Roof leaking in a storm: emergency steps and tarping

Inside the house, right now

1. Contain the drip. Buckets under leaks, with a towel in the bottom to stop splashing. A string or strip of cloth pinned at the drip can guide water into the bucket.
2. Move or cover belongings with plastic sheets.
3. Deal with a bulging ceiling. Drywall holding water can collapse. If you can reach it safely, pierce the lowest point of the bulge with a screwdriver and let it drain into a bucket.
4. Turn off power to any room where water is coming through or near a light fitting.
5. Go into the attic only if it is safe, staying on the framing, to see where water is entering and to place a container under it.
6. Photograph and video the leak, the ceiling and anything damaged.

Do not go on the roof

Roofs are slippery when wet, and a storm-damaged roof may not hold weight. Most serious injuries in this situation happen to homeowners trying to patch a leak in bad weather. Look from the ground with binoculars or a phone camera.

What emergency tarping involves

A crew working with fall protection covers the damaged section with a heavy reinforced tarp, not a light household one.

• The tarp extends well past the damage on all sides
• Where possible it runs over the ridge, so that water sheds over it and cannot run underneath
• The edges are secured with wood strips fastened through the tarp, so that wind cannot get under and lift it
• Loose debris and broken shingles are cleared first

A proper tarp is temporary protection meant to last weeks, until a roofer can make permanent repairs. It should be checked after strong winds.

What usually caused it

• Shingles lifted or blown off by wind
• A branch or tree impact
• Flashing failed around a chimney, vent, skylight or wall junction
• Hail damage
• An ice dam in winter
• An old roof at the end of its life, exposed by a heavy storm

After the rain stops

The leak stopping does not mean the problem is over. Water that got in has soaked into:

• Attic insulation, which holds water like a sponge and loses its insulating value
• Roof sheathing and framing
• Ceiling drywall
• Wall cavities below

Left in place, wet insulation and drywall can grow mold within days in warm weather. Have the attic and ceilings checked with a moisture meter. Wet insulation is removed, the structure is dried, and damaged drywall is replaced.

Insurance

Damage caused by a covered event such as a windstorm or falling tree is commonly covered, along with the interior water damage that follows. Leaks from an old, worn roof or from lack of maintenance are usually not. Some policies reduce what they pay for older roofs. Emergency tarping to prevent further damage is normally recoverable as part of a covered claim.

Finding a roofer after a regional storm

After a big storm, good roofers are booked for weeks and door-to-door offers multiply. Check that a contractor has a business address, liability insurance and WSIB coverage, get the scope and price in writing, and do not pay large deposits in cash. The tarp is what buys you the time to choose carefully.

What to tell the crew when you call

It helps to have ready: where the water is coming in, whether the ceiling is sagging, whether power is affected, roughly how old the roof is, how many storeys the house has, and whether a tree or debris is on the roof. Photos sent ahead let the crew bring the right materials.

More: emergency board-up and roof tarping.