Storm Tarping: What to Do Tonight
When wind lifts shingles or a limb punches through, a proper tarp keeps water out until permanent repairs. What we bring, how it's secured, and what your insurance covers.
A Nor'easter rips shingles off your roof at midnight. A tree limb punches through the deck during a thunderstorm. Water is coming in and the permanent repair can't happen until daylight, dry weather, and a crew is available.
That's when you need an emergency tarp — not the blue plastic sheet from Home Depot held down with bricks, but a professional temporary weather barrier that will keep your home dry for days or weeks until the real repair can be scheduled.
LGM tarps storm-damaged roofs across North and Central New Jersey. Call during business hours and we'll get a crew out as soon as we can fit you in; call after hours and we'll ring you back first thing the next morning. The cost is usually covered by your insurance policy under "reasonable measures to prevent further loss."
What LGM brings to an emergency call
This isn't a tarp thrown over the roof and weighed down. It's a mechanically secured temporary roof that will survive the next storm.
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Heavy-duty 12-mil poly tarp
Not the blue hardware-store tarp. Professional-grade reinforced polyethylene rated for wind and water — the same material roofers use on active job sites.
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Cap nails and 1×4 batten boards
The tarp is mechanically fastened to the roof deck with cap nails through wood battens — not just weighted down with sandbags or bricks. It won't blow off in the next storm.
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Felt underlayment layer
On exposed deck (where shingles are completely missing), we lay felt paper first, then the tarp over it. This prevents the tarp from abrading the bare OSB and adds a second water barrier.
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Fall-protection equipment
Harnesses, anchors, and proper scaffolding or ladder stabilizers. Tarping a steep roof in the dark after a storm is high-risk work — we don't cut corners on safety.
Why loose "blue tarps" fail in 48 hours
After every major storm, we're called out to re-tarp roofs where a well-meaning neighbor or handyman threw a blue poly tarp over the damage and weighted it down with bricks, sandbags, or 2×4s. These tarps rarely last two days.
- Wind gets under the edges and tears the whole tarp loose within 48 hours
- Water pools in the center and the weight rips the tarp or pushes it off the roof
- Bricks and sandbags slide off steep-pitched roofs the first time it rains
- UV exposure degrades cheap poly tarps in 2–3 weeks, even when secured
A proper emergency tarp is mechanically fastened through the roof deck with cap nails and batten boards. The edges are sealed. The tarp is pulled tight so water sheds, not pools. And it's inspected before we leave the site to make sure it will hold.
Loss mitigation is covered
Most homeowners policies include coverage for "reasonable measures to prevent further loss" — sometimes called "loss mitigation" or "emergency services." This is the section that covers emergency tarping after a covered loss (wind, hail, falling tree, etc.).
The policy language usually says something like "the insurer will pay for reasonable repairs made solely to protect covered property from further damage." An emergency tarp after wind damage qualifies.
You still owe your deductible (applied to the total claim, not the tarp separately), but the tarp cost itself — typically $450–$1,200 depending on size and pitch — is included in your claim payout.
What to tell your insurance company
When you call to file your claim, tell them:
- "We had an emergency tarp installed to prevent further water intrusion."
- "The contractor's invoice for the tarp is [amount]."
- "We're requesting this be included in the claim as loss mitigation."
Keep the tarp invoice separate from the repair estimate. They're two line items on the same claim.
How long will the tarp hold?
A professionally installed tarp should hold for 30–60 days in normal conditions. That's enough time to schedule the permanent repair, wait for materials, and get on the schedule.
If your permanent repair is delayed beyond 60 days (insurance adjuster slow to respond, materials on backorder, crew scheduling), we can re-inspect and re-secure or replace the tarp as needed. Most claims will cover this as continued loss mitigation.
What a tarp won't survive indefinitely: multiple heavy storms, sustained high winds, or UV exposure for 4+ months. If your claim drags into month three and the tarp is starting to fail, call us back for a re-tarp before water intrusion starts again.
When to call for an emergency tarp
If you have an active leak, exposed roof deck, or missing shingles after a storm — and permanent repairs can't happen immediately — call (973) 707-2154. We tarp across Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Morris, and Union counties. Leave a message after hours and we'll call you back first thing the next morning.
Don't wait until the next rainstorm to see if the damage "holds." Water intrusion leads to ceiling stains, insulation damage, mold growth, and structural rot — all of which cost significantly more to repair than the original roof damage.
- Missing shingles exposing underlayment or deck
- Tree limb puncture through the roof
- Wind-lifted ridge cap or hip shingles
- Torn or separated flashing around chimney or skylight
- Active water intrusion during or after a storm
Related articles
Filing a Wind Damage Claim
The 72-hour timeline from windstorm to filed claim — and what a Master Elite® damage report adds.
Insurance Claim Support
LGM's full-service claim handling — from inspection to adjuster meeting to direct billing.
10 Signs You Need a Roof Inspection
From missing shingles to interior stains — the warning signs that damage is happening now.
Active leak? Call us and we'll get a tarp on it.
(973) 707-2154 — we serve North & Central New Jersey. After-hours calls are returned first thing the next morning, so do what you can tonight and we'll take it from there.