Emergency & Storm
Emergency roof tarping for San Jose homes
A tarp weighed down with bricks lasts until the first gust. A proper storm tarp is fastened to the framing, lapped over the ridge and sized to shed water, and it buys weeks, not hours.
What we treat
- Concrete and clay tile
- Composition shingle
- Flat, torch-down and TPO
- Spray foam
- Standing seam metal
Quick answer. Emergency roof tarping in San Jose covers an opened or leaking roof with a heavy-duty tarp that is battened to the framing, lapped over the ridge and sealed at the edges, so it keeps water out for several storms while the permanent repair is scheduled. Most single-slope tarps are installed within a few hours of arrival.
Updated September 2026
The job
What a tarp that actually holds looks like
The tarp goes over the ridge and down the far side where it can, so water cannot run under the top edge. Wood battens wrapped in the tarp are screwed through into the rafters rather than the sheathing alone, and the lower edge is left to drain past the eave instead of pooling.
We photograph the damage before the tarp covers it. Those pictures, and a short written cause, are what your adjuster asks for first.
What happens after you call
How an emergency tarp visit runs
- 1
Call and triage
Where it is open, how big, whether water is inside now.
- 2
Make it safe
Debris cut and lowered, sagging framing shored.
- 3
Photograph
Damage recorded before it is covered.
- 4
Tarp and batten
Over the ridge where possible, fastened into the rafters.
- 5
Inside check
We look at the ceiling and attic below for trapped water.
- 6
Plan the repair
You get the scope for the permanent fix once the roof is dry.
Jobs this page covers
Storm tarping
When wind has lifted a section or rain is getting in faster than a patch can stop it, the tarp covers the whole affected area plus a margin, from above the damage to past the eave. We use reinforced polyethylene heavy enough to take repeated wind, and fasten it so it will not balloon. If rain is falling hard we tarp first and diagnose after, because a dry interior is worth more than a perfect first look. Where tile is involved, loose pieces are stacked first.
Tarping after tree damage
A limb through the roof has to come off before anything else, cut in sections so the pieces do not do more damage. We check for cracked rafters, shore anything that sags, then cover the opening with plywood if it is large and tarp over it. Puncture damage often runs further than the hole looks from the street, so the tarp is sized generously and every step is photographed for the claim. If power lines are involved, the utility comes first and we wait.
Tarping open roofs mid-project
A roof opened by another contractor, a stalled remodel or a solar removal still needs to come through the night dry. We tarp the open deck with battens along each edge and over the ridge, and check it after heavy weather. It is a stopgap, not a substitute for closing the roof, and we will tell you plainly how long it should stay. We also record the condition of the open deck, which matters if the original contractor and the homeowner later disagree about what happened.
What we see on San Jose roofs
San Jose only sees about 15 inches of rain in a normal year because it sits in the rain shadow of the Santa Cruz Mountains, but that rain comes in short, heavy bursts, and in El Nino winters like 1982-83 and 1997-98 the storms stacked up and ran the wet season long. A tarp here has to survive that pattern: several days of wind-driven rain, a short break, then another system, sometimes for weeks before the repair can go ahead.
Timeline
How long a tarp lasts, and how long it should stay
A battened reinforced tarp will usually hold for a few weeks of mixed weather, and we check it after big storms. It is meant to get you to the permanent repair, not to replace it; UV and wind wear the edges, so we schedule the fix at the first dry window rather than leaving the tarp through the season.
Do it yourself or call us
Tarping it yourself versus having it done
Covering your belongings is on you; the roof itself is not a safe job in a storm.
| Task | Doing it yourself | Having us do it |
|---|---|---|
| Move furniture and catch water | Do it right away | We walk you through it on the phone |
| Climb up in the rain | The most common storm injury | Roped, booted, two people |
| Hold a tarp down with bricks | Blows off in the first gust | Battens screwed into the rafters |
| Photograph the damage | Helpful from the ground | Full photo set for the adjuster |
Cost
What the cost of a tarp depends on
Tarping is priced by the area covered and how hard the roof is to reach safely.
- Area covered One slope costs less than a tarp that wraps a hip or a valley.
- Time of day Night and holiday dispatch costs more than first light.
- Debris removal Cutting and lowering a limb adds labor before the tarp goes on.
- Plywood cover Large openings need sheathing under the tarp.
- Roof type and pitch Tile and steep roofs need more setup to work on safely.
- Return checks Re-securing after a big storm is a short, separate visit.
FAQ
Questions we get asked
Most single-slope tarps go on within a few hours of arrival. Overnight calls get a plan on the phone and a crew at first light if it is not safe in the dark.
Battens are screwed into the rafters through the damaged area or at the edges; those holes are sealed during the permanent repair.
Most policies expect you to prevent further damage, and tarping usually counts. Keep the invoice and our photos.
Yes. Loose tiles are removed and stacked, the tarp is secured over the opening, and tiles go back during the repair.
Call us. We re-secure it and look at why it moved.
Same category
Related roofing work
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Learn moreRoof Leak Repair
We find where the water actually gets in, then fix that, not the stain.
Learn moreStorm Damage Roof Repair
Wind, water and tree damage repaired with photos and a report for your claim.
Learn moreShingle Roof Repair
Torn, missing and curling shingles, nail pops and ridge caps on composition roofs.
Learn moreRoof open to the weather? Call now
Tell us where it opened and whether water is getting in. We answer at any hour and get a tarp on as soon as it is safe.