Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Watergate, FL
Skylights for homes in Watergate and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Watergate sits in South Florida's humid subtropical zone, where the May–October wet season brings daily thunderstorms and driving rain. A skylight is the one place where a hole has been cut through the roof deck on purpose, so wind-driven rain at the head and side flashings finds any weakness quickly. With housing stock here dominated by 1970s–1990s concrete block and stucco homes under tile or shingle roofs, plenty of skylights in the area have been through several decades of sun, rain and storm seasons.
We install new skylights cut and framed into the roof, replace failed, fogged or cracked units, and diagnose leaks at existing skylights. Both curb-mounted and deck-mounted units are handled with the correct flashing kit for the roof covering, and impact-rated units are available where the glazing requirements for this area call for them. Flat Rate Roofing Inc works under Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county, and our office is at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise.
Two local conditions do most of the damage to skylights around Watergate. First, sealant used in place of proper flashing dries out and cracks in the Florida sun, and once it fails the summer thunderstorms push water straight under the unit. Second, although the community is a few miles inland from the Atlantic, salt-laden air still reaches it and accelerates rust on exposed metal — which means flashings, fasteners and drip edge around a skylight can corrode faster than homeowners expect. Add hurricane season from June through November, when wind-borne debris is the dominant risk, and an old plastic dome with no impact rating becomes the weak point of an otherwise sound roof.
Problems to watch for in Watergate
Sealant doing the flashing's job
A bead of caulk around the curb is a repair, not a flashing system, and Florida sun dries it out. Once it cracks, the first heavy wet-season storm shows up as a stain on the ceiling.
Leaks at the head and side flashings
Driving rain during summer thunderstorms gets pushed uphill and sideways against the top of the skylight. If the head flashing was never woven correctly into the tile or shingle course above, water enters there first.
Fogged or failed glazing
Condensation between the panes means the unit's seal has failed, and high year-round humidity in this area makes it obvious fast. The glass itself can't be resealed, so the unit is replaced.
Cracked domes and panels
Older acrylic domes become brittle after years of UV exposure and can crack. A cracked unit leaks and also offers little protection against wind-borne debris during hurricane season.
Corroded flashing metal
Salt air reaches Watergate even a few miles inland and rusts unprotected metal. Pinholes and rust streaks at the flashing are a sign the detail needs to be rebuilt, not patched.
Rotten deck around the opening
A slow leak at a skylight soaks the plywood around the curb before anyone sees it inside. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement is included in our written scope so the new unit lands on sound framing.
Units left behind at re-roof time
Reusing a 25-year-old skylight under a new tile or shingle roof puts the oldest component in the middle of the newest one. Replacements are commonly bundled with dry-season reroofing for that reason.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening into the roof and set the unit with the flashing kit made for that roof covering. Framing changes are handled as part of a permitted scope.
- Replacement of failed unitsFogged, cracked or chronically leaking skylights are removed and replaced with a unit carrying Florida Product Approval and design-pressure and impact ratings suited to the site.
- Curb-mounted and deck-mounted workBoth mounting types are installed with their correct flashing kit rather than sealant. On tile roofs, the surrounding course is rebuilt so water sheds over the flashing, not into it.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsNot every ceiling stain near a skylight starts at the skylight. We trace the entry point at the head, sides, curb and surrounding field before recommending repair or replacement.
- Skylights combined with a re-roofWhen the roof covering is being replaced anyway, that is the cleanest time to reflash or replace the units. The flashing is integrated into the new roof from the start.
- Permits and closeoutWe pull permits under our own license, schedule inspections, and close the permit out. You get a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included, plus full cleanup.
Licenses, permits and codes in Watergate
Skylight work tied into the roof covering is normally performed by a DBPR-licensed roofing contractor; glazing or general/building contractors may also be appropriate depending on the scope and whether structural framing is altered. Licensing runs through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and its Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), with local boards such as the Broward County Central Examining Board of Building Construction Trades also playing a role for registered and specialty contractors. Assume licensed work is required and confirm the correct category with DBPR or your local building department. A permit from the local building department is typically required for new skylight openings and usually for replacements, since framing, flashing and impact and pressure ratings are inspected. Florida Building Code requirements for glazing in the wind-borne debris region apply here, and units need Florida Product Approval with ratings suited to the site. Watergate is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so a Miami-Dade NOA is not the governing approval for this area — verify the specific requirements with your building department. Skylights near pools or decks may also interact with safety glazing requirements. Our license, CCC1334537, is verifiable on the Florida DBPR website, and the company is insured.
When to call
Leak complaints cluster in the summer rainy season and after storms, which in this area lines up with the May–October wet season and the June through November hurricane season. Replacements are commonly bundled with dry-season reroofing, so if a unit is already fogged or weeping, the cooler months are a sensible time to plan the work rather than wait for the next round of thunderstorms. Our 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 an estimate using the form on this page.
We serve Watergate and the surrounding west Boca and Deerfield areas, including Sandalfoot Cove, Boca Del Mar, Mission Bay, Loggers' Run, Century Village East (Deerfield Beach), Deer Creek, Crystal Lake, Wynmoor, Winston Park and Kings Point (Delray Beach), as well as Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Parkland, Margate, Pompano Beach and Delray Beach.
Skylights in Watergate: questions we hear
- Do I need an impact-rated skylight in Watergate?
- Florida Building Code requirements for glazing in the wind-borne debris region apply in this area, and skylight units require Florida Product Approval with design-pressure and impact ratings suited to the site. Watergate is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so Miami-Dade NOAs are not the governing approval here. We confirm the required ratings with the local building department before ordering.
- Will my HOA need to approve the work?
- Nearly everything in this part of west Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach is governed by an HOA, and many gated and 55-plus communities have their own approval processes. It is worth submitting the unit details to your association before the permit is applied for. We can provide the product information you need for that submittal.
- Can a leaking skylight be repaired instead of replaced?
- Sometimes. If the glazing is intact and the problem is a flashing detail that was sealed with caulk, rebuilding the flashing can solve it. If the unit is fogged between the panes or the dome is cracked, the unit itself has failed and replacement is the fix.
- Is a permit required for a simple skylight swap?
- A permit from the local building department is typically required for new openings and usually for replacements, because framing, flashing and the impact and pressure ratings get inspected. We pull permits under our own license, schedule the inspections and close the permit out. Verify any specific exemption with your building department.
- Does salt air matter this far inland?
- Yes. Even though the community is a few miles inland from the Atlantic, salt-laden air still reaches it and accelerates rust on exterior metal, including flashings and fasteners. That is one reason we rebuild flashing details rather than reseal corroded metal.
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