Emergency Roof Repair: +$100 to $300 Rush Fee, Do This First

What to do in the first hour

1. Fire, smoke, sparks or a burning smell: get everyone out and call 911. A downed power line: stay away and call the utility. A gas smell (a falling tree can hit a gas line): leave and call the gas utility from outside.
2. Keep water away from electricity. If water is near outlets, light fixtures or the panel, shut off power at the breaker only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot. Angi calls a leak near wiring a safety hazard that needs both a roofer and an electrician; the emergency electrician page covers that call.
3. Stay off the roof. Do not climb up in rain, wind or the dark, and do not climb onto a wet or storm-damaged roof at all. Angi's guidance is plain: repairing a roof is not a safe do-it-yourself job.
4. Catch and move. Put buckets under drips, move furniture and electronics out of the way, and keep people out of any room where the ceiling is bulging.
5. Document it. Angi says to photograph and document the damage and to keep every invoice. You will want these whether you pay yourself or file a claim.
6. Call a roofer that takes emergency calls. Hours vary by company, so ask what the after-hours fee is before it sends someone.

Is it an emergency? What Angi says can wait

Angi, Emergency roof repair, July 2026.

If water has already reached the ceiling, the drywall and insulation may need their own repair after the roof is fixed; see ceiling water damage repair.

Emergency roof tarp cost

Published national figures. The repair itself is billed separately unless the roofer credits the tarp.

A tarp is priced by the area it covers and by when the crew comes out. Night and weekend calls cost more per square foot, and HomeGuide notes some companies add a separate call-out fee outside business hours. HomeGuide also says some roofers tarp for free if you hire them for the permanent repair, so ask.

Temporary repair vs permanent repair

A tarp or patch only stops water. It does not fix the cause. Angi says a tarp lasts safely about 90 days. HomeGuide gives 60 to 90 days for a temporary tarp and 1 to 2 years for long-term tarping. Plan the permanent repair inside that window, because a tarp that tears or loosens in the next storm puts you back where you started.

Ask for the tarp and the permanent repair as two separate line items. That way you can get a second quote on the permanent work without paying for the emergency visit twice. Angi says a good tarp is pulled tight and tucked under the roofing or over the ridge, which you can check from the ground or from photos the crew takes.

The permanent fix depends on what failed. Wind tends to lift shingles and loosen flashing at chimneys and vents; a tree strike can break decking and framing; and on an older roof with wide damage, the cost of a new roof may be the better comparison. If solar panels sit on the damaged section, see solar panel storm damage before anyone moves them.

24 hour roofers: what to ask about after-hours fees

Some roofing companies take calls at night and on weekends and some do not, and hours vary. When a company answers after hours, ask:

• What does tonight's visit cost compared with first thing tomorrow?
• Is there a call-out fee, and is it credited toward the repair?
• How is the tarp priced: per square foot or a flat fee?
• Will the crew send photos of the damage and the tarp?
• When can you come back to quote the permanent repair?

If the water is only a slow drip into a bucket and nothing is near wiring, a morning visit at regular rates may be the better deal. For leaks that are not urgent, the roof leak repair page has normal pricing.

Can you cancel an emergency roof repair contract?

Often not. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives three business days to cancel many in-home sales of $25 or more, but it does not cover sales needed to meet an emergency or repairs you asked the company to come to your home for. Extra work the company sells you beyond what you asked for is covered. Read what you sign during a storm, and check the roofer's license against the state rules on the roof repair page.

Two of our states add their own protections. In Florida, a roof contract signed within 180 days of an event behind a declared state of emergency can be canceled within 10 days of signing or by the official start date, whichever comes first, without penalty (Florida Statutes 489.147). In Colorado, a homeowner can cancel a roofing contract within 72 hours after the insurer says a claim is denied in whole or in part, and the contractor may not pay or rebate the deductible (C.R.S. 6-22).

Emergency roof repair and insurance

Angi and HomeGuide both say homeowners insurance may pay for emergency tarping when the cause of the damage is covered by the policy, such as a storm. Tarping for renovation work generally is not covered.