Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Roof tarping trouble, quoted at a flat rate in The Crossings, FL
Roof Tarping & Shrink Wrap for homes in The Crossings and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
The Crossings sits in Miami-Dade's High Velocity Hurricane Zone, so wind-borne debris and sustained hurricane winds are the dominant risk to a roof here, not hail or snow. If water is coming in right now, it usually means tile, shingles or flashing have lifted, or a fallen limb has punctured the deck. With near-daily thunderstorms from May through October, an open roof can soak decking, insulation and ceilings quickly.
A blue tarp or shrink-wrap cover is a temporary measure, not a repair. It keeps rain out until the permanent repair or re-roof is done. Flat Rate Roofing does roofing only. We look at the damage and the deck first, fit the cover to your roof, and give you a written flat-rate quote that says what is included for the permanent work.
This stretch of West Kendall was in the path of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and much of the housing stock was rebuilt or re-roofed afterward. The area is mostly late-1970s through 1990s suburban development: concrete block with stucco, under flat, barrel-tile or shingle roofs. Each roof type needs a cover fastened differently, and tile or flashing that wind has lifted can leave an opening that rain enters. The Crossings is several miles inland from Biscayne Bay, but humid, salt-tinged air can still corrode exposed metal, and sun, heat and wind wear down any cover the longer it stays up. That is why a cover should lead to a permanent repair, not replace one.
Problems to watch for in The Crossings
Tile or shingles lifted by wind
Hurricane and tropical-storm winds can lift tile, shingles and flashing, leaving gaps that let wind-driven rain reach the deck below.
Limbs through the roof deck
A fallen limb can puncture the deck. A hole like that is best covered before the next afternoon thunderstorm arrives.
Water stains on ceilings
Wind-driven rain entering an open roof can soak insulation and drywall. Stains that spread after a storm are a sign to get the roof looked at.
Flat and low-slope sections open to rain
Flat sections on homes and townhomes built from the late 1970s through the 1990s can be damaged by debris, and standing water makes any opening worse.
Tarps fastened the wrong way
A tarp fastened through the middle of the roof, or stopped short of the ridge, can let water run in underneath it instead of shedding over it.
A cover left up too long
Sun, heat and wind wear a cover down the longer it stays up. A temporary cover still needs a permanent repair behind it.
What we do
- Look at the damage and the deckBefore any cover goes on, we check the damaged area and the deck beneath it, so the cover is fitted to what is actually wrong.
- Blue tarps done to shed waterTarps are secured with wood battens fastened along the edges and run over the ridge where the roof allows, so water sheds over the cover rather than under it.
- Shrink-wrap coversPolyethylene film is heat-shrunk tight over the damaged section or the whole roof, with fewer loose edges for wind to lift. Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp.
- Fastened to suit your roofCovers are fastened to suit tile, shingle, metal and flat roofs, including the barrel-tile and flat roofs found on homes in this part of West Kendall.
- Photos and a written flat-rate quoteWe take photos before and after for your records and any claim you decide to make. You also get a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof, free of charge.
Licenses, permits and codes in The Crossings
A tarp or shrink-wrap cover is temporary until the permanent repair. Whether a temporary cover needs a permit is up to the local building department, so confirm with it. For the permanent work, the rule is: "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. Our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license, CCC1334537, can be verified on the DBPR website, and permits for permanent work are pulled under our own license. On product approvals, the rule is: "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." That applies to the permanent roofing products, not to a tarp or shrink wrap. On the 25% rule: "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." How it is applied can vary, so verify with your building department.
When to call
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, but tarping is needed after hurricanes, tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and fallen trees in any month. In The Crossings, the rainy season brings near-daily storms from May through October, so an unrepaired opening gets wet again soon. After a widespread storm, roofers and materials can be in demand across the whole region, so call early. The phone at (954) 775-8990 is answered around the clock. The Sunrise office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. You can also request a free quote with the form on this page.
We serve The Crossings and nearby areas including Country Walk, The Hammocks, Kendall, Kendale Lakes, Richmond West, Three Lakes, Devon-Aire and West Kendall.
Roof Tarping in The Crossings: questions we hear
- Is a tarp or shrink wrap a roof repair?
- No. Both are temporary covers that keep rain out until the permanent repair or re-roof is done. After a hurricane or tropical storm in The Crossings, the cover is the first step and the permanent repair follows.
- How long does shrink wrap last compared with a tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp. Sun, heat and wind wear on any cover the longer it stays up, so plan the permanent repair rather than relying on the cover.
- What should I do about my insurance?
- Photograph the damage, keep records, and talk to your insurer or agent. We take before and after photos of the cover for your records. We can't say what an insurer will decide on a claim.
- Does the High Velocity Hurricane Zone change anything for my permanent roof?
- The Crossings is in Miami-Dade, so the permanent roofing products need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for that use, and they are installed per that approval. A tarp or shrink wrap is not a permanent roofing product. Your written flat-rate quote says what is included.
- I live in Country Walk or Kendale Lakes. Do you serve my area?
- Yes. Our roofing certification is valid in every Florida county, and our office is at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise. Call (954) 775-8990 or use the quote form and we will talk through your roof.
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