Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Sunrise, FL
Skylights for homes in Sunrise and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Sunrise sits in a humid subtropical zone with a rainy season that runs roughly May through October and brings near-daily thunderstorms and wind-driven rain. A skylight is a hole cut in the roof, so it is the one detail that has to shed that water perfectly, year after year, under constant UV and heat indexes above 100°F. Broward County is also part of the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code, which sets a high bar for what a skylight over your head is allowed to be.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc installs new skylights cut and framed into the roof, replaces failed, fogged or cracked units, fits curb-mounted and deck-mounted units with the correct flashing kit, diagnoses leaks at existing skylights, supplies impact-rated units, and does the work alongside a re-roof when that makes sense. You get a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included, permits pulled under our own license, inspections scheduled and passed and the permit closed out, rotten plywood and fascia replacement included in the scope, and full cleanup. Our office is at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise, and the company is insured.
Most of Sunrise was built out between the late 1960s and the 1990s — the U.S. Census Bureau's ACS 5-year (2022) puts the median year built at 1982 — so much of the housing stock is now 30 to 55 years old, and most homes here are owner-occupied. On roofs that age, an original skylight has usually outlived its flashing and its glazing seal, and it may predate the product approval rules in force today. The city's western edge backs up to the Everglades water conservation areas, with heavy summer rainfall and intense sun that is hardest on west- and south-facing roof slopes, exactly where sealant used in place of proper flashing dries out, shrinks and cracks first.
Problems to watch for in Sunrise
Sealant doing the job flashing should do
A bead of caulk around a curb will not survive long under Sunrise sun and UV. Once it dries out and splits, wind-driven rain follows the opening straight into the ceiling.
Leaks at the head and side flashings
During the May to October rainy season, rain rarely falls straight down here. Wind-driven rain can push up and under a head or side flashing that was never lapped correctly into the roof covering.
Fogged or failed glazing
When the seal on a double-glazed unit fails, condensation forms between the panes and the skylight stays permanently cloudy. Year-round humidity in South Florida makes the fogging obvious fast.
Units older than the current code expectations
With so much of Sunrise dating from the 1970s and 1980s, an original skylight may predate today's impact and wind-pressure requirements. In a windborne-debris area, impact-resistant glazing or approved protection is generally required.
Flashing that does not match the roof system
Sunrise roofs include asphalt shingle, concrete and barrel tile, and low-slope sections. A flashing kit made for one of those systems will not reliably seal into another, and tile roofs in particular need the correct pan and detail.
Corrosion and hardware fatigue
Sunrise is about 10 miles inland, so direct salt spray is limited, but humid onshore air still encourages rust on fasteners and metal flashings. Corroded fasteners loosen the whole assembly over time.
Association approval in the way
Mandatory HOAs and condo associations govern a large share of Sunrise, including age-restricted and gated communities, and the association often controls or must approve roof work. That can dictate the unit, the finish and the schedule.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening into the roof structure and build the detail so the roof covering, not a sealant bead, carries the water.
- Replacing failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights are removed and replaced with curb-mounted or deck-mounted units matched to your roof. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement is included in our scope.
- Correct flashing kitsEach unit gets the flashing kit built for it and for the surrounding roof system, since the Florida Building Code expects flashing details to be compatible with the roof covering.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsIf water shows up after a storm, we trace it at the head, sides and curb before anything is replaced, so the repair addresses the actual path.
- Impact-rated unitsWe install impact-rated skylights carrying the approval documentation the building department will ask for in Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
- Skylights combined with a re-roofReplacing skylights while the roof is open is the cleanest way to integrate flashing. In South Florida, upgrades are commonly scheduled alongside a re-roof.
Licenses, permits and codes in Sunrise
Roofing work in Florida must be performed by a licensed contractor. Licensing is overseen by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), with county and municipal building departments and local licensing boards also involved in South Florida. Skylight installation or 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 'skylight' license class, so confirm the correct scope with DBPR and your local building department. Adding or replacing a skylight normally requires a permit from the municipal building department or county building division, especially where the roof opening or framing is altered, and like-for-like replacement may still require a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions. Units 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, while elsewhere a Florida Product Approval applies. Flat Rate Roofing Inc holds Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the DBPR website, and we pull permits under our own license.
When to call
Leak complaints tend to surface during the May through October rainy season and after storms, while replacements and upgrades are commonly scheduled in the dry winter months, often alongside a re-roof. In Sunrise, demand rises ahead of and during hurricane season, June 1 through November 30 and peaking August through October, with a second bump in winter when seasonal residents return and deferred repairs get booked. If you want a skylight looked at before the next wet season, it is worth starting early. Call (954) 775-8990 — the phone is answered around the clock, and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm — or request an estimate with the form on this page for a free quote.
We serve Sunrise Golf Village, Welleby, Springtree, Sunrise Lakes, the Sawgrass Mills area, the Sunrise Civic Center / City Hall area, the Flamingo Road, Nob Hill Road and Sunset Strip corridors, and New River Estates.
Skylights in Sunrise: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a skylight in Sunrise?
- 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. Even like-for-like replacement may still require a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions. We pull permits under our own license, schedule inspections and close the permit out.
- Does my skylight have to be impact-rated in Broward?
- Broward and Miami-Dade are the two counties designated as the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code, so a skylight here generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. Impact-resistant glazing or approved protection is required in windborne-debris areas. Verify the specific requirement for your address with your local building department.
- Why is my skylight cloudy on the inside?
- That is usually a failed seal in the glazing unit, which lets moisture in and leaves condensation trapped between the panes. In South Florida's year-round humidity it does not clear up on its own. The fix is replacing the unit, not resealing it.
- Can a leak be fixed without replacing the whole skylight?
- Sometimes. We diagnose leaks at existing skylights first, checking the head and side flashings where wind-driven rain gets in, before deciding. If the flashing detail was built on sealant rather than a proper flashing kit, replacing the detail is usually the durable answer.
- My community has an HOA — does that change anything?
- Mandatory HOAs and condo associations govern a large share of Sunrise, and the association often controls or must approve roof work. Our written flat rate quote states what is included, which is usually what an association needs to review. Check your association's requirements before scheduling.
Get a free skylights quote in Sunrise
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