How do you use a tarp to cover a damaged roof?
Short answer. Use a heavy duty UV treated tarp large enough to run several feet past the damage and over the ridge, then secure it with wood battens screwed through the tarp edges so wind cannot get under it. Photograph the damage before the tarp goes on, keep the receipt, and hire a roofer if the roof is steep, wet or high.
Doing it right
- Photograph first. The adjuster needs to see the opening, so take close and wide photos before it is covered.
- Size it generously. The tarp should extend well beyond the damaged area on every side and, ideally, over the ridge so water sheds off rather than running under the top edge.
- Use battens. Wrap the tarp edges around 2x4 boards and screw the boards through to the roof deck. Sandbags and loose bricks blow off in the next gust.
- Keep it tight. A loose tarp flaps, tears and scuffs the shingles around it.
- Check it after each storm until the permanent repair is done. UV degrades tarps over weeks.
When not to do it yourself
Wet shingles, steep pitches, second story eaves, and anything near power lines are reasons to call a roofer. A tree on the house needs a tree service and possibly a crane before any tarp goes on.
The insurance side
Most policies require you to take reasonable steps to protect the home from further damage, and the cost of doing so is normally reimbursed as part of the claim. Leaving an opening uncovered can reduce what the insurer pays for water damage that follows. Keep the invoice, photos of the tarp in place and the date. Our page on emergency tarping and the duty to mitigate covers what counts as reasonable, and Robust Roofing's guide to tarp cost and who pays covers pricing.