The Real Cost of Tarps

By Stormseal.

How saving a few cents per square foot on temporary roof protection can end up costing thousands more.

When a home suffers roof damage in a storm, many roofing contractors respond by throwing tarps over the damaged areas. Tarps have been used for hundreds of years to protect belongings from the elements, but they have one flaw – they blow and flap in the wind. This is even more pronounced when they are used on roofs.

Once a roof is tarped, the home is still subject to additional damage in the event of another storm. When the winds pick up and the tarp blows off, driving rain will enter the home and can cause thousands of dollars in additional damage.

Finding a better way

Frustrated with constantly being called out to replace failing tarps, contractor Matthew Lennox set out to find a better way to temporarily protect homes and buildings. After years of testing and research, he created Stormseal, a strong polyethylene film that heat-shrinks to cover a damaged structure and stays put until permanent repairs are made.

“Tarps are good for immediate water mitigation, but they aren’t meant to stay on for months,” explained Matthew. “Following a major storm, homeowners sometimes have to wait up to a year for permanent repairs. By investing in a more long-term temporary solution, the home is sealed and protected from future damage without multiple visits to the property to replace tarps that are failing or have blown away.”

In Louisiana, thousands of homes were damaged by Hurricane Laura and have blue tarps on their roofs. Now with Hurricane Delta arriving just six weeks later, those homes are at risk of significant additional damage since the tarps simply won’t withstand a hurricane like Stormseal can.

Time to change the mindset

Insurance companies need to change their thinking says Matthew. “They only want to pay for the cheapest solution, which results in additional damage to the insured properties and increases the amount of money that they have to ultimately spend on repairs. Not to mention that they are going to have a lot of unhappy policyholders.”

Homeowners are encouraged to seek better temporary roof protection or ask their insurance companies for Stormseal to protect the things they love.

Contractors who want to offer this solution to their customers should look into becoming a certified installer.

Stormseal has protected more than 4,000 properties in the United States and over 11,000 globally. Waterproof, able to withstand hail and 100 mile per hour winds, Stormseal is the smart choice for temporary protection for homeowner and insurer.

Learn more about Stormseal in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory.