Emergency roof tarping in Vancouver, WA that holds through the wind

A roof tarp sounds simple, but a badly installed one can blow off in the first gust or channel water straight into the house. Proper tarping means using a heavy-duty tarp sized well beyond the damage, running it over the ridge when possible so water sheds down and away, and fastening it with wood battens so wind cannot get under the edges. Done right, it holds through weeks of Northwest rain.

This page is about the tarp itself: when it makes sense, how we install it, and how long it should stay up. If you need the full emergency response, including leak sealing and interior checks, see our emergency roof repair page. Either way, our phones are answered 24/7, and we send a crew when your roof is open to the weather.

When a tarp is the right call

A tarp is the right move when an area of the roof is open or badly damaged and the permanent repair cannot happen right away. That can be because it is night, the weather is too wet or windy for shingle work, framing needs repair first, or you are waiting on an insurance adjuster to see the damage. A tarp buys time without making the eventual repair harder. It also keeps insulation and drywall dry in the meantime.

A tarp is not the right move for a small leak at a pipe boot or flashing seam. Those can usually be sealed or repaired directly, even in wet weather, for less than the cost of a tarp. We ask about the damage when you call, and if a direct repair makes more sense, we tell you. A tarp covering a large area for a small leak just adds cost and wind risk.

How we install a tarp that stays on

We use heavy-duty, reinforced tarps, not lightweight hardware-store versions that shred in a few days of wind. The tarp runs over the ridge to the other side when the layout allows, so water cannot get under the top edge. Edges are wrapped around wood battens and fastened through to the roof, which keeps wind from catching them. We extend the tarp at least several feet beyond the damage on every side.

• Heavy-duty reinforced tarp sized past the damage
• Run over the ridge when the layout allows
• Edges wrapped and fastened with wood battens
• Fasteners placed to limit new holes
• Checked so water sheds off, not under

How long a roof tarp can stay up

A well-installed tarp can last several weeks, sometimes a couple of months, but it is not meant to be permanent. Sun breaks down the material, wind works on the edges, and any fastener holes become small risks over time. In the Vancouver rainy season, we aim to replace the tarp with a permanent repair as soon as conditions and approvals allow. The goal is a short bridge to a real repair, with as few weeks under plastic as possible.

If your tarp has to stay up longer, for example while waiting on an insurance decision, we can check it after major storms and re-fasten edges or replace a worn tarp. A loose or torn tarp that flaps in the wind can damage the shingles around it, so it is worth a quick check. Call us if you see the tarp lifting or water pooling on top. We would rather catch it early than replace more shingles.

What to avoid with a do-it-yourself tarp

We understand the urge to throw a tarp over the roof yourself, but climbing a wet roof at night is how people get hurt. Common DIY mistakes include tarps that stop below the ridge so water runs under them, edges held only with bricks that slide off, and nails driven through the tarp without battens, which tears in the first gust. If you already put up a tarp, we can check it and redo it properly if needed.