Emergency Tarp Installation in Sarasota and Manatee County

Will a blue tarp really hold on your roof through the next storm?

Anyone who has driven through Sarasota or Manatee County after a hurricane has seen the answer both ways. Some roofs wear a smooth, tight covering for weeks and stay dry underneath. Others have a flapping sheet that came loose in the first gust and left the house open again.

The difference is not luck. It comes down to the size of the tarp, how it is laid, how it is fastened, what it is fastened to, and whether the damaged area was prepared before it was covered. A tarp is a temporary roof, and like any roof, the details decide whether it works.

This page explains how an emergency tarp installation is done properly: when it makes sense, how it differs by roof type, what a good one looks like, what can go wrong and how long to expect it to hold. For the broader picture of what to do in the first hour of a roof emergency, the 24 hour emergency services page is the companion to this one. To ask about your own roof, use the contact page.

When is a tarp the right answer?

A tarp is a stopgap. It buys time between the moment the roof is damaged and the moment it can be properly repaired or replaced. It makes sense when three things are true: the damage is localized or at least can be covered, the weather will not allow an immediate permanent repair, and leaving the roof open would cause more damage than the tarp costs in time and effort.

• Missing or lifted shingles after a wind event, leaving the underlayment or the bare deck exposed.
• A hole from a fallen limb or debris where a section of roof deck is broken or punctured.
• Torn or displaced tile where a number of tiles have cracked or slid and water is reaching the underlayment.
• Lifted metal panels or ridge caps with exposed seams or fasteners.
• Storm-damaged flashing around a chimney, skylight or wall junction.
• A roof awaiting replacement or repair where the work will begin days or weeks later, and the weather in between must be held off.

A tarp is not the right answer when the roof is structurally unsafe to walk on, when the damage is so widespread that tarping would amount to covering the whole roof (in which case it may be better to wait for a faster permanent repair), or when conditions are too dangerous to work. I will tell you honestly which situation yours is.

What goes on before the tarp is laid?

Preparation is the part that people skip and the part that matters most. A tarp thrown over a messy damaged area is far more likely to leak and to blow off.

First, I look at the damage from the ground and, where it is safe, from the roof, to understand its extent. I look for soft spots, because a deck that has been wet is weak, and a person or a fastener can go through it. I note how far the damage reaches up the slope and sideways, since the tarp must extend well beyond it.

Second, the area is cleared. Loose debris, broken shingle pieces, protruding nails and splintered wood are removed so they do not tear the tarp or create gaps. If there is standing water, it is cleared before covering, since trapped water under a tarp keeps saturating the deck.

Third, I decide the tarp's size and direction. The tarp must run from above the damaged area down over it to the eave or at least to a point where water can drain off, never ending partway down in a way that lets water run underneath. If the damage is near the ridge, the tarp wraps over the peak so the wind cannot get under it from the top.

Fourth, I choose how to fasten it, which depends on the roof type. This is where the difference between a tarp that lasts and a tarp that fails is made.

How is a tarp fastened, and why does that matter?

Wind is the enemy of a tarp. Florida wind gets under any loose edge, lifts it and tears it loose. The fastening has to hold the edges flat along their whole length, not just at the corners.

The method I prefer, where the roof allows it, is to fold the edge of the tarp over a wood strip, then fasten through the folded layers. That puts the nail or screw through several thicknesses, spreads the load and keeps the tarp from tearing at the fastener. Running fasteners close together along the strip stops the edge from fluttering.

Sandbags and loose weights are a poor substitute for real fastening on a pitched roof. They shift, they slide and they add weight to a weakened deck. They have a place on flat roofs, but not as the only protection on a slope.

What does a good tarp installation look like when it is finished?

You can tell a lot from the ground. A well-done tarp has a few features that anyone can check.

• It is taut and flat, with no pockets or folds where water can collect or wind can catch.
• It extends well beyond the damaged area on all sides, and farther upslope than down.
• The upper edge is under or secured at a higher layer so that water running down the roof cannot get beneath it.
• The lower edge reaches the eave or a point where water drains clear.
• Every edge is held along its full length, not at isolated points.
• Seams between sheets, if more than one was used, overlap in the direction of water flow.
• The fasteners are close together and sit through a strip or doubled fold, not through bare tarp.
• The area under the tarp was cleaned and cleared first.

I take photos before, during and after, so you can see what the roof looked like, what was done and what is under the covering. Those photos help you if you later discuss the damage with your insurer or your agent, and they help whoever does the lasting repair.

How long should a tarp be expected to hold?

No honest person can give you an exact number, and I will not. A tarp lasts as long as the tarp, the fastening, the weather and the sun allow. Strong sunlight breaks down plastic. Wind works edges loose. Rain finds weak points. Heavy-duty tarps last far longer than the thin ones sold in hardware stores, but all of them are temporary.

What I can say is how to use the time. A tarp gives you a window to arrange the permanent repair, not a reason to postpone it. If the damage is minor, a roof repair can follow soon. If the roof is old or the damage widespread, a roof replacement may be the better path. Either way, the sooner the permanent work is planned, the less strain on the temporary one.

I recommend looking at the tarp after every significant wind or rain, from the ground, with binoculars if you have them. Look for flapping edges, sagging sections that hold water, torn spots and loosened strips. If you see any, tell me. A small adjustment now prevents a large leak later.

In the stormy season, tarps age quickly. If you are weeks into the covering and the rainy months are underway, ask me to check it. I would rather re-secure an edge in daylight than answer an emergency call in the dark.

What happens to the inside of the house while the roof is tarped?

A tarp stops the rain, but it does not undo what has already happened. Water that entered before the tarp is still in the insulation, the ceiling and the framing. In Florida's humidity, it will not leave on its own.

Once the roof is covered, the attention turns inside. Wet insulation holds water against the ceiling and the deck, and it is usually removed. Drywall that has soaked up water may need to be opened or removed. Fans and dehumidifiers help dry the structure. The water mitigation page describes that process in detail.

Check the attic if it can be done safely. Look for daylight where there should be none, wet insulation, dark stains on the deck and drips from the framing. Take photos. Report what you find, because it tells me whether the tarp is doing its job and whether more has to be covered.

Mold can start in a day or two of warm, wet conditions. Do not wait for the permanent repair before drying the inside. Often the two proceed in parallel.

What should you do and not do about a tarp on your own roof?

Do take photos of the damage and of the tarp. Do keep an eye on it after weather. Do keep records of the date it went on. Do ask for a written note of what was covered and how.

Do not walk on the roof to check it, especially when wet. A damaged deck can give way. Do not remove a tarp early to inspect underneath, since that exposes the area again. Do not pile objects on the tarp, since that adds weight and tears it.

Do not assume that a tarp installed by someone else is sound. If you have a covering that was put on in a hurry, a quick look from me can tell you whether it needs re-securing. Sometimes a thin tarp with a few nails can be improved with an hour of work.

Do not let a tarp substitute for an assessment. The visible damage is rarely the only damage. A roof that lost shingles in one place often has loosened material elsewhere, and a deck under the missing shingles may be compromised in ways the tarp hides.

For help weighing the permanent options, a roof inspection looks at the whole roof, not only the damaged part, and the storm mitigation page describes steps that make the next storm less likely to cause the same trouble.

Why do tarps fail, and how can you tell early?

Most failures follow a handful of patterns, and each one gives a warning before it gives way. Learning them lets you act in time.

Flutter. A tarp edge that moves in the wind is working itself loose. Each flap pulls on the fasteners and widens the holes. A fluttering edge in the morning can be a torn tarp by evening. The fix is more fastening along that edge, or a strip to hold it flat.

Pooling. A sag where rain collects is a sign that the tarp is not pitched to drain. The weight of the water stretches the material and pulls fasteners. It also pushes water through any pinhole. The fix is to re-tension the tarp so it runs off.

Sun breakdown. Thin plastic turns brittle in strong sun. It cracks along folds and shreds under its own weight. Heavy-duty tarps last longer than thin ones, but even they are not permanent. If the surface looks chalky or creased, plan the permanent repair.

Fastener pull-out. When the deck under a fastener is wet and soft, the screw loses its grip. A tarp fastened to a rotted or damaged board can tear away along with the board. Fastening into sound framing or deck is part of the preparation.

Debris. Branches, fallen fruit and leaves that land on a tarp trap water and abrade the surface. After a storm, a gentle clearing from the ground, with a long pole, is worth the effort.

Edge intrusion. Water finds the place where the upper edge is not tucked under or fastened high enough. If you see a wet stain on the ceiling near the upper boundary of the tarped area, tell me. It usually means the top edge needs extending or resealing.

A small set of observations from the ground, made after each weather event, catches nearly all of these. Binoculars help.

What about tarps, large trees and neighbors?

Storm damage does not always arrive alone. A limb on the roof often comes with a fence down, a screen enclosure bent and a neighbor's tree resting against your gutter. Planning the tarp means thinking about those too.

If a tree or large limb is on the roof, it has to be dealt with before the covering goes on. Removing a heavy limb from a damaged roof is a job to approach with care, since the limb may be holding up the damaged deck as much as damaging it. Small limbs I can handle. Large trees on a structure call for specialized equipment, and the tree removal page explains how that works.

Screen enclosures, awnings and carports are tarped differently from the main roof, and sometimes it is better to cut away a ruined section than to try to cover it. A twisted frame can be a hazard and should not be climbed.

If the damage crosses a property line, talk to your neighbor early. Say what you see, take photos and keep a polite, factual tone. Storm damage is nobody's fault, and neighbors who talk early usually settle matters quickly.

Finally, if you live in a condo or a community with an association, tell the association about the damage. The roof may be a common element, and they may already be arranging coverings for the whole building. Two parties tarping the same roof in different ways helps nobody.

How do you ask for a tarp?

Use the contact page and put EMERGENCY at the top. Give the address, a description of what happened and what you can see, whether water is entering the house, and a number I can reach right away. A photo of the damaged area from the ground is useful.

I read the message, call you and ask a few questions about the roof type, the extent of the damage and the weather. Then I tell you honestly whether I can come, when, and whether conditions allow safe work. If they do not, I say so and tell you how to limit damage from inside until they do.

I do not promise arrival times, particularly after a major storm, when many roofs need covering at once. I do promise to be straight with you about what is realistic. The service areas page shows where I work, and you can also send a question first if you are unsure.

Which credentials do I hold?

These are the credentials I hold, listed as issued. They are Florida credentials, listed as facts about me and not as a statement about any other state.

• Florida Roofing Contractor, CCC1327217

Ask me what any of them covers and I will tell you plainly.

Common questions