Hurricane Season Roof Prep: The Miami Homeowner’s Checklist

Miami’s hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and your roof is the single most expensive thing on your house that a storm can destroy in a few hours. The good news: most of the damage that happens in a hurricane is preventable with about half a day of preparation in May.

This is the practical pre-season roof checklist we walk our customers through every spring. Work down it in order. None of it requires anything you can’t do or hire out for under $500.

1. Get a current roof inspection (priority one)

If your roof has not been professionally inspected in the past 24 months, schedule one before May 15. A qualified inspector will catch the issues that a homeowner standing on the ground will not — lifted shingles at the eaves, cracked tile, failing flashing around vents and chimneys, soft spots in the decking.

Catching a $300 repair in May is the difference between a calm hurricane season and a $20,000 emergency in August.

BGI Roofing offers free roof inspections across Miami-Dade and Broward — we’ll come out, walk the roof, take photos of every problem area, and give you a written one-page report you can keep forever.

2. Document the roof’s current condition

Take dated photos of your roof from multiple angles right now, before the season. Store them somewhere accessible (not just on your phone — also email them to yourself or upload to cloud storage).

This matters for two reasons:

• If a storm hits and you file an insurance claim, photos taken before the storm prove pre-existing condition. Insurers love to argue that damage was old and they shouldn’t pay; pre-storm photos shut that argument down.
• If your roof is fine, the photos document its condition for when you eventually file a claim.

Use your phone’s HDR mode. Photograph each side, all valleys, around every penetration (vents, chimneys, skylights), and any visible flashing.

3. Trim trees within 10 feet of the roof

Falling and flying branches cause more roof damage in Florida storms than wind itself. Look at every tree near your house: any branch that could reach the roof in a 100 mph wind is a problem. Have a licensed tree service trim them back at least 10 feet from the roof line.

Pay special attention to:

• Royal palm fronds (heavy, large, frequently cause major damage)
• Oak branches near the roof (large limbs break in sustained wind)
• Any dead or dying trees within falling distance of the house

4. Clean the gutters and downspouts

Clogged gutters during a hurricane back up water onto the roof, find their way into the soffit and fascia, and create slow leaks that won’t show inside the house for weeks. Get the gutters cleared before May 31.

While you’re up there, look for:

• Pulled or loose gutter hangers
• Disconnected downspouts
• Sagging gutter sections

5. Check the attic for existing leaks

An attic inspection takes 15 minutes. Bring a flashlight and look for:

• Water stains on the underside of the decking
• Daylight visible through the roof (anywhere)
• Damp insulation
• Mildew smell

Any of these means you have an active leak that will get dramatically worse in the first hard rain. Address it before the season.

6. Reinforce roof-mounted equipment

If you have any of these on your roof, check that they’re securely fastened:

• Solar panels and racking
• Satellite dishes
• HVAC condenser units
• Vents and exhaust fans

Loose roof-mounted equipment becomes a projectile in 90+ mph winds and tears holes in the roof on the way out.

7. Verify your insurance coverage details

Pull out your policy and confirm:

• Wind/hurricane deductible amount (usually 2-5% of the dwelling coverage)
• Whether your policy has a separate “named storm” deductible
• Roof coverage type — is it ACV (actual cash value, depreciated) or RCV (replacement cost value, full cost of replacement)?
• Coverage limits and any exclusions

Now is also when many Florida homeowners discover their carrier has non-renewal flagged their roof. If yours is over 15 years old, see our companion post on insurance non-renewal and what to do.

8. Make a hurricane roof emergency kit

If a storm passes and you have damage, you’ll need to tarp leaks fast. Keep these in your garage from June through November:

• One or two heavy-duty 20×30 ft blue tarps
• Wood furring strips (1×2s, six of them)
• Roofing nails or galvanized 8d nails
• Hammer
• Headlamp (you’ll be doing this in the dark)

Don’t go up on a roof during a storm — wait for the wind to drop. But the moment it’s safe, getting a tarp over a leak before the next rainband saves drywall, insulation, flooring, and electronics inside.

9. Save your roofer’s number where you can find it

After a major storm, every roofer in Miami is slammed. Customers we already know are at the front of the line. Save us in your contacts now: (305) 894-6575.

If your roof is the issue

If your inspection turns up problems too big to address with a quick repair, get the replacement scheduled before the season. Insurance carriers are increasingly strict about roofs over 15 years old, and replacing now also resets the clock on your hurricane risk.

BGI Roofing is a Florida-licensed contractor (License CCC1337074), HAAG-certified for inspections, family-run, and based right here in Miami-Dade. We work across the Miami-Dade and Broward area, including Pinecrest, Coral Gables, Miami Springs, Cutler Bay, and dozens of other neighborhoods.

Schedule your free inspection now — before the season makes it harder. Call (305) 894-6575 or get an instant estimate at bgiroofing.com.