The blue tarp is a common sight on roofs after hurricanes and tropical storms, especially in Florida. How blue tarps are installed might indicate whether they will even be effective in repelling rainwater.
It often surprises people that professional roofing contractors install tarps on roofs. It is, of course, a temporary measure installed out of necessity. Storms can pop up at any time during rainy season, and roofs need to offer protection 24/7.
Temporary Roof Protection with Blue Tarps
Roof leaks have many potential causes: storm damage, poor maintenance, aging materials, faulty workmanship, insects, rodents and even birds. Regardless of the cause of a leak, an emergency is an emergency and it’s important to prioritize temporary roof protection.
Responsiveness is a key characteristic that defines Lloyd Roofing. A customer’s emergency is our emergency.
While still on the telephone with a customer, Lloyd Roofing will prepare and send a contract based on the customer’s description. This helps expedite the emergency repair process.
After a customer signs an agreement, Lloyd Roofing confirms the availability of parts, materials and a repair crew. Then, Lloyd Roofing places that job on a schedule for the first available slot. Same-day service is always the goal, but the permanent repair could come the next day or week.
In the meantime, though, it might rain again. Lloyd Roofing will make every attempt to provide a temporary solution. In many cases, this involves the familiar blue tarp. Lloyd Roofing only uses qualified, experienced roofing professionals for any type of repair.
SEE MORE: Emergency Roof Repairs
About Blue Tarps
After a hurricane or tropical storm, it’s common to see blue tarps covering the roofs of many homes. Blue tarps also are invaluable after normal rain events.
Blue tarps are heavy-duty sheets made of coated, heavy polyethylene. They are UV resistant, tear resistant, durable, lightweight and, most importantly, waterproof.
The concept for installing blue tarps is simple – cover the problem area on a roof to repel rainwater. However, property managers, property owners and homeowners should never attempt to install a tarp. In fact, DIYers can actually do more harm than good:
- Lloyd Roofing does not recommend that anyone but a trained roofing professional step on a roof. Foot traffic can chip or crack tiles, wear down granules on shingles, dent sheets of metal and loosen adhesives or rip flat roofs. Improper footwear is always a safety concern. The lack of safety harnesses also is a concern for DIYers.
- Rainwater still falls evenly on top of a tarp, which redirects water downhill. An improperly positioned tarp can send water the wrong direction, possibly toward the troublesome spot. Tarps must be layered from top to bottom to make sure water runs off a roof.
- A roof leaks because it is damaged. Stepping on or near that spot can make the leak larger. A damaged roof structure could potentially collapse under the weight of a person. Lloyd Roofing follows all industry safety protocols, including requirements for two-man crew minimums as outlined with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Steps to Install a Blue Tarp
Lloyd Roofing’s experienced professionals complete a multi-step process to install a tarp. Steps include:
- Remove debris from the roof
- Conduct a visual inspection from the ground and from the roof.
- Examine attic spaces for evidence of leaks
- Formulate plan for securing a tarp
- Unroll tarp over the damaged area
- Secure tarp into place using sandbags instead of nails, which can further damage a roof’s integrity
Roofing professionals will select a method to secure a tarp based on the roof type: tile, metal, flat or shingle.
Schedule a Repair
Lloyd Roofing understands a speedy response is critical when emergency roof repairs are needed. Installing a blue tarp is only a temporary measure, but can save thousands of dollars in water damage. Lloyd Roofing specializes in emergency roof repairs and our team responds to requests for emergency roof repairs 24/7. Our repair teams are available days, nights, weekends and holidays.
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