Florida Roofing Requirements and Building Codes
Florida has recently made some pretty sweeping changes to its building codes in regards to roofing. The old Florida building code roofing rules left many gaps, were a bit unreasonable in some circumstances, and required updating in response to changing weather patterns as well as new requirements for specific roofing materials.
Knowing the Florida roofing code is the first step to putting a new roof on any building, as violating them can lead to fines and worse. So, in case you’re in the roofing business and looking to freshen up on your knowledge as it applies to Florida, let’s take a look at what all has been altered in terms of Florida residential roofing codes.
Standard Florida Roofing Requirements
Florida is a state known for extremely heavy rains including hurricane-force winds speeds and wind-driven rain, as well as very hot and humid weather. Almost all of the weather specific Florida roofing codes that Florida has pertain exclusively to these conditions as opposed to cold-weather regulations which can differ wildly.
There are high wind roofing requirements in Florida. Roofs located in areas classified “high wind” areas have to be able to resist the uplift forces that these winds generate. This is why metal roofing is particularly popular in Florida, because it has a natural resistance to high winds, generally being secured with more heavy duty materials than simple nails.
For high wind areas, roof sheathing panels must be at least 15/32 inches or thicker. Either OSB or plywood can be used, but plywood generally offers better resistance to nailhead pull-through and works better with the Florida building code roof sheathing nailing pattern. All roofing panels in high wind areas must be rated as exposure 1 or better.
For chimneys and penetrations greater than 30 inches wide, a cricket or saddle must be installed on the ridge side. Either the cricket or saddle used must be made from either sheet metal, or the same material that the roof covering is made from.
Asphalt saturated felt is the most common roofing underlayment used in Florida, and codes dictate that it have a minimum weight of 15 pounds per 100 square feet in order to properly resist wind-driven rain.
New Updates to the Florida Roofing Code
Some of the noticeable changes to the Florida building code for roof replacements made recently include an update to the 25% rule. Previously, the 25% rule dictated that if 25% or more of a roof was damaged, the entire roof would have to be replaced.
This has since been changed so that if 25% or more of a roof is damaged in Florida, only the damaged portion needs to be replaced. This was clearly needed and will greatly impact the cost of roofing renovations, insurance, and more.
There have also been changes to the Florida roofing underlayment requirements. For felt underlayment in particular, the minimum strength requirement has been increased to #30. This applies everywhere, and not just in areas classified as high wind zones. This #30 roof underlayment also has to seal all self-adhering tapes that have been installed over the roof deck joints.
How to Meet the New Requirements for Roofing in Florida
There are a number of ways you can adapt your current or new roof to meet the new Florida roofing requirements. First, you must adhere to the new standards laid out in terms of roofing underlayment requirements for Florida building code roof sheathing thickness, as well as the saddle/cricket requirements for chimneys and penetrations wider than 30 inches.
In order to stay in line with the new 25% rules which states that you can replace just the damaged portion of your roof even if it exceeds 25% of the total roof, is to use durable materials.
By using materials like natural wood, asphalt, or even materials like slate, clay, or concrete, you’re almost certainly going to run into roof damage on some level. Whether it’s below or above 25%, you’ll still want to get it replaced to avoid water penetration and further damage to your roof.
The materials just mentioned are notoriously non-durable, especially in the high-wind conditions of Florida. Asphalt is also a terrible material for hot and humid climates like Florida and inadvisable for following the Florida building code for flat roofs especially.
Our recommendation is to use a much more durable material such as synthetic cedar. Synthetic cedar shakes, especially those made by reputable companies like CeDUR shake, have elite wind resistance that falls well within the new guidelines laid out in the Florida code.
Being made from high-quality plastics, they are naturally resistant to rain, high winds, UV rays, humidity, insects, rot, mold, and all other common deteriorating factors for roofing materials.
CeDUR Shake shingles are Perfect for Florida Roofing
If you want to avoid having to deal with the new 25% rules in Florida's roofing code, we suggest using a material with over a 50 year expected lifespan like cedar shakes shingles from CeDUR Shake.
These shingles require no extra maintenance, are available in multiple different colors and styles, possess excellent durability and resistance to wind and rain, and adhere to all the roofing codes laid out by Florida.
If you want the most beautiful synthetic wood shingles money can buy and a roofing material that will prevent you from ever having to deal with Florida’s 25% rule, and will keep you in line with the Florida roof sheathing code, you simply cannot go wrong with durable and long lasting synthetic cedar shake shingles from CeDUR Shake.
Need help deciphering the Florida roofing codes? Contact us today to learn more about CeDUR.