Does your roof need an inspection?

• Take the 6-question check
• Warning signs you can spot from the ground
• How often to inspect a Florida roof
• Roof age and your homeowners insurance
• What a good inspection covers
• Common questions

Most roof problems don't announce themselves. By the time a stain shows up on your ceiling, water has usually been getting in for a while, soaking insulation and softening the wood decking underneath. An inspection catches that early, when the fix is still small.

Warning signs you can spot from the ground

You don't need a ladder to do a first check. Walk around your house on a clear day and look for:

• Missing or lifted shingles. Wind gets under a lifted edge and peels shingles off in the next storm.
• Curling, cupping or cracking. Usually a sign of age and heat damage, common on south- and west-facing slopes in Florida.
• Dark streaks or bare patches. Streaks are often algae, which is mostly cosmetic. Bare patches mean the protective granules are gone.
• Granules in the gutters or at the bottom of downspouts. Some is normal on a new roof. A lot on an older roof means the shingles are wearing out.
• Sagging lines along the ridge or between rafters. This can point to damaged decking and needs a professional look soon.
• Inside: stains, peeling paint or a musty attic. Check ceilings near chimneys, skylights and exterior walls.

How often to inspect a Florida roof

A good rule for Northeast Florida homes:

• Once a year for any roof older than about 10 years.
• Before hurricane season, which runs June 1 through November 30, so small problems are fixed before the wind arrives.
• After any major storm, even if you don't see damage from the ground. Lifted shingles and cracked flashing are often invisible from below.
• Before buying or selling a home, and when your insurer asks for one.

Roof age and your homeowners insurance

Roof age matters a lot to Florida insurers. Under Florida law (Section 627.7011, for policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022), an insurer can't refuse to write or renew a homeowners policy solely because a roof is less than 15 years old. For roofs 15 years or older, the insurer must let you have the roof inspected by an authorized inspector before requiring a replacement. If that inspection shows at least 5 years of useful life left, the insurer can't refuse coverage based on roof age alone.

If your roof is approaching 15 years, an inspection now tells you where you stand before your renewal does.

What a good inspection covers

A quick look from the driveway isn't an inspection. When Shield Roofing inspects a roof, we spend about 90 minutes checking:

• The roof covering: shingles, tiles or metal panels, fasteners and seams
• Flashing at walls, chimneys, skylights and valleys
• Pipe boots, vents and ridge ventilation
• Soft spots in the decking
• Gutters, drip edge and fascia
• The attic and ceilings for moisture, when we can access them

You get photos of everything we find and a plain explanation of your options. Our inspections are free and there's no obligation.

Common questions

This guide is general information for Florida homeowners, not legal or insurance advice. Check your policy and talk to your agent about your coverage. Last updated October 2026.