What does the insurer expect the homeowner to do?
To take reasonable steps to stop further damage, such as a temporary cover. The insurer expects that step and the record of it, but the permanent repair is decided with the insurer.
A policy usually expects the homeowner to protect the property from further damage. A temporary cover is a reasonable step, and it is recorded so the insurer can see what was done and when. The insurer does not expect a permanent repair to be made before its inspection, unless the insurer has agreed.
The DFS guidance from the Sandy response says to make only the repairs needed to stop further damage until the insurer inspects. A tarp is that kind of step. A homeowner who is unsure what the insurer expects should ask before any permanent work starts.
How long can a tarp stay on?
As long as it is needed until the permanent repair is done. A tarp is not a long-term cover, and it should be checked after each storm, since wind can lift it.
A tarp is designed to hold for a limited time, and wind can lift or tear it. The note states when the tarp should be checked and the date by which the permanent repair should be scheduled. A homeowner should not treat the tarp as the repair.
If the tarp is lifted or torn in a later storm, the homeowner should call. The crew can refit it, and the note records the second cover.
What makes a tarp safe to fit?
Secure fixings into sound wood, sealed edges, and a crew working from a safe position. A tarp that is loose, flapping or fixed to nothing will fail and let water in.
The tarp is fixed to battens or to sound decking, and the fixings are placed so they do not pull through the material. The edges are sealed or weighted so wind does not get under them. A tarp that is fixed to the shingles alone will tear, and one that is tied to nothing will blow away.
The crew works from a safe position with the right equipment. A homeowner should not climb onto a damaged roof to fit a tarp, however small the opening looks.
- Fixings into sound wood, not into loose shingles
- Edges sealed or weighted against wind
- A safe working position for the crew
- A check after each storm to confirm the cover is still fitted
What should be photographed before the tarp goes on?
The open section, the damaged decking and the water route inside. Those photographs are the evidence for the insurer and for the permanent repair.
Photograph the open section from the ground and, if it can be done safely, from above. Photograph the water inside the house, the wet ceiling and the attic. Include a reference object in each photograph, and note the date and the time.
These photographs are taken before the tarp is fitted, since the tarp covers the evidence. The note lists them, so the insurer can match them with the report.
What to do in the first hour after a storm opens the roof
Keep people clear of the area below, move the valuables away from the water, and call for a tarp. Do not climb onto the roof, and do not try to tear out loose material.
Keep children and pets out of the rooms below the opening, since a ceiling can fall with the weight of water. Move valuables and furniture away from the wet area, and place buckets and towels to catch the water and protect the floor.
Call for a tarp as soon as it is safe to do so. Phones are answered 24/7, and an open roof is booked for the first available crew.
- Keep people and pets clear of the rooms below
- Move valuables and furniture away from the water
- Place buckets and towels to protect the floor
- Call for a tarp and do not climb onto the roof
What happens to the tarp when the permanent repair is scheduled?
The tarp is removed when the permanent repair starts, and the crew removes it carefully so the decking is not damaged. The note records the removal and the date.
When the permanent repair is scheduled, the crew removes the tarp and the fixings at the start of the job. The decking beneath is checked as the cover comes off, since the period under the tarp may have shown further wetting or softening. Any damage found is recorded and included in the scope.
The homeowner is told the date the tarp will be removed, so the insurer, the homeowner and the crew all know when the temporary cover ends and the permanent work begins.
