Emergency Roof Repair: Everything You Need to Know

From storm damage to a falling tree, a roof emergency can happen in an instant, so you need to be able to act fast. Learn what signs indicate you need emergency roof repair, what to do during a roofing emergency, and some ways to minimize your risk of needing emergency roof repairs.

What Qualifies as a Roof Repair Emergency?

Your roof is one of the most essential pieces of your home. It protects you from the elements, seals your home to allow for efficient heating and cooling, and helps maintain the structural integrity of the building. Depending on the materials, the average life span of a roof can be anywhere between 15 and more than 100 years. 

All roofing problems should be quickly fixed to prevent further damage, but not all roof repairs are emergencies. Some repairs, while serious, don’t need to be addressed immediately. Some minor issues that can wait until your roofing company can fit you into their regular schedule include:

• Moss or algae growth

• Superficial hail damage 

• Minor flashing damage

Some roofing problems, however, require emergency repair. Signs of a true roofing emergency include: 

• Any water appearing in your attic or anywhere in your home

• Large puddles of standing water on your roof

• Fire damage

• Tree damage

If you’re unsure if your roof situation is an emergency, call a local emergency roofer to assess the damage and advise you of the best course of action.

Types of Emergency Roof Damage 

Your roof protects you against a number of different threats. In extreme cases, some of them might cause damage that requires urgent repair. 

Water and Hail Damage 

Water poses one of the biggest, most consistent threats to the integrity of your roof. Heavy rains, hurricane conditions, and accumulated snow can lead to leakage. Water can then seep through shingles and flashing to enter the inside of your home. A roof damaged by hail may also have cracks and dents.

Fire Damage 

The majority of roofing materials are designed to offer some degree of fire resistance. But a blaze that burns hot enough and long enough will eventually consume all. If your shingles, underlayment, flashing, or roof trusses have been damaged by fire, you’ll likely need emergency repair. 

Wind or Storm Damage

Precipitation isn’t the only form of weather that can quickly and severely harm your roof. High winds can tear layers from your roof. Lightning can scar and damage even the most durable roofing material. Earthquakes can put the integrity of the roof’s structure at risk. 

Tree Damage

Trees provide many benefits to your yard, but they also carry potential threats to the roof and other parts of your home. If a tree has fallen on your roof, it’s wise to call in a local emergency roof repair pro to inspect, even if the tree is small and there’s no apparent damage.

Mold

Improper roof ventilation allows condensation to build, eventually leading to severe and dangerous mold growth in your attic. Any sign that this has occurred should be dealt with immediately. 

Ice Dams

Ice dams occur when snow and ice partially melt then refreeze near the edge of the roof, blocking gutters and other drainage components. Ice dams can force water underneath your shingles and into your walls, causing costly damage. If you notice ice dams on your roof, have them removed immediately to prevent further damage.

Pests

Mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons—there’s a veritable laundry list of pests who might spend time on your roof, especially if there are lots of overhanging trees. The presence of some of these critters isn’t necessarily a problem, but if they begin to chew through your roofing, it can quickly create an emergency situation. Mice, rats, and critters that might be motivated to get inside your home pose the most obvious threats. 

What to Do During a Roofing Emergency

Whatever the cause of the damage, when your roof requires emergency repairs, you’ll want to get started on the work as soon as possible. If left untreated, even minor damage can lead to serious issues with leakage, mold, and pests. Here are the steps you can take right away to begin restoring your roof to its former glory. 

1. Inspect Your Property and Assess Damage 

Before hiring an emergency roofer, you should thoroughly examine your home to get a reliable sense of the scope of the damage. There are some key signs of damage to look for: 

• Brown spots: Any time you notice brown spots on the ceiling, you should call a roofer right away—but if they’re smaller than the size of an orange, you can wait until your regular roofing company is available. Anything bigger demands an emergency response.

• Missing or damaged shingles: Before getting on a ladder, look around your property for any errant shingles. Once you begin directly inspecting the roof, look for loose, cracked, or dented shingles. If your roof is covered with asphalt shingles, look for any erosion of the fine granules that make up the top layer. 

• Visible light through the roof boards: If your home features an unfinished attic and you can see rays of light through the roof boards, that’s a sign that the roof needs urgent repair.

• Leakage: Any water leaking into your home is cause for concern. Do a thorough check for even infrequent droplets of water coming from any part of the ceiling. 

• Unexplained jump in energy bills: If your utility bill spikes in the period after a heavy storm, it could be a symptom of roof damage. One of the main functions of your roof is to keep a tight seal on your home so that hot or cold air can’t escape. 

2. Document the Damage 

Just because you shouldn’t grab a ladder and climb up on your damaged roof doesn’t mean you can’t take action as soon as you see there’s damage. 

• Snap “after” photos and videos of the damage.

• Document in writing what you believe to be the extent of the damage. 

• Record any estimates, invoices, and bills you receive. 

Having all of this information on file will help ensure a smooth insurance claims process.

3. Place a Tarp to Prevent Leaks 

Water seeping into your home is a roofing emergency that requires immediate action. Place a temporary tarp on the roof until a roofer can come and evaluate the situation. Pull the tarp tightly down onto the roof and smooth it out. Make sure the tarp is tucked under the roofing material or installed up and over a ridge to prevent the water from entering at the top and running underneath. Then, nail down the edges and cover the nail heads with roofing cement. Make sure the tarp is large enough to cover the entire affected area and that the tarp is meant for outdoor usage.

If you need to call a professional to tarp your roof because your roof is difficult to access or you aren’t comfortable climbing a ladder, expect the cost to tarp your roof to average about $450 in an emergency situation.

4. Repair Damaged Shingles and Tighten Loose Ones

When leaks are caused by loose or damaged shingles, you can tackle a temporary fix while waiting for the pros. Reaffix loose shingles as well as the surrounding shingles using adhesive, cement, or roofing nails around the edges. 

Record and note the shingles you’ve band-aided so that you can share that info with the pro once they arrive. 

5. Call a Roofing Contractor

Repairing your roof is not a safe DIY job. Call a local roof repair company to fix significant roof damage, such as missing flashing, roof rot, or water spots on your ceiling. Even better, you won’t have to lug and climb a ladder.

6. Contact Your Insurance Company

Reach out to your insurance company and describe the damage to your roof. Find out what your policy covers and whether insurance will cover partial or full costs for repair. Your insurance company will likely send an inspector to your home to investigate and verify your claim. 

“Often insurance companies want you to have a roofing contractor look at the damage so that you don't open up a claim unnecessarily, which can hurt your ratings with your insurance carrier,” says Ami Feller of Feller Roofing. “If your contractor thinks you might have a roof claim, it can be very beneficial to have your contractor present when your insurance adjuster comes—it avoids a lot of back and forth. The two can assess the damages together and hopefully come to an agreement on the spot about what needs to be done to repair the roof.”

7. Schedule Repairs 

Once you have picked the best contractor for the job, don’t hesitate to get a date confirmed. If you’re dealing with damage after a heavy storm, you likely have many neighbors in the same position, and area roofers will be quite busy. In situations where demand for repairs exceeds available workers, roofing companies often do a kind of triage: inspecting each roof and prioritizing them by the degree of severity. If you find yourself further down the list, continue to closely monitor the roof. If the situation deteriorates, you should update the contractor right away. 

Tips to Maintain Your Roof and Avoid Emergency Roof Repair

While you may not be able to prevent unexpected storm damage, regular roof maintenance can help prevent the need for some kinds of emergency roof repair. 

• Keep your gutters clear. Maintaining clear gutters that can drain water quickly and efficiently can prevent several water damage-related roof problems. Clean your gutters twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.

• Get regular inspections. An annual roof inspection can alert you to small problems before they turn into emergencies. 

• Keep trees trimmed. If you have trees with large branches that overhang your roof, have the trees trimmed to prevent damage during high winds and storms. Consult with an arborist near you about nearby trees to assess their health and the likelihood they’ll fall during a storm.

• Replace damaged shingles. Damaged or missing shingles can lead to problems with your roof’s underlying structure. Replace damaged shingles immediately to maintain your roof’s protective ability.