T&S Roofing Systems – Understanding Section 1524 (part 1 of 2) Roofing Miami & Fort Lauderdale

Homeowner’s are often set back by the large number of documents that are required for the roofing permit application process. Although the applications vary by municipality, all roofing permits in Miami and Fort Lauderdale require the Section 1524 page. This page, also called the “Required Owners Notification For Roofing Considerations”, outlines several points that the Florida Building Code suggests should be discussed between the contractor and the owner and are NOT governed by the code. Section 15 of the Florida Building Code governs the minimum requirements and standards of the industry for roofing installations. Section 1524, as part of Chapter 15, outlines the “exclusions” not covered by the building code for roofing in Miami and roofing in Fort Lauderdale. The first item is “Aesthetics-workmanship”. This section explains that Chapter 15 of the FBC outlines the standards for roofing systems to meet wind resistance and water intrusion performance standards but subjective conditions such as aesthetics is not governed by the code and should be addressed as part of the agreement between the owner and the contractor. The second item on Section 1524 is called “Renailing wood decks” and states that the existing roof deck may need to be renailed to current code requirements if the existing nailing pattern of the deck is not up to current building code. The third item is “Common roofs” and states that if the roof of the house is attached to a neighbor, a “common roof”, the neighbor must be notified of the roof work to be performed. Townhomes in Miami and Ft Lauderdale typically have this type of roofing construction. The next section is “Exposed ceilings” and explains that exposed ceilings are conditions when the underside of the decking can be seen from inside the home when there is no dropped ceiling. In this scenario, the Section states that the owner may choose to preserve this appearance and nails protruding through the ceiling may not be acceptable. When installing new roofing in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, roof nails are 1 1/4″ long and always protrude through the decking and it is typically acceptable if the nails are visible only in the attic. If there is no attic, protruding nails are usually not acceptable. Other provisions such as ponding water, overflow scuppers, and ventilation are also covered in Section 1524 and will be discussed next month. For now good luck and stay dry!