What You Need to Know
Emergency tarping is a necessary part of the roof replacement process if the home has been severely damaged by a storm. Insurance companies almost always pay for or reimburse homeowners for tarping a roof because it can prevent further damage and more costly repairs. If your home needs emergency tarping services, it’s best to have a qualified roofing contractor do it because they know what they are looking for and how to properly install it. It’s likely that the tarp will be on the roof for a good amount of time, so choose a reputable contractor who can install the tarp in such a way that it is holds up to the elements but also is not an eyesore.
Your Roof Is Leaking
If your roof is leaking, water can seep in and cause serious problems to the interior of your home. If you don’t have a firm grasp on the extent of the leak, it could be a small problem, or it could be something much more severe. It’s always best to get a qualified roofing contractor to inspect your roof to identify the source of the leak and install some tarping to prevent further damage.
There Is Roof Damage From Hail
When hailstorms strike, they can take a toll on the performance of the roof. Large hailstones can cause indentations on the shingles and even puncture the underlayment material that is designed to keep moisture out of the house.This means that each time it rains, you run the risk of making existing leaks worse or developing new ones.
There Is Roof Damage From Wind
If there is a severe storm with strong winds, shingles can break or get completely torn off. Since shingles are laid in an overlapping pattern, strong winds can actually lift entires sections of shingles off your roof. The roofing nails that held the shingles down in the first place can tear open the underlayment material, exposing the bare wood of your roof to the elements.
There Is Roof Damage From Fallen Trees
The most noticeable and extreme case of roof damage is a fallen tree. If a tree or a large branch breaks off in a storm and lands on your roof, it can easily break through the shingles, underlayment and wood decking. It can even damage the trusses, rendering the home unsafe to occupy. In these situations, you will need a structural engineer to assess the property, in addition to a roofing contractor. Tree damage typically results in immediate leaks and emergency tarping is unavoidable.
Waiting On Contractors
A well-run roofing company will have technicians available to tarp your roof at a moment’s notice. However, don’t expect a roofing contractor to throw on a roof a day or 2 after a storm. Contractors (especially the good ones) will likely have a queue or backlog of other projects to complete before they are ready to replace your roof. This can be 2-8 weeks and possibly more if there was a major storm in the area. Part of this backlog may be due to logistical reasons. Setting up inspections, filing a claim, choosing colors, ordering material, etc all have to be done before scheduling the install. A properly installed tarp by a professional contractor can easily hold up until the roof is replaced.
Waiting On Insurance Companies
When a severe storm occurs, chances are your home was not the only one impacted. That being said, the insurance adjuster may also have a queue or backlog of other homes to inspect or the insurance company is waiting to assign one to your claim. (That’s another reason to file your claim right away.) If the storm covers a large geographic area and many homes are damaged, insurance companies have to mobilize adjusters from other parts of the country and bring them to assist. Waiting for 1 week for the adjuster meeting is pretty standard, but after a large storm it could be 2-3 weeks. Good contractors will also work with the adjusters to ensure that the appropriate material and labor is budgeted in the insurance claim approval amount. If there are discrepancies, the contractor or homeowner may ask for a second inspection and there could be additional back and forth to reach an agreement. This may push out the install date. .
If your home was damaged by a severe storm and you think you may need an emergency tarp installed on your roof, let us help you with that.