When and how should a Triad roof be tarped?

Your duty to protect the house

North Carolina homeowners policies require reasonable steps to protect the property after a loss. The NC Department of Insurance advises temporary repairs such as tarps or plywood, with receipts kept for reimbursement.

Order of work after a tree strike

1. Power company clears any lines.
2. Tree service removes the tree or limbs from the roof.
3. Roofer covers holes with plywood, then tarps over the area and the ridge.
4. Photos of each step and an itemized invoice for each company.

A tarp that stays put

• A heavy, UV-resistant tarp that extends well beyond the damage and over the ridge.
• Boards (battens) screwed through the tarp edges into the roof deck.
• No loose sandbags or bricks; they slide off in wind and can fall.

Winter tarping

After an ice storm, roofs are slick and limbs keep falling for days. Wait until ice melts before anyone climbs up, and stay out of rooms under damaged limbs. Snow and ice can collect on a tarp and add weight, so brush it off from the ground if you can, and check that water isn't pooling.

Doing it yourself

Only for a small area on a low, dry roof you can reach safely from a ladder. Falls are one of the leading causes of construction deaths, according to OSHA. Steep or two-story roofs, slate and anything involving a tree are jobs for insured professionals.

Paying and reimbursement

Ask for emergency tarping on a separate itemized invoice. You don't need to sign a full replacement contract to get a tarp, and North Carolina has no roofing-specific contract law, so read any contract carefully. Reasonable costs for tarps, plywood, labor, tree removal from the roof and drying are usually reimbursed on a covered claim. Charging grossly excessive prices is illegal in North Carolina during a declared state of emergency; report it to the NC Attorney General.