Emergency Roof Repair near you

A slow drip that only shows up in heavy rain can usually wait a day or two for a regular repair. Anything that threatens electrical fixtures, the structure or people's safety can't.

An emergency crew's first job is to stop the water. Depending on the damage, that can mean securing a heavy tarp over the opening and fastening it so wind can't get underneath, applying a temporary membrane, boarding over a hole left by a branch or resealing torn flashing. On a flat roof, it may mean patching a torn membrane or clearing a blocked drain.

Temporary protection is meant to hold until a proper repair can be done, not to last for seasons. Ask the crew to photograph the damage before and after they work, to note what they found and what they installed, and to tell you when it should be checked again. Keep every invoice and receipt, since your insurer will want to see them.

Sudden damage from wind or hail is usually covered by home insurance, and so is water damage inside the house caused by a roof leak. The roof itself generally isn't covered when the problem comes from wear and tear or poor maintenance. Every policy is different, so confirm the details with your insurer or broker.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada notes that your policy expects you to act to limit further damage, such as having tarps placed over a damaged roof, and to hire a qualified professional if temporary repairs aren't safe to do yourself. Report the claim as soon as possible, take photos, keep damaged items unless they're dangerous, and keep receipts for emergency work, cleanup and any extra living expenses. An adjuster will then assess the damage and explain how your policy applies.

When meltwater backs up behind an ice dam and starts dripping inside, the immediate goal is to get water flowing off the roof again. Roofers use steam equipment and careful hand work to cut channels through the ice and clear snow from the lower part of the roof without tearing the shingles. Chipping at the ice with a hammer or an axe, or climbing a ladder onto an icy roof, is how shingles get destroyed and people get hurt.

The Government of Canada's emergency preparedness advice is to work in pairs or hire a professional to clear roofs and eavestroughs, and it notes that ice dams that keep coming back can point to poor attic insulation. Once the emergency is over, have the attic's insulation, air sealing and ventilation checked so the same dam doesn't form next winter.