Tarp over a damaged section
The most common form: sheeting over a hole or a stripped slope. It protects the area until storm and wind damage repair can be done.
Urgent? Call to reach a local roofer
Emergency Roof Tarping in Washington When a Roof Is Open to the Weather
What a roof tarp is, when one is the right first step, and how temporary cover differs from a planned repair or replacement.
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Tarping
Emergency Roof Tarping: what it covers
Quick answer
Emergency tarping is temporary cover over a damaged roof, put on to keep water out until a permanent repair can be scheduled. Washington Roofing answers calls 24/7 and puts you through to an independent local roofer. The roofer decides on site whether a tarp can be placed safely; no arrival time is promised.
A tarp is not a repair. It is a short-term shield, usually heavy-duty sheeting fastened over the damaged part of the roof and secured past the ridge or the damaged area so that water runs over it and not in. Its job is to stop rain and snow from reaching the deck, the insulation and the rooms below until a roofer can repair or replace the roof properly.
This is the job to ask about when a limb has gone through the shingles, wind has stripped a slope, or a leak has opened up in the middle of a storm. It is a different job from a planned roof replacement, which is scheduled, scoped and priced in advance. Tarping is urgent and improvised by nature, and the permanent work follows once the weather and the roofer's schedule allow.
Washington Roofing is a call line that connects you with an independent local roofer, who does the work. The phones are answered 24/7. When storms hit many homes, roofers are stretched, and this line cannot promise a day or an arrival time. Call (833) 751-2102, say what happened and whether water is entering, and the roofer will tell you what is possible.
- Service area
- Washington & Warren County
- Availability
- Call to reach a local roofer, emergencies first
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
What is the difference between tarping and a roof repair?
A tarp is temporary cover that keeps weather out for a limited time. A repair replaces damaged shingles, decking or flashing and restores the roof. Tarping is urgent and short-term; repair is planned. Both are usually needed after serious damage, in that order.
A tarp can fail in high wind or under heavy snow, and it is not designed to last for seasons. The roofer should tell you how long it is expected to hold and what to watch for.
Ask for the permanent scope in writing before the tarp is up, or soon after, so the temporary job does not drift into a long wait.
Can I put a tarp on the roof myself?
It is safer not to. Climbing onto a damaged, wet or icy roof is dangerous, and a badly secured tarp can tear loose, pool water or damage shingles. If you cannot reach a roofer, cover contents inside and keep the area clear.
If conditions are calm and the damage is low and reachable from the ground, a roofer may talk you through a limited measure. But tarps fastened on a steep roof are a roofer's job.
Take photographs from the ground, and note the time of the damage. These help with an insurance claim.
What if a roofer cannot come right away?
Protect the inside of the house, keep the line posted on conditions and ask the roofer for a realistic plan. In a regional storm, roofers prioritise by severity. Moving belongings, catching water and keeping rooms ventilated limits damage while you wait.
No one can promise a time, and a roofer who does is guessing. The call line connects you with whoever is next available and the roofer tells you what is practical.
Keep your phone nearby and be ready to describe the damage. Photographs sent in advance can help the roofer plan.
Does tarping count for insurance?
Insurers generally expect homeowners to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and tarp receipts are documentation of that. Whether the cost is reimbursed depends on your policy and your insurer. Ask your insurer directly and keep every receipt and photograph.
The page on insurance storm claim help explains what to document. This line does not decide claims and cannot promise an outcome.
If you plan to file a claim, tell the insurer that you are having a tarp put on.
What information helps most when I call about an open roof?
Say your town, where the damage is, whether water is coming in, what is on or near the roof, and whether it is raining or snowing. Photographs from the ground, taken safely, let the roofer judge the size of the opening and what equipment to bring.
Mention anything unusual: a tree resting against the house, a chimney that has shifted, sagging gutters or power lines near the damage. These change how a roofer approaches the job, and some of them need the utility or a tree service first.
Say whether you can be reached at a number other than the one you are calling from, and whether someone will be at the house. A roofer who arrives to find no access and no contact cannot do the work.
How long should I expect a tarp to stay on?
A well-fastened tarp is meant to last weeks, not seasons. How long depends on wind, snow load and how the sheeting was secured. Ask the roofer for an honest estimate, and book the permanent repair as soon as conditions and schedules allow.
Sun, wind and freezing weather wear out sheeting. A tarp that flaps loses its grip and tears, and one that pools water can sag and leak through its own seams. Check it from the ground after every storm, and call back if an edge has lifted.
Leaving a tarp up for months is rarely a good plan. Underneath it the damaged deck stays damp, and the repair only gets larger. A written plan with a target for the permanent repair keeps the temporary job temporary.
Warning signs
Signs you need emergency roof tarping
Do not go onto a damaged roof, and keep clear of power lines, hanging branches and ceilings that bulge with water. Switch off power to a room if water is near fixtures.
- A hole in the roof from a fallen limb or debris
- Large areas of missing shingles after wind, leaving felt or boards exposed
- Active dripping through a ceiling in rain or melting snow
- A damaged chimney or skylight that is letting water in
- A roof damaged by a vehicle, a fire repair or a collapse of a porch roof
- Daylight visible from inside the attic
- A roof opened for a repair that cannot be finished before the weather turns
Our process
How our emergency roof tarping visit works
Call and describe the opening
Say where the damage is, how big it looks from the ground and whether water is entering. If a limb or tree is on the roof, mention it.
The roofer judges safety
A roof that is wet, icy or windy, or one that is structurally weakened, may not be safe to work on. The roofer decides whether to tarp now or to wait for safer conditions.
Clearing and preparing the area
Loose debris and sharp edges are removed so the sheeting does not tear. Where possible, the roofer smooths the area and checks for soft decking.
Fastening the tarp
Sheeting is secured with fastening strips or boards so wind cannot lift it. Good tarping goes over the ridge or past the damage on all sides, and is not simply nailed through the sheeting.
Plan the permanent repair
The roofer explains how long the tarp is expected to hold and writes a scope for the permanent work. Keep photographs and receipts for your insurer.
Options
Types and options for emergency roof tarping
Interior protection
Where the roof cannot be reached, the roofer may advise covering furniture, moving belongings and laying plastic in the attic while you wait for safe conditions.
Temporary closure during a replacement
If a planned job is interrupted by weather, a roofer covers the open sections. This is part of the replacement scope and is not an emergency.
Cost
How much does emergency roof tarping cost in Washington?
No price is printed here. The cost of a tarp depends on the size of the area, the height, the conditions and the time of day, and it is quoted separately from the repair that follows.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Size of the area to cover | Measured on site | A small hole is quicker than a whole slope |
| Height and pitch | Judged on site | Steep or two-storey roofs need more equipment |
| Conditions | Judged on site | Wind, rain, ice or snow can slow the work or make it unsafe |
| Debris removal | Part of the scope | Branches and broken material may need clearing first |
| Permanent repair afterwards | Scoped separately | The tarp is temporary; the repair is a different quote |
Your exact price is confirmed on site before any work starts.
One call and it gets handled.
Most emergency roof tarping calls are scheduled the same day when a technician is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.
Warren County
Why emergency roof tarping is different in Warren County and the Delaware Valley
Winter snow and ice make tarping harder in Warren County, which gets roughly 30 to 40 inches of snow a year, and a roofer may have to wait for a safe window. Cold, wet and windy conditions all make fastening harder.
Houses on hillsides and ridge lines around Washington and Hackettstown can be exposed to wind, and tarps there need strong fastening. Roofers will weigh the conditions before climbing.
For Pennsylvania addresses such as Easton and Bangor, contractors register with the Attorney General under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, and contracts over $500 need statutory terms and the registration number.
Related
Related services
Storm and Wind Damage Repair
What to do after wind or a falling limb damages a Warren County roof, and how a roofer sorts out the temporary and permanent repair.
Roof Leak Repair
How leaks are traced on Warren County roofs, what to do inside the house while you wait, and what the repair usually involves.
Insurance Storm Claim Help
What to photograph, keep and ask when a storm damages a roof, and why wind damage and river flooding are separate claims.
Where we work
Emergency Roof Tarping across Warren County
- Tarping in Washington
- Tarping in Changewater
- Tarping in Broadway
- Tarping in Oxford
- Tarping in Port Murray
- Tarping in Asbury
- Tarping in Glen Gardner
- Tarping in Hampton
- Tarping in Belvidere
- Tarping in Buttzville
- Tarping in Great Meadows
- Tarping in Stewartsville
- Tarping in High Bridge
- Tarping in Vienna
- Tarping in Phillipsburg
- Tarping in Clinton
- Tarping in Bloomsbury
- Tarping in Califon
- Tarping in Martins Creek
- Tarping in Schooleys Mountain
- Tarping in Delaware
- Tarping in Hackettstown
- Tarping in Annandale
- Tarping in Long Valley
- Tarping in Ackermanville
- Tarping in Pittstown
- Tarping in Hope
- Tarping in Lebanon
- Tarping in Bangor
- Tarping in Easton
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
What to Do When a Storm Leaks Through Your Roof in Warren County
Make everyone safe, catch the water and move belongings, photograph the damage from the ground, then call a roofer about a tarp.
FAQ
Emergency Roof Tarping FAQs
Are your phones answered at night?
Yes, 24/7. The call is put through to an independent roofer as soon as one is available, but no arrival time can be promised.
How long will a tarp last?
That depends on the weather, the fastening and the size of the area. The roofer should tell you how long to expect it to hold and what to watch for.
Will the tarp damage my shingles?
Properly done, it should not, but nailing and removal can mark the surface. The permanent repair usually deals with the area anyway.
Should I call my insurer first?
Call both. Protecting the property comes first, and your insurer can tell you what documentation it wants.
Is a tarp the same as a repair?
No. A tarp is temporary cover. A roof repair restores the roof.