Emergency Roof Tarping

Emergency tarping is the temporary covering of a damaged roof with a waterproof sheet to prevent further water entry. It is widely used after storms, fallen trees and fires, and insurers generally expect owners to take reasonable steps like this to limit further damage after a loss.

Materials

Typical materials include heavy-duty polyethylene tarps with reinforced edges and grommets, or fibre-reinforced plastic sheeting supplied in rolls. Timber battens (furring strips) are used to clamp the sheet edges, and fasteners are driven through the battens rather than through the bare sheet, which would tear in wind. Sandbags are sometimes used where fastening is not possible, but they are less secure.

General method

1. Cover well beyond the damaged area, ideally extending over the ridge so water runs off the top of the sheet rather than under it.
2. Roll the upslope and edge parts of the tarp around battens and fix them to the roof framing or deck.
3. Keep the sheet as taut as possible to prevent flapping, which loosens fasteners and tears the material.
4. Leave the downslope edge so water drains off the roof, not into the building.
5. Minimise new holes in sound roofing and note where fasteners were placed for later repair.

On tile, slate and metal roofs, methods differ, and fixings should avoid breaking more tiles or perforating panels unnecessarily.

Safety

Damaged roofs are unstable, wet and littered with debris, and power lines may be down. Many homeowners are better served by a roofer or a disaster-response service. Anyone working on the roof needs proper footwear, a secured ladder and fall protection.

Operation Blue Roof

In the United States, the Army Corps of Engineers runs Operation Blue Roof on behalf of FEMA after some declared disasters. Contracted crews install fibre-reinforced sheeting free of charge on eligible primary residences. Eligibility criteria have included less than 50 percent structural damage to the roof and exclusions for flat roofs and for clay, slate or asbestos tile roofs.

A tarp is a stop-gap: plastic degrades in sunlight and wind, so permanent repairs should follow as soon as practical.