Emergency Tarp Installation in Dresden, TN

Will a blue tarp from the hardware store actually keep the rain out?

Sometimes, for one night, if the wind stays calm and the tarp is large enough and tied down well. More often it does not, and the reason is almost never the tarp itself. It is how the tarp is anchored, where it ends and how water is directed off it. A tarp that is only laid across a roof and held with a few bricks is a flag waiting for the next gust.

I am Timothy Parks. I install emergency roof tarps for homes and outbuildings in Dresden and across Weakley County, Tennessee. This page is about the tarp itself: what it is for, how it should be put on, how it fails when it is not, how long it can be expected to serve, and what should happen before and after it. For the broader picture of emergency response, see emergency roof help. To talk about your roof, use my phone line, (407) 383-9118 and tell me what happened.

What is an emergency roof tarp meant to do?

A tarp has one job: to keep water out of a building until the roof can be properly repaired. That is all. It does not restore the roof, it does not make the damaged section sound, and it does not replace the repair. What it does is buy time, which is valuable when the alternative is soaked insulation, ruined ceilings and mold.

Tarping makes sense in three typical situations. After wind has torn away shingles or panels and left decking or underlayment exposed. After a tree or limb has punched a hole in the roof. After hail or debris has damaged a section and rain is on the way. In each case the roof is broken in a particular place, and the goal is to cover that place and a margin around it, secure the cover, and send water over the top rather than under.

A tarp is not a good idea when the roof structure is unsafe to walk on, when the damage covers most of the roof, or when the weather is so severe that working is dangerous. In those cases, I may cover from the inside, move contents or wait until conditions improve. I tell you what is realistic.

How should a tarp be installed so it holds?

The difference between a tarp that holds and one that fails lies in a handful of details.

1. Size. The tarp should extend well beyond the damaged area on every side, and up over the ridge when the damage is high on the slope. Water running down a roof will find any edge that is lower than the one above it.
2. Direction. The tarp is laid so that water sheds from higher to lower, with overlaps going the same way as shingles do. A tarp that points water into a seam leaks.
3. Anchoring. On a shingle roof, the usual approach is to wrap the tarp edge around a length of wood and fasten the wood to the roof, so the load is spread and the fabric is not torn by fasteners. Nails through the bare tarp tear out in the first strong wind.
4. Over the ridge. When the damaged area is near the top, carrying the tarp over the ridge and fastening it on the opposite slope keeps wind from getting underneath.
5. Tight, not tight like a drum. A tarp left loose will flap and wear through. A tarp pulled too tight can tear where it is fastened. It should be snug and smooth.
6. Edges. The edges are turned and secured so they cannot lift. Lifted edges are where wind starts to strip a tarp.

I explain what I use and how I anchor it on your particular roof, because every roof is different. Shingle, metal panel and flat roofs call for different approaches, and I choose with the surface in mind.

What goes wrong with tarps that are put on badly?

Plenty, and most of it is predictable. The same failures show up again and again.

• Bricks, tires and sandbags alone. Weights shift in wind and slide off the roof, and they can damage shingles.
• Fasteners through the tarp field. Holes in the open fabric tear quickly under wind load.
• Too many holes in the roof. Every nail driven through the tarp and into the roof leaves an opening. A tarp covers a leak. It should not make new ones.
• Water ponding. A tarp with a sag that holds water becomes heavy and may tear or pull away.
• Too small. A tarp that only just covers the hole lets water run in around its edges.
• Poor material. Thin tarps degrade in sun, split at the grommets and stretch.
• Forgetting the ground. Leaving gutter, downspout and flashing in a way that sends the runoff somewhere harmful.

I see tarps put up by well-meaning neighbors, family members and sometimes other contractors. I do not criticize them, because anyone trying to help in a storm is doing something good. But when I replace a tarp that failed, I explain what went wrong so you know what to look for.

How long can a tarp stay on?

I will not give you a number of days or weeks, because I cannot promise one. How long a tarp lasts depends on the tarp material, the way it is anchored, how much wind and sun it sees, and what the weather does. A well-installed tarp can protect a roof for a meaningful period. A poor one may last one storm.

What I can say is that a tarp is not meant to be the end of the story, and that the longer one stays up, the more things can go wrong. Sun degrades the fabric. Fasteners loosen. Wind works at the edges. Debris collects. Moisture can still creep in at the edges. For that reason I recommend checking a tarp after every significant storm and scheduling the permanent repair as soon as conditions and materials allow.

If you are worried about your tarp, tell me. I would rather look at it and reassure you, or fix it, than have it fail in the middle of the next storm.

What should happen before the tarp goes on?

If it is safe and time allows, a few steps before the tarp is installed make the whole job better.

Assess the damage. I look at the roof and at the inside of the house. Where is the water coming in? Is the decking intact? Is the structure sound? What I find decides how the tarp is laid.

Remove debris. Branches, broken shingles and loose material come off. Anything sharp under the tarp can tear it.

Protect the interior. Where water has already entered, I move or cover belongings, and I tell you what should be removed or dried. The water mitigation page covers drying and what comes after.

Photograph everything. Dated photographs of the damaged roof, taken before the tarp, are valuable records. They show exactly what condition the building was in, and they belong to you.

Check for hazards. Downed power lines, leaning trees and unstable sections come first. If a tree is the cause, see tree removal.

What happens after the tarp is up?

Once the building is covered, the pressure eases and the real planning begins. This is the time to think rather than react.

First, I give you a clear description of what I found and what I did. Then I recommend the next steps, which might include a closer roof inspection, a roof repair of the damaged section, or, if the roof is old and the damage is widespread, a discussion about replacement. I explain the reasoning in plain language, and you decide.

Second, the tarp itself needs to be removed when the repair happens. Removing a tarp and doing the repair in the same visit is usually the most efficient approach. The decking under the tarp may need replacing if water has soaked it, and the exposed underlayment may need to be replaced, so the repair visit often starts with a careful inspection of what was covered.

Third, there is the paperwork. If the repair is being paid for through an insurance policy, you send the paperwork in yourself and deal with your own company. I provide the condition record, the dated photographs and a written description of the work, and that report belongs to you.

What about metal roofs, flat roofs and outbuildings?

Not every roof is shingled. Tarping other roof types calls for different techniques.

Metal roofs. Panels are slick and fasteners are exposed. I avoid driving fasteners through the panels where I can, and I may use clamps or batten arrangements that grip ribs or seams. Damaged metal edges are sharp and can cut a tarp, so I pad them. The pages on metal buildings and pole barn describe how those roofs are built.

Flat and low-slope roofs. Water tends to pond rather than run off, so a tarp must be arranged to carry water to an edge or a drain. Membrane roofs can be damaged by traffic or anchoring, so I take care.

Barns and outbuildings. These often have large roof areas with few interior finishes. If the contents are valuable, such as equipment or stored feed, say so when you call. A tarp can protect them while repairs are arranged.

Garages and sheds. Smaller roofs are simpler to cover, but the same principles apply: size, direction, anchoring and edges.

When is the best time to think about tarps?

Before you need one. West Tennessee's storm season arrives on a schedule that is easy to predict even if individual storms are not. A homeowner who has taken photographs of the roof in good condition, knows who to call and has had the roof looked at is far better prepared.

If you have a roof that you suspect is weak, a roof inspection before the season starts is more useful than a tarp after the first storm. If you want to understand how a building can be made more storm-ready, storm mitigation describes what I look at. And if you are already dealing with damage, send a description and photographs through my phone line, (407) 383-9118 and I will call you back.

Does the tarp material really matter?

Yes, more than people expect. Tarps sold for covering a woodpile or a boat are not made for a roof in a storm. A roof tarp needs to resist tearing, resist sun, and hold a fastener without splitting.

I look for a heavy, tightly woven tarp with reinforced edges and strong grommets, in a size that covers the area with margin. Thin tarps sag, flap and wear through quickly. Sun breaks down cheap material, and once the surface chalks and cracks it sheds water poorly. Colors do not matter for performance, but a lighter tarp can keep an attic a little cooler, and a dark one will not show every stain. I do not sell on color.

For fasteners, I use ones suited to the roof and the load. Cap-style nails or screws with washers spread the force. Wood battens or similar strips, wrapped in the tarp edge, take the strain of the wind so it does not concentrate on a single small hole. Rope and ratchet straps have their place for pulling the tarp tight, but they are only as good as the point they attach to.

How does wind affect the job?

Wind is the enemy of a tarp, and it is also the enemy of the person installing one. On a roof, a tarp in a breeze acts as a sail. A gust can lift the person with it, pull the tarp out of hand or throw tools off the roof.

For that reason, installation is slower and more deliberate than people expect. I roll or fold the tarp and unfurl it in stages, from the high side, with one edge fastened before the next is released. I work with the wind direction in mind and avoid unfolding a tarp into a headwind. When the wind is too strong to do it safely, I tell you plainly, and we find another way to limit the damage until it drops.

That is also why I do not promise to be on your roof at an exact time on a storm night. Lightning, heavy rain and high wind put a stop to roof work, and a contractor who tells you otherwise is promising something unsafe. What I promise is that I will tell you the truth about what is possible and what I recommend you do in the meantime.

What should you tell me when you call about a tarp?

The more I know before I arrive, the better prepared I am. Here is a list of the details that help.

• The address and any directions that matter, such as a gravel road or a locked gate.
• What happened: wind, a tree, hail, a leak that appeared on its own.
• Where the damage is: front or back, high or low on the roof, near a chimney or valley.
• The type of roof: shingles, metal, flat or something else.
• The shape of the roof: single story or two, steep or gentle, simple or full of dormers and valleys.
• Whether a tree or limb is still on the roof.
• Whether water is coming inside right now, and where.
• Photographs from the ground, if you can take them safely.

If you cannot answer some of these, it is fine. I will find out when I arrive. But every detail you can give me helps me bring the right materials and make the right call about what to do first.

What should you not do after a tarp goes on?

Do not climb up to check it, especially after dark or in wind. Do not add weight to it or tie additional ropes without asking. Do not assume that the problem is solved and forget about it. A tarp deserves a look from the ground after every storm, and the permanent repair deserves a place on your calendar. If something looks wrong, such as an edge lifting, a pocket of standing water or a new stain inside, call me and describe it. I would rather make a quick visit than see a small problem turn into a bigger one.

Keep your photographs. They are the best record of what the roof looked like before and after the tarp.

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