Emergency roof tarping: what does it cost and how long does a tarp hold?

What you are actually paying for when you call for a tarp

Most people call asking for "just a tarp". What they need is the water stopped tonight and the roof fixed properly later. So we price it as one job: get the damage covered, photograph it, then come back and do the permanent repair. That is what our typical emergency roof repair range of $550 to $3,250 covers.

Where you land depends on what's under the tarp. A few shingles torn off a ridge sit at the low end. A limb through the roof, broken decking (the plywood or boards the shingles are nailed to) or flashing rebuilt around a chimney push it up. If nothing is coming in and the weather is dry, you can skip the emergency visit and book a planned roof repair, which typically runs $350 to $2,500.

If you only want the tarp and plan to have the repair done some other way: (Question for Jim: do you tarp on its own, and what is a typical tarp-only price you are comfortable publishing)

What a proper tarp looks like

A tarp that works is heavy, covers well past the damage, and runs up and over the ridge so rain can't get under the top edge. It is fastened down so the wind can't lift it. A tarp laid over a hole and weighted with a few bricks blows off in the first gust, and the water comes right back in.

How long does a roof tarp last?

Long enough to get you to a dry day for the repair. Sun breaks the tarp material down, and every windy day works at the fasteners and the edges. A tarp that's been up all winter is usually letting water in somewhere by spring, and the damage underneath has kept getting worse.

(Question for Jim: how long you tell people a tarp you put on will hold, and how soon after tarping you normally come back for the permanent repair)

Don't let the tarp become the roof: Once the drip stops, it is tempting to forget about it. Water and wind get under a tarp over time, and wet decking under it slowly rots. Book the permanent fix as soon as the weather allows.

If the damage came from wind, hail or a fallen tree, call your insurer early. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to stop more damage, and many cover the cost of doing it; ask yours, and keep receipts. We photograph the damage and can meet your adjuster. See storm damage repair for how that usually goes.

What we see on emergency calls around here

Most of our emergency calls come after wind. Nor'easters in the fall and winter and the hard summer thunderstorms that come through in the afternoon take shingles off ridges and the edges of roofs, and on the more open streets in Warminster and Horsham that is usually where we find the damage first.

The other big one is trees. A lot of our area has mature oaks and maples right over the house, and a heavy limb can punch through decking on a short ranch or Cape roof. That job is never a quick tarp: the broken wood has to be covered so the tarp can't sag into the hole, and the permanent repair means cutting out and replacing decking.

In Ambler and the other older boroughs, tarping takes longer. The roofs are steep, there are dormers and chimneys to work around, and some still have slate, which breaks if you walk on it the wrong way. We tie off, work slowly and cover the area without cracking more of the roof than the storm already did.

Philadelphia row homes are a different job again. On a flat roof a tarp is often the wrong tool, because water pools on top of it and wind gets underneath. Our crew usually puts a temporary patch on the split seam and clears the drain instead. See emergency roof repair in Philadelphia.

(Question for Jim: what most of your tarp calls turn out to be (wind, trees, flashing, old roofs giving out) and anything you want to say about how fast you can usually get to a call)

One recent emergency tarp, start to finish

(Question for Jim: one recent emergency call you are comfortable publishing, ideally after wind damage or in Ambler: town, house type, what happened, what you tarped, what the permanent repair was and what it cost or a price range)

If water is coming in right now

1. Stay off the roof. A wet roof in wind or in the dark is how people get badly hurt. Everything you need to do tonight can be done from inside.
2. Turn off power to anything wet. Switch the circuit off at the breaker panel if water is near a light, fan or outlet.
3. Catch the water. Buckets with a towel in the bottom, and move furniture, rugs and electronics out of the way.
4. Take photos. The ceiling, anything wet, and whatever damage you can see on the roof from the ground. Your insurer will want them.
5. Call us. Tell us where the water is, whether you can see daylight from the attic, and whether anything fell on the roof. That tells our crew what to bring.

The full checklist, including how to drain a bulging ceiling safely, is on our emergency roof repair page.

When you don't need an emergency tarp

If nothing is coming in, a stain hasn't grown since the rain stopped, or you've lost one or two shingles with dry weather ahead, you don't need anyone on your roof tonight. Paying for a tarp first only adds a step. Call in the morning and book a regular repair or a free inspection; if you describe it and it can wait, we'll tell you.

And if the roof was already near the end, the emergency is sometimes the push to stop patching. Our rule of thumb: once a repair would cost more than about 30% of a new roof, put the money toward replacement instead.

Related questions

How much does an emergency roof tarp cost?

We price the tarp as the first part of an emergency repair, and most emergency repairs we do run $550 to $3,250 including the permanent fix. A few torn shingles sit at the low end; a limb through the roof or broken decking pushes it up. You get a written estimate for the permanent repair before that work starts.

How long does a roof tarp last?

Long enough to get you to a dry day for the repair, not through a season. Sun breaks the tarp down and wind works at the edges, so the longer it stays up, the more likely water is getting under it. We schedule the permanent repair as soon as the weather allows.

Who does emergency roof tarping in Philadelphia after wind damage?

We do. Armstrong Roofing takes emergency calls across Philadelphia County 24/7 at (215) 824-6932. On pitched roofs we tarp; on flat row-home roofs a temporary patch usually works better than a tarp. See emergency roof repair in Philadelphia.

How long does it take emergency roofing to respond?

We answer the phone 24/7, and active leaks usually get tarped the same day. After a big storm, when every roofer in the area is getting calls, it can take longer, so call as soon as you see water and tell us exactly what you are seeing.

Do you do emergency tarping in Ambler?

Yes. Ambler is part of our regular area, a short drive from our base in Horsham. Older Ambler roofs are steep and often have dormers, chimneys or slate, so we cover them carefully and come back for the permanent repair once it is dry.