Tarping a Roof After a Storm: What Good Looks Like

When a storm opens up your roof, the first job is simple: keep the water out until a real repair can happen. In the hours after a big wind event in Charlotte, every roofing company in town is fielding hundreds of calls at once, and it can take a day or two for a crew to reach you. A well-placed tarp buys you that time. A poorly placed one can make things worse, trapping water under it or blowing off in the next gust.

We have tarped thousands of roofs over the years, from summer thunderstorms to the remnants of tropical systems. Here is what a proper emergency tarp looks like, what to do while you wait for one, and why we strongly suggest leaving the roof part to professionals.

Safety first, always

Every year, more people are hurt falling off ladders and roofs after storms than by the storms themselves. A wet roof is slick, and storm debris hides soft spots in the decking. Wind gusts can hit hard even after the main storm passes. If you are not trained and equipped to work on a roof, please do not go up. Your homeowner’s policy will not cover the cost of an emergency room visit.

Before anything else, look for downed power lines and stay well clear of them. If a tree is resting on the roof, do not try to move it yourself. A tree service has the equipment to lift it safely, and moving it the wrong way can tear open more of the roof.

What to do inside while you wait

You can protect your home a great deal without ever stepping outside. Here is what we tell homeowners to do right away:

1. Move furniture, electronics, rugs and anything valuable away from the leak.
2. Put buckets, pots or a plastic bin under drips, with a towel inside to quiet the splashing.
3. If a ceiling is bulging with water, carefully poke a small hole in the center of the bulge with a screwdriver to let it drain into a bucket. This relieves pressure and can prevent a larger collapse.
4. Turn off power to rooms where water is near light fixtures or outlets.
5. Check the attic, if you can do it safely. Lay plastic sheeting over insulation below a leak.
6. Photograph everything, both the damage and the steps you took.

What a proper emergency tarp looks like

A good emergency tarp is more than a sheet of plastic thrown over a hole. When our crews tarp a roof, the goal is to shed water down the slope, hold firm in wind and avoid adding new holes in good parts of the roof.

Material. We use heavy-duty polyethylene tarps, at least 6 mil thick and UV-treated so they hold up for weeks in the sun. The cheap blue tarps from a hardware store can break down in two or three weeks of Carolina summer.

Size. The tarp should extend at least four feet past the damaged area on every side. On most roofs, we run it over the ridge so the upper edge is on the other slope. That way, water running down the roof flows over the tarp instead of under it.

Anchoring. We roll the edges of the tarp around 2×4 boards and fasten the boards, not the tarp itself, to the roof. This spreads the load and keeps wind from tearing the grommets out. Fasteners go through the boards and into the roof deck, ideally in places that will be replaced anyway.

No loose edges. A flapping tarp corner acts like a sail and can pull the whole tarp off. Every edge gets secured.

A tarp is a bandage, not a cure. Our goal is to get the house dry tonight and get a permanent repair on the schedule as fast as we can.

Dana Hollis, Owner

Why we do not recommend DIY tarps

We understand the urge to fix it yourself, especially at night when the water is coming in. But in our experience, homemade tarps cause more trouble than people expect. Tarps nailed straight through the plastic tear loose in the first gust. Tarps that stop short of the ridge funnel water underneath them. Bricks or sandbags placed on top slide off and can hurt someone below. And every new nail hole in good shingles is another spot that has to be repaired later. If you must do something before help arrives, stay on the ground and focus on protecting the inside of the house. A crew with harnesses and proper anchors can usually have a tarp secure in an hour or two.

How long can a tarp stay up?

A professionally installed tarp can usually last 60 to 90 days, sometimes longer, depending on weather and sun exposure. That gives you time to work through an insurance claim and schedule a repair or replacement. We still recommend checking it after every big rain or wind event. If you see a corner lifting or water pooling on top, call your roofer.

Do not let a tarp turn into a permanent fix. Moisture can get trapped under it and rot the decking, and many insurance policies expect permanent repairs to happen within a reasonable time.

Also keep gutters in mind. A tarp that runs over the edge of the roof can send a lot of water into one section of gutter. If that gutter is clogged with storm debris, water may spill over and pool against the foundation. Clearing a downspout from the ground with a garden hose is a simple, safe way to help.

What emergency tarping costs

Costs in the Charlotte area typically run from about $300 to $900 for a single-story home with a modest damaged area, and more for steep roofs, two-story homes or large tarps. Many homeowner policies cover reasonable emergency tarping as part of preventing further damage, so keep the invoice and the photos for your claim.

Signs you need help right away

Some situations call for an immediate response, not a wait until morning. Call for emergency service if you notice:

• Water coming through a ceiling light fixture
• A large section of shingles or decking missing
• A tree or large limb resting on the roof
• Sagging in the ceiling or roofline
• Daylight visible through the attic decking

It also helps to keep a small storm kit ready before the season starts: a flashlight, a few contractor trash bags, painter’s plastic, a box of towels, two or three buckets and a list of phone numbers for your insurer, a tree service and a roofer. Five minutes of prep in May can save a lot of scrambling during a 2:00 a.m. downpour in August.

When a crew arrives, they will usually inspect the damage, photograph it for your records, install the tarp and give you a written summary. We share those photos with you right away so you can use them for your claim.

If you are dealing with storm damage now, call our emergency line at 555-0118. We answer around the clock during storm season, and we will tell you honestly how soon we can be there. If we cannot reach you quickly, we will help you figure out how to keep the house as dry as possible until we can.