Finding leaks in your ceilingis never a good incident. Where is it coming from? And how do you fix it? Through serving, we have been able to assess leaks and find that a tarping job may be a leak in an air conditioning unit. Unfortunately, there are many times when we have to help homeowners through a roof leak. We often find that there are many questions and concerns about roof tarps and roof leaks. We hope to help homeowners learn about the process, and why it is important to address the concern as quickly as possible.
When Do I Need Emergency Tarping?
Emergency tarping is needed when unwanted debris causes harm to your roof. For example, if a tree falls and causes a hole in your roof, it will cause a leak if it rains. This will create the need for a roof tarp to prevent further damage from taking place in the home. There also may be situations where we are able to find out that your ‘roof leak’ was actually an air conditioning unit leak or problem. If there is damage to the inside of your home, from a roof leak, or another kind of ceiling leak, you may need emergency services.
Another way to know if you need to contact a company for a roof tarping is by checking ceilings for damage. If a ceiling is damaged from a leak, it will only get worse. If a continues to happen without being fixed, you’ll notice ceiling damage to get worse in your home. If you notice any staining, you can generally see where the staining has gotten worse through time because it will begin to look like rings on a tree. Just like you can tell how old a tree is by its rings, it’s possible to see how many times there have been leaks in the same area. Not only can this affect the home’s roof structure and ceiling. It may create secondary damage if moisture stays present and is never dried out properly.
Roof leaks are common, and also avoidable. They are most common where there are flashings. A flashing is simply where the surface of the roof may change. Like where a chimney or valley may be in the roof. It is important to focus on preventative measures in order to avoid damage to these areas and the rest of the roof.
How can further damage be prevented?
Roof tarping isn’t a long-term solution. Tarping will stop additional damage to the inside of your home. Sometimes, this means we will place equipment to assist with drying out any materials in your home that may be wet due to the leak. It is important this equipment stays running as it takes time to go through its cycles. If the equipment is unplugged, it will begin to heat up and dry the air again. Unfortunately, it takes different amounts of time for different materials. And just because something may look dry it doesn’t necessarily mean it is completely dry. We leave equipment in homes to prevent further damage or secondary damage to homes. We understand the annoyance this equipment may cause as it can be loud, we will get it out as quickly as we can while saving your home from more damage. We also hope to teach each homeowner something about the process along the way. This will allow them to better understand each decision they are given throughout the process.
Keeping up with regular wear and tear is also important. Mother Nature has plans of her own, which can create wear and tear to roofs causing leaks. It is important to have your roof inspected and repaired regularly to make sure that any spots needing to be tended to are. After storms, we recommend walking around yards to check for debris that may have fallen onto the roof and also checking the ground for any shingles or pieces that may have come off the roof due to the storm.
What is the process?
After finding the leak, you will want to call a company that has your best interest at heart. The quicker someone can be on-site to assess the damages the better the homeowner is. If the roof leak has caused damages to the inside of your home, the key to avoiding secondary damages is getting the dry out process started quickly.
What happens after you call us to come assess and tarp your roof? First, we will begin by being prepared for anything that we may find. Our technicians will have tarps and securing materials of course, but they will also be equipped with equipment and tools to assist if a dry out is needed inside your home. After arriving on-site, technicians will discuss the loss with you and inspect the home for damage. This will include the inside and outside of the home. Doing this will allow us to stop any secondary damages from taking place. We will document everything for your carrier from before the tarp, throughout the process, and after everything has been taken care of. This includes photos of the roof from the ground looking up and photos from the top of the roof looking down. Then we take care of everything! We will get the roof tarp on, using sandbags as to not cause more damage to the roof. Invasive measures are rarely used due to it putting small holes in the roof. However, if an entire roof is being replaced, these measures may be used. If we have found any damage in the home, like wet materials, equipment will be placed to assist with the dry out. If a dry out is needed, we will document accordingly and contact your carrier for approvals if needed. We are able to contact carriers directly for approvals once they have been notified of us doing work via our work authorization.
We do our best to make this process as easy and quick for our homeowners, all emergency services are handled with care, concern, and each home’s different needs in mind.
How Long Does a Roof Tarp Last?
Generally speaking, roof tarps only last a couple of weeks. They can potentially last longer or shorter amounts of time due to the weather they may encounter. Living in Florida, we must be prepared to have a sudden wind or rainstorm. These storms can have an effect on the tarp by loosening the tarp from the roof or putting holes in the tarp if debris from trees hit the roof. When you have a roof tarp, it is best to contact a roofer as quickly as possible to fix the roof to ensure the home is being protected the best it can be.
Should I File a Claim? / Will This Be Covered?
Due to us not knowing each individual policy, it is hard for us to answer this question. We are more than happy to advise if the cost will go over the cost of your deductible. Regarding coverages, you would need to speak directly to your carrier or agent to go over your policy. We recommend that everyone knows the coverages regarding different types of losses and any policy limits. If anyone needs help filing a claim please call us, we are happy to walk you through the process or do a courtesy assessment and be there when you call the carrier.
Your agent, carrier, and restoration company are your resources, call them regarding your policy questions or resources you may need in order to get your home back to pre-loss, or better than before, condition.
