What counts as an emergency
- A tree or a large limb has come down on the roof.
- Wind has torn off a section of shingles and the underlayment or the deck is exposed.
- Water is pouring in, not dripping — or coming through a light fixture.
- A ceiling is bulging with water or has started to sag.
- Part of the roof is visibly sagging or broken.
A slow drip that appears in a heavy rain is not an emergency in the same sense — it needs fixing soon, not tonight. See what to do when a roof leaks.
Before anyone arrives
Get people out of the way. Keep everyone out of a room where the ceiling is bulging or sagging, and away from the side of the house where a tree has hit.
Turn off the power to any circuit where water is near a fixture, a fan or an outlet, at the panel.
Catch the water and move what you can out of its path. Plastic sheeting over furniture, buckets, towels.
Do not go on the roof, and do not try to move a tree off it. NRCA and ARMA both tell homeowners to stay off the roof, and a tree resting on a roof may be the only thing holding the damaged part in place. Taking it off is a job for a tree service working with a roofer, in that order.
Photograph everything before it is moved or cleaned up: the roof from the ground, the tree, the inside, the attic if it is safe to reach. If this becomes an insurance claim, photos from the day carry the most weight. See roof insurance claims.
The temporary fix
The usual emergency repair is a tarp, and there is a right and a wrong way to put one on. A tarp that is simply laid over a hole and weighted with a few bricks will blow off in the next gust and can pull more shingles with it. Done properly, the tarp runs up and over the ridge so water cannot get under its top edge, and it is fastened along wood battens rather than held by its corners. Openings around a fallen tree get covered as far as the tree allows until it has been removed.
Insurance policies expect reasonable steps to stop further damage after a loss, and a tarp is exactly that. Keep the receipt.
After the water is stopped
With the house protected, the damage can be looked at properly in daylight and dry weather: how much of the roof is affected, whether the deck or the framing was hurt, and whether it is a repair or a section or full replacement. You get photographs and a written estimate. If a tree is involved, the framing gets checked before anything else goes back on. See roof repair and storm damage.
Connecticut storms that cause roof emergencies
Most emergency roof calls in Connecticut follow wind: nor’easters, the remnants of tropical storms, and summer thunderstorms with straight-line winds. Trees are the other half of it — the state is heavily wooded, and a big oak over a house is a risk in any storm. Ice dams cause a different kind of winter emergency, with water coming through ceilings and walls during a thaw. See wind and hail damage and ice dams.
A word about who you call
A big storm brings crews from out of state who knock on doors offering to tarp and then replace the roof on the spot. An emergency is a bad moment to sign a contract. Get the water stopped, then take the time to check who you are hiring: a Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor registration (ours is HIC.0705614), proof of insurance, and a written estimate. See how to choose a roofer.
Water coming in? Call us
We will tell you straight away what can be done to stop the water, and then fix the roof properly.
Common questions about emergency roof repair
What should I do if a tree falls on my roof?
Get everyone away from that part of the house, turn off power to any affected circuits, photograph the damage, and do not try to move the tree yourself. It may be holding the damaged section in place; removing it is a job for a tree service working with a roofer.
What counts as a roofing emergency?
Water that will keep getting in until something is done: a tree through the roof, shingles torn off with the deck exposed, water pouring rather than dripping, or a bulging or sagging ceiling.
How is a roof tarped properly?
The tarp runs up and over the ridge so water cannot get under its top edge, and it is fastened along wood battens rather than weighted at its corners, so wind cannot lift it.
Will insurance pay for emergency tarping?
Policies generally expect reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a loss, and a tarp is one. Keep the receipt and photographs. Your policy decides what is covered.
Should I sign a contract with the roofer who tarps my roof?
Not on the spot. Get the water stopped, then check the contractor's Connecticut HIC registration, insurance and written estimate before signing anything for the full repair.
Is a slow leak an emergency?
Usually not. A drip that appears in heavy rain needs fixing soon, but it is not the same as water pouring in. See our page on roof leaks.