When your roof is suddenly open to the weather — from a fallen tree, a blown-off section after a wind event, or an undiscovered leak that becomes a hole — every hour of exposure multiplies the damage. Water tracks down rafters and insulation, soaks drywall, ruins flooring, and encourages mold growth within 24–48 hours. Emergency tarping is the stopgap that stops the bleeding until a permanent repair or replacement can be scheduled.
Dynasty Restoration runs emergency tarping crews across Chicagoland for exactly these situations. We respond same-day or next-morning in most of our service area, install heavy-duty commercial tarps correctly fastened to studs (not just the shingles), and coordinate directly with your insurance carrier if the damage is covered.
A Tarp Done Right
A properly installed emergency tarp uses 6-mil or heavier reinforced material, extends at least 4 feet beyond the damaged area in every direction, and is fastened through 1x3 furring strips screwed into the roof structure — not stapled to shingles. The edges are sealed against wind uplift. Done correctly, a tarp protects your home for weeks to months. Done wrong, it blows off in the next storm and makes the damage worse.
What to Do While You Wait
- Do not go up on the roof yourself — wet shingles and broken decking are extremely dangerous
- Move furniture and valuables away from the affected area and cover them with plastic
- Photograph everything — the roof, the interior damage, and any fallen trees or debris — for your insurance claim
- Place buckets under active drips and ventilate the room with fans only if safe to do so
- Keep all receipts for emergency materials (tarps, buckets, wet-vacs) for reimbursement under your policy's emergency mitigation coverage
- Call us and your insurance carrier in either order — both can start working in parallel