Emergency Roof Tarping in Newport News, VA

Why photograph before the tarp goes on?

Because the tarp hides the damage the insurer needs to see, and a record made after the cover is on shows the cover, not the storm.

A tarp covers the damage. Once it is on, torn covering, bent flashing and exposed decking are out of sight, and an adjuster judges the claim from what can be seen. Photographs from the ground, with the date visible, before anything is covered are the record of the storm.

A short sketch with the position of each opening adds to the photographs, so the permanent repair can match the record.

• Photographs from the ground with the date
• A sketch of each opening
• The time and weather at the first cover

Can a homeowner tarp the roof?

Not safely in most cases. A roofer should do it from a secure position, because the roof may be unstable and the fall risk is high.

A roof torn open is unstable. The decking may be weak, the covering loose and the slope wet. A homeowner who climbs to tarp the roof is at high risk, and a tarp not fixed properly blows off in the next wind.

If a homeowner must cover an opening from the ground, keep well clear of the edge and use a long tool. The line sends a roofer, who has the equipment and the fall protection.

• Do not climb a damaged or wet roof
• Keep clear of the edge and hanging material
• Call the line for a roofer

What a tarp does not do

It does not repair the roof, does not stop the next storm tearing it off and does not replace the permanent repair.

A tarp is a stop-gap. Wind can lift it, rain can work under its edges and it does not last. It keeps the building dry for a short time, and the permanent repair is what restores the roof. The quote should follow promptly.

A tarp should be described as temporary in any quote or claim. It is not evidence that the roof has been repaired.

• A tarp does not repair the roof
• The next wind can lift it
• The permanent repair follows promptly

What happens after the tarp is on

The insurer is told, the storm inspection is booked, the permanent repair is scheduled and the cover is checked after each strong wind or rain.

Tell the insurer what was done and when, and book the storm inspection so the damage is recorded on the roof. Ask the roofer to schedule the permanent repair and to check the cover after each strong wind or rain until it is made.

Keep the record of each check. A cover that was checked and held shows the homeowner limited further damage after the storm.

• Tell the insurer what was done and when
• Book the inspection and the permanent repair
• Check the cover after each strong wind or rain

Keeping this part of the record current

The record for this part of the roof is updated at each visit, with the date and the result, so the history stays accurate.

A homeowner who keeps this section with the roof file can compare it with the next season's check, and the change between the two is the most useful thing the record can show.

The roofer confirms each point on the day and writes the result down before leaving, so the record reflects the roof as it was found rather than as it was remembered later.