Five common roof leak points on South Florida homes

Most roof leaks start where the roof is interrupted (a wall, a valley, a pipe, a skylight, an edge), not in the middle of an intact field of tile or shingle. Those are the same places the Florida Building Code requires flashing, and they are where a repair should start.

Why do leaks keep showing up in the same places?

Every interruption is a joint between materials that expand, move and age differently, and every one depends on laps that send water downhill. The Florida Building Code (8th Edition, in force through December 30, 2026) requires flashing “at wall and roof intersections, at gutters, wherever there is a change in roof slope or direction and around roof openings” (Section 1503.2.1). That list is close to a map of where leaks begin.

Tile roofs add a second layer to the story. The FRSA-TRI installation manual describes a tile roof as a “water shedding assembly” whose performance depends on every component being installed properly. The tile sheds most of the water; the underlayment and flashings beneath it handle what gets past. On a tile roof, a leak point is usually a place where both layers have been compromised. For the underlayment side of that, see why tile roofs leak as the underlayment ages.

Leak point	Why it fails	What a proper repair involves
Roof-to-wall and parapet flashing	Water enters through the wall or coping above the flashing, or sealant-only joints open up	Rebuild base flashing and counterflashing; fix the wall or coping above
Valleys	Concentrated water, debris dams, cut tiles, worn metal or underlayment	Lift tiles along the valley; replace valley metal and underlayment; re-set tiles
Pipes, vents and added penetrations	Missing flashing at the underlayment level; later trades sealing with mastic only	New flashing at both the deck/underlayment level and the tile level
Skylight, chimney and equipment curbs	Water backs up on the uphill side; curb flashing ages or was never integrated	Re-flash the curb; add a cricket where required; fix condensate discharge
Tile eaves and exposed underlayment	Water held behind raised fascia; broken tiles exposing underlayment to sun	Replace broken tiles; anti-ponding detail; underlayment repair or replacement

1. Roof-to-wall and parapet flashing

Where it shows up. Two-story homes where a lower roof meets a stucco wall, room additions, and flat roofs surrounded by parapets.

Why it fails here. The code’s own wording explains it: flashing must keep moisture from “entering the wall and roof through joints in copings, through moisture-permeable materials and at intersections with parapet walls” (Section 1503.2). Water that gets into a cracked stucco wall or an open coping joint above the roof can run down behind the flashing and appear as a “roof” leak. Joints that rely on sealant alone also open up as the sealant ages in constant sun.

What a proper repair involves. Rebuilding the wall flashing as a system: a base flashing turned up the wall, with counterflashing lapped over it, built into the wall, set in a reglet, or applied stucco-type. In Miami-Dade and Broward (the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, or HVHZ), the code’s flashing section requires metal counterflashing to turn down over the base flashing at least 3 inches (Section 1514.2.4.1). Parapet walls must be “properly sealed with weatherproof materials” (Section 1503.3), so cracked copings and stucco above the roof line are part of the repair, not a separate job. A repair that only adds caulk along the joint usually comes back.

2. Valleys

Where it shows up. Anywhere two roof planes meet in an inside corner, especially on hip roofs with several wings.

Why it fails here. A valley carries the water from two planes, so it is the busiest drainage path on the roof. Leaves and palm debris can collect there and slow the flow. On tile roofs the tiles along a valley are cut, and the installation manual relies on valley metal (16 inches wide or more, depending on the type) over underlayment that is woven or center-cut through the valley. Where mortar is used at the valley edges, the Tile Roofing Industry Alliance notes that Florida’s humidity, UV and temperature swings can crack mortar over time. On shingle roofs in the HVHZ, valleys must be fabricated from metal (Section 1518.7.3.4).

What a proper repair involves. Removing the tiles along the valley, inspecting the underlayment and valley metal underneath, replacing what has failed, and re-setting the cut tiles with the attachment method the roof’s approval calls for. Clearing debris helps, but a valley that leaks with clean metal usually has a problem underneath.

3. Pipes, vents and penetrations added later

Where it shows up. Plumbing vent stacks, exhaust vents, electrical masts, and anything mounted after the roof was built: satellite dishes, solar racking, antenna brackets.

Why it fails here. A penetration needs protection at two levels. The Tile Roofing Industry Alliance is direct about it: every penetration “requires an approved deck/underlayment flashing and tile flashing,” and attaching an accessory directly to individual tiles “is prohibited.” The installation manual calls for lead or flexible skirt flashing with a base of at least 18 by 18 inches woven into the tile courses, and for pipes to end at least 2 inches above the tile around them. Penetrations added later by other trades are where those layers are most often skipped and replaced with mastic on top of the tile.

What a proper repair involves. Removing the tiles around the penetration, installing or replacing the flashing at the deck/underlayment level, then the tile-level flashing, then re-setting the tiles. Metal flashing should be a corrosion-resistant material that meets the code minimums (Table 1503.2 and, in the HVHZ, Section 1517.6).

4. Skylights, chimneys and other curbs

Where it shows up. Curb-mounted skylights, chimneys, and on flat sections, the curbs and stands that carry air-conditioning equipment.

Why it fails here. A curb blocks water running down the slope, so the uphill side is where water slows and builds up. The code requires a cricket or saddle on the ridge side of any chimney or penetration more than 30 inches wide (Section 1503.6), with an exception for unit skylights flashed to the manufacturer’s instructions. Self-curbing skylights depend on the skylight maker’s flashing kit, and curb-mounted skylights and chimneys on standard flashing procedures, according to the installation manual. In the HVHZ, condensate lines “shall not drain on the roofing system” (Section 1522.3.5); a drain line dripping onto the roof is a slow, constant source of water and wear.

What a proper repair involves. Re-flashing the curb as an integrated assembly (base, step or side flashing and a counterflashing or cap), adding or rebuilding the cricket where it is required, and rerouting any condensate line that discharges onto the roof. On skylights, using the manufacturer’s flashing method keeps the unit’s own warranty conditions in play.

5. Tile eaves and exposed underlayment

Where it shows up. The lower edge of tile roofs, especially with raised fascia or mortar eave closures, and anywhere tiles have cracked.

Why it fails here. All the water on a plane leaves at the eave. With raised fascia designs, water can be held behind the eave; the Tile Roofing Industry Alliance recommends anti-ponding materials for slopes of 4:12 and steeper so the area drains. Where mortar closes the eave, the installation manual calls for weep holes at the underlayment level (at least 3/8 inch, one per tile). Broken tiles anywhere on the roof expose the underlayment, and the TRI Alliance warns they “should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid damage to the underlayment from water intrusion or exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun” (walkability brief).

What a proper repair involves. Replacing broken tiles with tiles that interlock with the existing profile, restoring the eave drainage detail, and checking the underlayment around the damage. If the underlayment has failed across a whole section rather than at one spot, the decision becomes lift-and-relay or replacement.

What should you avoid doing yourself?

• Don’t go on the roof to look. Tile breaks under foot traffic, and the TRI Alliance recommends a trained professional for roof access. Document from the ground and from inside; here is how to look for a leak safely.
• Don’t rely on roof-top sealant as the fix. It can buy time on some details, but none of the five points above is repaired by sealant alone.
• Don’t let a slow leak wait for the next storm. Water that reaches the deck and framing does damage you can’t see from the ceiling.

Does a leak repair need a permit?

In Miami-Dade and Broward, the HVHZ section of the code requires permits “for all work in connection with the application, repair or maintenance of any roofing component” except as Section 105 allows, and repairs must use components that have product approval (Sections 1512.3 and 1521.2). Section 105 lets the building official approve ordinary minor repairs without a permit, so whether a specific repair needs one depends on its scope and your building department. A licensed roofer should tell you before work starts.

Next step

If you have a stain, a drip or a spot you’re watching, note when it appears (which storms, which wind direction) and take photos from inside. Then schedule a roof repair assessment or request a free estimate to have a licensed roofer look at it and explain the options.