When your roof suffers damage and needs emergency protection, you face a choice: attempt the repair yourself or hire professionals. Understanding the differences helps you make an informed decision that balances safety, effectiveness, and cost.
Safety Considerations
The most important factor in this decision is safety. Roof work is inherently dangerous, and falls from roofs are a leading cause of serious injury and death in home improvement projects. Professional tarping crews have training, experience, and equipment specifically designed for working at height safely.
Factors that increase risk include steep roof pitches, wet or slippery surfaces, damaged or unstable roof areas, multi-story heights, and working alone without assistance. If your roof has any of these characteristics, professional installation is strongly recommended.
Professional crews use harnesses, anchor points, proper ladders, and safety protocols developed through industry experience. They also work in teams, ensuring someone is always available to assist in an emergency.
Equipment and Materials
Effective roof tarping requires appropriate materials and tools. Professionals use commercial-grade tarps of 10-mil thickness or greater, designed for extended outdoor exposure. They carry multiple tarp sizes to match various damage configurations and have the lumber, fasteners, or weighted bags needed for secure installation.
DIY attempts often use lighter-weight tarps designed for temporary ground cover or camping, which may not withstand wind and weather. Hardware store tarps typically lack the UV resistance and tear strength of commercial roofing tarps.
Beyond the tarp itself, proper installation requires ladders rated for the height and load, safety equipment if you choose to climb, tools for securing the tarp properly, and knowledge of how to position and anchor for maximum effectiveness.
Installation Quality
A tarp that is not properly installed may fail when you need it most. Common DIY installation problems include tarps that are too loose, allowing wind to get underneath and lift or tear the material. Improper positioning that allows water to flow under rather than over the tarp. Inadequate securing that fails in moderate winds. Damage to the roof from improper nail placement or anchor points.
Professional installers understand how water flows across roofs and position tarps starting at the ridge line, extending past the damage, with proper overlap. They secure tarps tightly to prevent wind uplift and use methods that hold securely in rated wind speeds.
Insurance Implications
Insurance companies expect proper documentation of emergency mitigation efforts. Professional tarping companies provide detailed photographic documentation, itemized invoices, and reports that integrate with standard claims workflows. This documentation can be critical for claim approval.
DIY tarping may complicate your insurance claim if the installation fails and allows additional damage, if documentation is incomplete or unprofessional, or if the method used causes additional damage to the roof. Additionally, professional tarping costs are typically covered by homeowner insurance, so hiring professionals may not cost you more out of pocket than DIY materials.
When DIY Might Be Appropriate
There are limited situations where DIY tarping might be reasonable. Very small damage areas on low-pitch roofs accessible without climbing may be manageable for experienced homeowners with proper materials. Temporary overnight protection while waiting for professionals might be necessary in some circumstances.
If you do attempt DIY tarping, use quality materials, never work on a roof alone, avoid steep pitches and heights, work only in dry conditions with good visibility, and document everything thoroughly for your insurance claim.
When to Hire Professionals
Professional installation is recommended for steep roof pitches, multi-story homes, large damage areas, tile or metal roofs, any situation requiring a ladder taller than you can safely manage, and when you lack experience working at height.
Given that insurance typically covers professional tarping and the risks of DIY roof work, most homeowners benefit from hiring experienced professionals for emergency roof protection.
Key Takeaways
Safety should be the primary consideration when deciding between DIY and professional tarping. Professional installation provides proper materials, experienced technique, comprehensive documentation, and insurance-ready invoicing. For most situations, the benefits of professional service outweigh the perceived savings of DIY attempts.
Need Professional Roof Tarping?
Tarpers provides safe, professional emergency tarping with comprehensive documentation for insurance claims. Our non-destructive method protects your roof without additional damage.
Call (833) 365-TARP