Emergency Roof Tarping in Tulsa, OK
Call us and we will get a tarp over the opening, usually the same day and often within a few hours once the weather allows. Tarping is temporary cover that stops water spreading while the permanent repair is scoped. Before we arrive, move what you can, catch the water in a bucket and photograph everything. Emergency tarping runs $350 to $900.
What to do in the next ten minutes
Move first, think second. Get furniture, rugs and electronics out from under the drip. Put a bucket or a tote down and a towel around it. If water is running near light fittings, an outlet or a ceiling fan, switch that circuit off at the breaker. If a ceiling is sagging and holding water, stay out from under it.
Then photograph everything before you touch anything else. Wide shots of the room, close shots of the stain, the bucket, the wet carpet, the soaked insulation if you can see into the attic. Get the date on the phone. Those pictures are worth having whatever happens next.
Then call us. Tell us the address, what you are seeing and roughly when it started.
What tarping does
A tarp is a lid. We cover the opening with heavy poly, run it up over the ridge where we can so water cannot get under the top edge, and anchor it along battens or with sandbags depending on the roof. Fasteners go into areas that are already being replaced wherever possible, so the tarp is not adding damage to a sound section of roof.
That keeps the next rain out. It stops water tracking further along the decking, soaking more insulation, spreading across more ceiling and growing mold in the wall cavity. On a house that has just lost shingles in a spring storm with another line of weather coming through midweek, that is the whole job.
What tarping does not do
It is not a repair. It will not stop a leak that is already saturated in the structure from showing up for a few more days. It will not last through the summer. A tarp is a holding position, generally good for a few weeks to a few months depending on wind, sun and how it was installed.
It also cannot fix what is already wet. Soaked insulation, wet drywall and saturated framing need drying out, and that is restoration work rather than roofing. We will tell you when you need a restoration company involved.
How fast we can get there
Active water comes first on our schedule. Same day is normal, and often within a few hours. The limit is safety. We will not send a crew up during lightning, sustained high wind or on ice, and after a major hail event across the metro there is a queue. When you call we will give you a realistic window rather than a comforting one, and if we cannot get there before the next band of rain we will say so and talk you through what you can do meanwhile.
Tarping and your insurance claim
Most homeowner policies place a duty on you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a loss. Tarping is the standard way of meeting that duty on a roof. Emergency mitigation of this kind is commonly handled as part of a claim, though whether your carrier pays and how much they pay is entirely their decision and we will never tell you it is guaranteed.
Three things help you here. Report the loss to your carrier promptly and mention that the roof is being tarped. Keep the tarping invoice separate and legible. Keep the before photos, because once a tarp is on, the damage underneath is hidden from the adjuster and your pictures become the record.
Waiting for permission before tarping is usually a mistake. Carriers expect mitigation, and a ceiling that collapses over a weekend while you waited helps nobody.
What happens after the tarp
We will already have the roof documented from the tarping visit. From there the path is the normal one. A full inspection with chalk test squares on each slope, a dated photo report, and a written scope. If you are filing a claim, we will meet your adjuster at the house and walk the roof with them. The tarping cost is credited against the repair or replacement when we do the permanent work.
If the damage turns out to be minor and no claim makes sense, we will say that too. Some tarping visits end with a $400 repair and no claim at all, which is a good outcome.
One word on who you let on your roof
After a big Tulsa hail event, out of state crews arrive within days and some of them lead with free emergency tarping as a way of getting a contract signed in your living room while you are rattled. Take a breath. Ask for the company Oklahoma Construction Industries Board roofing registration and look it up. Ask for a local address. Get the tarping price in writing before anyone climbs a ladder, and do not sign anything about the permanent work while water is still coming in.
Common questions
How fast can you get a tarp on my roof?
Usually the same day, and often within a few hours of your call once conditions allow. We will not put crew on a wet roof during lightning, high wind or ice, because a fall is a far worse outcome than another hour of dripping. If we cannot get up safely we will tell you straight away and give you a realistic time.
Does tarping fix the leak?
No. A tarp is temporary cover that keeps the next rain out while the damage is documented and the real repair is scoped and scheduled. Depending on the weather and the material, a properly installed tarp holds for a few weeks to a few months. It buys you time to make a good decision instead of a rushed one.
Will my insurance pay for the tarping?
That is your carrier decision and we cannot promise an outcome. Most homeowner policies do expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a loss, and emergency mitigation such as tarping is commonly considered as part of a claim. Keep the invoice and the photos, and mention the tarp when you report the loss.
Should I tarp the roof before the adjuster sees it?
Yes. Waiting for an adjuster while water runs into your ceiling makes the damage worse and can weaken your position rather than strengthen it. Photograph the damage thoroughly before we cover it, and photograph the tarp once it is on. That way the adjuster sees both the original damage and the steps you took.
What does emergency tarping cost?
$350 to $900 for a typical residential tarp, depending on the size of the area, the pitch and how difficult the access is. We credit that amount against the repair or replacement if we do the permanent work. The price is given to you before we start, so nobody is negotiating in the rain.
Can I just tarp it myself?
On a walkable single story roof in dry, calm conditions, some people do. Understand the risks first. Wet shingles are slick, storm damaged decking can be soft underfoot and a tarp acts like a sail in wind. Most DIY tarps we see are nailed straight through sound shingles, which adds new holes to the roof.
What if the ceiling is bulging with water?
Stay out from under it and get a bucket in place. A bulging drywall ceiling is holding a lot of weight and can fail all at once. If you are comfortable doing it, a small hole punched at the low point with a screwdriver, on a long handle, drains it in a controlled way into the bucket. If you are not, wait for us.
Do you tarp commercial and flat roofs?
Yes. Flat roofs need a different approach, usually a patch over the membrane held with ballast or seam tape rather than a tarp over a ridge. We cover shops, offices, churches and rental buildings the same way we cover houses, and we work around your trading hours where we can.