Calls answered 24/7.
One call to (855) 512-1072 reaches Roofers Hotline for emergency roof repair in 38 metro areas and 775 towns across 51 states. The line is answered around the clock, and you get a written estimate before work starts.
What emergency roof repair covers, when to call, what it costs and how to book it in your ZIP code.
Emergency roof repair is the work that stops damage from getting worse while the weather is still a problem. That means a tarp or temporary dry-in over the opening, clearing away debris and fallen branches so the damaged area can be seen, and securing any sections that have lifted so the next gust does not take them off.
It also includes photographs of the damage and a scope for the permanent repair. The tarp is a stop-gap and not the finished roof, so the repair itself is planned once the surface is dry and the decking can be checked properly.
Published 2026 cost guides (RoofVista, Fixr, Bob Vila, Today's Homeowner) put emergency tarping at $200 to $1,000 per job and roof leak repair at $400 to $1,600 per job. These are typical ranges, not a quote.
A roofer checks where water is entering, then covers the opening with a tarp or temporary dry-in that sheds rain past the damaged area. If this step is skipped, the next rain soaks insulation, ceilings and decking, and a repair that was small becomes a larger one.
A roofer clears limbs, broken shingles and loose material off the roof so the damaged area can be seen and the tarp lies flat. If debris stays, it can hide punctures underneath, hold water against the surface and tear the cover in the wind.
A roofer fastens or covers shingles, panels and flashing that have lifted at the edges. If lifted sections are left alone, the next gust can peel off more of the roof, and the area needing repair grows well beyond the first damage.
A roofer photographs the damage, the tarp and the area around it before and after the work. If this is skipped, the condition of the roof on the day of the storm is harder to show later, once the damaged material has been cleared or covered.
Once the roof is dry, a roofer checks the decking and underlayment and writes up the permanent repair. If this step is skipped, the tarp stays up as a stop-gap, and hidden moisture or rotted decking can go unnoticed until the leak returns.
Prices by material and job are under what roof replacement costs, with the published ranges are above. See roof repair cost for prices by material and job, and the published ranges are above.
A branch comes down in a windstorm and leaves a hole in the roof over a bedroom. Water starts dripping onto the ceiling, and the forecast shows more rain overnight. The first job is a tarp or temporary dry-in that keeps the weather out. The second is a written estimate for the permanent repair, made once the roof is dry. Emergency roof repair is that sequence: stop the water, secure the damage, then plan the fix. Roofers Hotline answers calls 24 hours a day, and typical published 2026 ranges for emergency tarping run $200 to $1,000 per job.
For a worked example from one metro area, see the Milwaukee common roof problems guide, which covers the same ground for its own county. For the work itself, read about roof financing, following a job from the first call onward.
Sources: U.S. Census ACS 2019 to 2023; NOAA Storm Events; OpenFEMA declarations. Updated October 2026.
Call when water is entering the house, when a tree or large limb has landed on the roof, or when shingles or panels have lifted and more wind or rain is forecast. A stain that keeps growing on a ceiling after rain is a reason to call right away, because wet insulation and decking get harder to dry the longer they stay wet.
While you wait, move belongings away from the leak and catch water indoors. Do not go onto the roof yourself. Photograph the damage from the ground and from inside, and keep every receipt.
If someone at the door asks you to sign an assignment of benefits, do not sign it. Deductibles are never waived or rebated, and insurance questions are best taken to your insurer.
You call, or send a quote request, and describe what happened: where the water is coming in, whether a tree is involved, and what the forecast looks like. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, so a storm at night does not have to wait until morning.
A callback books the inspection of the roof. After the inspection you get a written estimate before any work starts, and it spells out the temporary dry-in and the permanent repair separately.
Moderate repairs such as a section, valley or underlayment typically run $1,000 to $3,000 per job in published 2026 guides, and major repairs involving decking or a whole roof plane run $1,500 to $15,000. Your written estimate depends on pitch, layers and decking.
Costs
| Job | Range | Per unit |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency tarping (storm stop-gap) | $200–$1,000 | per job |
| Roof leak repair | $400–$1,600 | per job |
| Roof repair, moderate (a section, valley or underlayment) | $1,000–$3,000 | per job |
| Roof repair, major (decking, structure, a whole plane) | $1,500–$15,000 | per job |
Typical ranges for 2026 from published cost guides (sources below); a written estimate depends on pitch, layers and decking.
Not a quote: typical 2026 ranges from published cost guides and Census County Business Patterns 2022 payroll data; your written estimate depends on pitch, layers and decking.
Source: published 2026 cost guides (RoofVista, Fixr, Bob Vila, Today's Homeowner).
Why call
Enter a ZIP code on Find roofers by ZIP code to find roofing help for your area. Across the metro areas served, Washington emergency roof repair is one call away, with the visit described step by step. The same number also books Anaheim emergency roof repair, and the inspection is photographed before the estimate is written. Homeowners across the metro areas served also call for emergency roof repair in New York City, often after the same storm has passed through.
Questions
Water coming into the house, a tree or large limb on the roof, and shingles or panels that have lifted with more weather forecast all count. If rain is expected before a normal repair visit can happen, a tarp or temporary dry-in is the right first step.
Move belongings away from the leak and catch water indoors. Do not climb onto the roof. Photograph the damage from the ground and from inside, and keep every receipt. Then call for a tarp before the next rain.
Published 2026 cost guides (RoofVista, Fixr, Bob Vila, Today's Homeowner) list emergency tarping at $200 to $1,000 per job. That is a typical range, not a quote. Your written estimate depends on pitch, layers and decking.
No. A tarp is a stop-gap that keeps rain out until the roof is dry. Once it is, the decking and underlayment can be checked and a permanent repair scoped. Moderate repairs typically run $1,000 to $3,000 per job in published 2026 ranges.
No. Do not sign an assignment of benefits at the door. Report the damage to your insurer, keep every receipt, and remember that deductibles are never waived or rebated. Take any insurance questions to your insurer directly.
Yes. Roofers Hotline answers calls 24 hours a day. A callback books the inspection, and you receive a written estimate before any work starts, so a storm that hits after dark does not have to wait for business hours.
The 25 percent rule is a building-code provision, best known from Florida, that once required a full roof replacement when more than 25 percent of a roof section was repaired or replaced within a 12-month period. Florida changed that rule in 2022 for roofs built to the 2007 code or later, and other states and insurers apply their own thresholds, so the local building department and the policy wording decide what applies to your roof.
It depends on the policy: some insurers pay only the depreciated actual cash value on a roof that old, some exclude roofs past a set age, and none pay for wear rather than sudden damage. The adjuster decides after inspecting the roof, so read the roof schedule in your policy and get the damage documented in writing before you file.
Another question homeowners here ask is How long does a roof last?, from across the metro areas served. One more question from the metro areas served is Does homeowners insurance cover roof replacement?
Takes about a minute. Tell us the ZIP code and what the roof is doing, and a local roofer calls you back to book an inspection and written estimate.
Start your requestOr call: the number at the top of this page is answered 24/7.