What do soft spots on a roof mean?

Soft spots on a roof usually mean the wood decking under the shingles or underlayment has been weakened by water, so the soft panels should be replaced rather than covered over, and you should photograph the damage before permanent tear-off if an insurance claim is possible.

Homeowners feel it as a spongy step, a sagging plane from the ground, or a springy patch a roofer finds during tear-off. In Florida heat and storm rain, that soft wood can be the difference between a patch and a full reroof.

How soft spots show up

• •Spongy feel underfoot on the roof (do not keep walking there)
• •Sagging or uneven roof planes visible from the ground or driveway
• •Dark, soft, or delaminated sheathing when you look up from a safely accessible attic
• •Daylight through the decking around chimneys, valleys, or penetrations
• •Ceiling stains or moldy attic insulation under the same area

Florida's Division of Emergency Management tells homeowners checking from the attic, on a sunny day, to look for signs of leaks or cracks and holes where you can see light, and to use a flashlight to inspect for stains caused by leaks. The U.S. Department of Energy's post-storm roof repair brief says damaged sheathing should be replaced with panels of the same thickness, and unsound materials should not be reused.

Repair patch or full reroof?

A few soft sheets found during a small repair can sometimes be swapped out with matching decking. Widespread soft decking, repeated leaks, or soft areas across slopes usually means the covering and underlayment have been failing long enough that a reroof is the honest path. Florida's building code has a 25 percent rule: if 25 percent or more of a roof section is repaired or replaced within 12 months, the whole section may have to be brought up to current code. Florida Statutes section 553.844(5) makes an exception for roofs built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later; on those, only the repaired part has to meet current code. Ask your building department which applies to your roof before you approve a "small" repair that balloons.

• •A few soft sheets can sometimes be replaced with matching decking during a limited repair
• •Widespread soft decking or repeated leaks usually points to a full reroof
• •Florida Statutes section 553.844(5) protects 2007-code-or-later roofs so that only the 25 percent-plus work area must meet the code then in effect
• •Confirm local permitting with the City of Port Orange, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, or Volusia / Flagler County before you sign

What to do today

• •Stay off soft or sagging areas
• •Catch active leaks inside, mark the spot, and photograph ceiling and attic damage
• •Photograph the exterior from the ground if you can see sagging or missing covering
• •Get a documented inspection with photos of the soft area from above and, when safe, from the attic
• •If you may file a claim, make only temporary drying-in until the insurer has a chance to see the damage, and keep receipts

Next step

Soft decking is not a DIY guess. Take the roof quiz or call 386-999-4616 so we can match you with a local licensed roofer who photographs the soft area and tells you whether you are looking at a few sheets of decking or a full replacement.