACS 5-year (2022) figures. That means a skylight on a Plantation roof is often sitting in a flat, barrel tile or asphalt shingle system that has been through several decades of South Florida sun, and the flashing and glazing seals around it have aged right along with the roof.
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 system, install impact-rated units, and frequently do this work as part of a re-roof. You get a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included.
Plantation sits in a humid subtropical zone with a May–October daily thunderstorm pattern and summer heat indexes near or above 100°F, and that combination is hard on skylights. Sealant used in place of proper flashing dries out and cracks in that sun, wind-driven rain pushes at head and side flashings during afternoon storms, and failed units fog from condensation. Because the city is in Broward County's hurricane zone under Florida's wind-borne debris requirements, a skylight here is also judged on its impact and wind pressure performance, not only on whether it keeps water out. Being several miles inland, salt exposure in Plantation is milder than at the beach, but it is still real and still works on fasteners and flashings.
Problems to watch for in Plantation
Sealant doing the flashing's job
On older Plantation roofs, a skylight is sometimes held watertight with caulk rather than a proper flashing kit. Under constant Florida sun that sealant dries out, and the next round of wind-driven rain finds the gap.
Fogged or failed glazing
Condensation between the panes means the unit's seal has failed. In a year-round humid climate like Plantation's, a fogged skylight rarely clears on its own and usually calls for replacement rather than repair.
Leaks at head and side flashings
Rainy-season storms from May through October drive water sideways and uphill at the flashing edges. Water showing on a ceiling below a skylight may be entering several feet away from where it appears.
Units older than the code they need to meet
With the typical Plantation home built around 1982, many skylights predate the stricter codes adopted across South Florida after Hurricane Andrew and may not carry current impact or wind pressure approvals.
Flashing that fights the roof system
Plantation roofs are a mix of flat, barrel tile and asphalt shingle, often with low-slope sections over additions, carports and Florida rooms. A flashing detail that works on shingle will not work on tile or a flat roof.
Deteriorated decking around the opening
A slow skylight leak can soften the plywood around the curb before anyone sees a stain inside. Our scope includes rotten plywood and fascia replacement when we open the area up.
Storm and debris damage
Tropical systems in Broward County also spawn brief tornadoes and heavy downdraft winds, so after a storm a skylight can be cracked, shifted or have its flashing lifted even when the rest of the roof looks intact.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening into the roof and set the unit with the flashing kit matched to your roof system, whether that is tile, shingle or low-slope.
- Replacement of failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights are replaced with units carrying the approvals required in Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
- Curb-mounted and deck-mounted workBoth mounting types are handled with the correct flashing kit, since flashing details must be compatible with the surrounding roof system.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsWe trace where water is actually entering, which on a wind-driven rain leak is often at a head or side flashing rather than the glass itself.
- Impact-rated unitsPlantation falls under Florida's wind-borne debris requirements, so we install units with impact-resistant glazing or approved protection as required.
- Skylight work combined with a re-roofReplacing skylights while the roof is open avoids cutting into new roofing later and lets the flashing be integrated with the new system.
Licenses, permits and codes in Plantation
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 a general/building contractor, and glazing or window specialty licenses can 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, and with Plantation's building department. Adding or replacing a skylight normally requires a permit from the local municipal building department or county building division, particularly where the roof opening or framing is altered, and like-for-like replacement may still require a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions. Skylights must meet Florida Building Code impact and wind pressure requirements; in Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone the unit generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. Flat Rate Roofing Inc holds Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license CCC1334537, valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the DBPR website, and the company is insured. We pull permits under our own license, schedule and pass inspections, and close the permit out.
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 dry winter months, often alongside a re-roof and often when seasonal residents return and catch up on deferred maintenance. In Plantation, demand also climbs from late May through October with hurricane-season preparation. To start, call (954) 775-8990 — the phone is answered around the clock, and our office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm — or request an estimate with the form on this page. Our office is at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise, and we serve Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
We serve skylight work across Plantation, including Plantation Acres, Plantation Isles, Jacaranda, Jacaranda Lakes, Lauderdale West, Plantation Gardens, Plantation Midtown, the Sunset Strip corridor, Central Park and Plantation Park.
Skylights in Plantation: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit for a skylight in Plantation?
- 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; verify specifics with Plantation's building department.
- Does my skylight have to be impact rated in Broward County?
- Broward is one of the two counties designated as the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code, and skylights must meet impact and wind pressure requirements. In the HVHZ the unit generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, with impact-resistant glazing or approved protection in windborne-debris areas.
- My skylight is fogged. Can it be resealed?
- Fogging means the glazing seal has failed, and in Plantation's year-round humidity that condensation does not clear up. Replacement with a current, approved unit is usually the path forward, and it is a good time to redo the flashing rather than rely on sealant.
- Should I replace skylights during a re-roof?
- It is worth considering. With most Plantation homes dating from the 1960s–1990s, original skylights are often as old as the roof around them, and replacing them while the roof is open lets the flashing be integrated into the new system instead of cut into it later.
- Do I need HOA approval?
- Possibly. Gated entries and HOA-governed communities are common in Plantation, especially in the golf-course and 55+ developments, and across South Florida a very large share of homes are in associations that control or must approve roof work. Check your association's rules before scheduling.
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