# Emergency Roof Repair in Texas: What to Do When Water Is Coming In Source: https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/emergency/ Last updated October 2026 Family-owned · Serving Texas A roofing emergency comes down to the next hour, not the next contractor. If water is coming in right now, contain it inside, photograph everything, and stay off the roof, then call for an emergency tarp that buys you dry days. ARP responds within 24 hours, dries the roof in temporarily, and prices the permanent repair once the weather clears. Rapid emergency response, a temporary dry-in, and a documented permanent repair, from a Texas contractor that has answered the phone. [Free Inspection & Estimate →](https://arproofing.com/book/) [Call (210) 714-0040](tel:+12107140040) ## The proof behind the promise 4.9★ 300+ five-star reviews 5,000+ Completed projects GAF Certified Plus Manufacturer standing Atlas PRO+ Platinum Select Second shingle line BBB A+ · CTRCA Member Accountability [How storm claims work →](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/storm-damage/) **Water coming in right now?** Put a bucket under the drip, move what you can, and stay off the roof. Photograph everything you can see safely from inside and from the ground. Then call. We respond within 24 hours and can dry the roof in temporarily before the weather even clears. Your First Hour ## Your First Hour: Contain the Water, Document It, Then Call The first hour of a roof emergency decides how much of this becomes a small [roof repair in Texas](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/) and how much becomes a ceiling, a floor, and a claim. Work these three moves in order, before the permanent repair begins. They keep you safe and they protect you later. 1. **Contain the water inside.** Put a bucket or bin under the active drip and move furniture, rugs, and electronics clear. If a ceiling is sagging or bulging, poke a small hole at the low point to let it drain in one spot. A controlled hole beats a collapsed ceiling every time. 2. **Document everything, timestamped.** Photograph the stain, the drip, the bucket, the sagging drywall, and any debris or shingles in the yard. You cannot recreate these photos after the drywall dries, and they are exactly what an insurance carrier reads if you end up filing. Capture it now, decide later. 3. **Call for an emergency dry-in.** If weather is still moving through and water is still coming in, that is when a proper tarp or emergency patch earns its keep. It buys you dry days without complicating the permanent repair that follows. Once you call, an ARP inspector is out within 24 hours. If the roof needs a temporary dry-in before a real repair is possible, we do that first, then price the permanent work after the weather clears. You are never on the roof, and you are never guessing what happens next. 📞 \*\*[(210) 714-0040](tel:+12107140040)\*\* ![Water damage on an interior ceiling being inspected after a roof leak](https://arproofing.com/_astro/interior-ceiling-damage-inspection-measurement.CHkz3E1e_Z25foR4.webp) Contain the water inside and photograph the ceiling, the drip, and the sagging drywall now, because you cannot recreate these shots after the drywall dries. Emergency Tarping ## Emergency Tarping, and Why You Should Stay Off the Roof A tarp is not a repair. It is a controlled way to stop water while you plan the real fix. Done right, an emergency dry-in means anchored, weighted, or fastened covering over the failure point and a few feet past it in every direction, lapped so runoff sheds over the seam instead of under it. Done wrong, a loose tarp funnels water straight into the deck and makes the damage worse. Here is the part that matters most: do not climb up to do it yourself. Wet roofing is the single most common way homeowners get hurt after a storm, and you cannot diagnose a flashing detail from a ladder anyway. A leak over your kitchen usually starts several feet uphill, so the spot you would tarp is rarely the spot that is failing. Let someone who does this safely find the real entry point and cover it correctly. ![Blue emergency tarp anchored over storm damage on an asphalt shingle roof](https://arproofing.com/_astro/blue-tarp-asphalt-shingle-roof-damage.Dg4QVo9u_18xScr.webp) A proper dry-in laps the covering a few feet past the failure point in every direction so runoff sheds over the seam, not under it. A Tarp Buys ## A Tarp Buys Time. Here's What the Permanent Repair Restores The dry-in stops the bleeding. The permanent repair is where the roof actually gets its job back. That means tracing the water to its real source, replacing the failed part, and restoring the detail that gave out, not smearing sealant over a stain and hoping. Most emergency leaks trace back to a detail, not the open shingle field: a cracked vent boot, a sidewall flashing that was face-nailed instead of woven, a valley cut short, or a deck fastener that finally let go. If you want to understand where your roof most likely failed, read [common roof leaks](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/common-leaks/). If the water has stopped and you are past the emergency, a scheduled [leak repair](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/leak-repair/) is the calmer, cheaper version of this same fix. ![Randal Williams, ARP Roofing COO & Senior Roofing Consultant](https://arproofing.com/_astro/arp-roofing-randal-williams.XIeD7i6f_1Tjv4T.webp) > When your roof is actively leaking, the first job isn't the repair — it's stopping the water. We'll get it dried-in fast, then find where it's really coming from, because in an emergency the leak you see is rarely where the water got in. Rushing the permanent fix before you've found the real entry point is how people pay twice. > > Randal Williams · COO, ARP Roofing & Remodeling Storm & Insurance ## Did a Storm Cause This? Your Insurance Clock Is Already Running If the leak started during or right after hail or high wind, the damage may be a covered event, and the documentation you capture today is what protects that claim tomorrow. **Insurance window:** Most Texas carriers give homeowners **one year from the date of loss** to file a hail or wind claim. That clock does not pause for repair quotes, second opinions, or HOA approval. Document the damage now, even if you are weeks from deciding whether to repair, replace, or file at all. Our inspection photographs every finding the way a carrier reads it, and that photo set is yours to keep whether you hire us or not. We work alongside your adjuster, not against them. One hard warning, because storm season brings it out every year: any contractor who knocks on your door offering to "take care of," waive, or absorb your insurance deductible is a red flag. You still owe your full deductible to your insurer, and a contractor promising otherwise is telling you exactly how they do business. For the full walkthrough on hail, wind, and claims, see [roof storm damage](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/storm-damage/). How Fast Can ## How Fast Can You Get Emergency Roof Repair in Texas? Within 24 hours for the dry-in, and same-week for most permanent repairs once the weather clears. The temporary cover goes on fast because it is about safety, not scope. The permanent repair follows on a written, photographed plan, so nothing gets patched over and forgotten. That written scope is also what turns an emergency into a clean handoff. You get the dry-in tonight, a documented repair plan you can read, and a flat price before anyone touches the roof again. The crew we deploy on your repair works under an ARP project manager who confirms the work before it closes out, and the repair carries our workmanship warranty the same as a full replacement does. Curious what the fix itself runs? See the [roof repair cost breakdown](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/cost/). Is ARP ## Is ARP the Right Call for Your Roofing Emergency? Straight answer: for the smallest jobs, sometimes we are not, and we would rather tell you that here. **We're a great fit if you:** - Have active water and want a safe temporary dry-in within 24 hours - Want the real failure point found and photographed, not just the stain patched - Want a written scope and a flat price before the permanent repair starts - Want damage documented the way a carrier reads it, in case you file **We're probably not the right fit if you:** - Want a firm repair price over the phone: we quote repairs after an on-roof inspection, not before. - Want someone to climb up and tarp it with no inspection - Want a contractor who will promise to make your deductible disappear - Are choosing purely on the lowest number Where to Go Next ## Where to Go Next ### [Roof Repair](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/) How repairs are diagnosed and priced, start to finish See Roof Repair → ### [Leak Repair](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/leak-repair/) The calm, scheduled version once the water has stopped See Leak Repair → ### [Common Roof Leaks](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/common-leaks/) Where Texas roofs actually fail and why the stain is not the source See Common Roof Leaks → ### [Roof Storm Damage](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/storm-damage/) Hail, wind, and how a claim works from the first inspection See Roof Storm Damage → - [Texas Department of Insurance, filing a homeowners claim](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb025.html): most policies set a one-year deadline to file. **Manufacturer Certifications:** - GAF Certified Plus Contractor - Atlas PRO+ Platinum Select Contractor **Industry Membership:** - BBB A+ Member - CTRCA (Central Texas Roofing Contractors Association) Member Free Inspection & Estimate ## Get the Water Stopped Today, Free Roof Inspection & Estimate If water is coming in, you do not have time to compare five contractors, you have time to make one safe call. Book a free roof inspection & estimate and we will dry the roof in temporarily, find the real failure point, and hand you a written plan and photos, whether you file a claim or pay directly. [Book My Free Inspection & Estimate →](https://arproofing.com/book/) Questions that decide the job ## Frequently Asked Questions ### My roof is leaking right now, what do I actually do first? Contain the water inside first: bucket under the drip, move your furniture, and drain a bulging ceiling through one small low hole before it collapses. Then stay off the roof, photograph everything, and call for an emergency dry-in if weather is still active. We respond within 24 hours. Call [(210) 714-0040](tel:+12107140040). ### Can you really come out the same day? Emergency roof repair starts with a dry-in, and we respond within 24 hours, often same-day when there is active water coming in. The temporary cover goes on fast to stop the damage, then we schedule the permanent repair, usually the same week, once the weather clears and we can scope it properly. ### Is a tarp going to fix my roof, or is that just a band-aid? A tarp is a temporary dry-in, not the repair. It stops water safely so your home stops taking damage while you plan the real fix. The permanent repair traces the leak to its actual failure point and restores it. You need both: the tarp buys dry days, the repair gives the roof its job back. ### Should I get on the roof myself to stop the leak? No. Wet roofing is the most common way homeowners get hurt after a storm, and the leak usually enters several feet uphill from where it drips, so the spot you would tarp is rarely the spot that is failing. Contain the water inside, photograph the damage, and let someone find the real entry point safely. ### Will my insurance pay for the emergency tarp? Often yes. Most Texas policies cover reasonable emergency measures that prevent further damage, and a documented dry-in usually qualifies, so keep your receipt and photos. Whether the underlying leak is covered depends on the cause. We document everything the way a carrier reads it. See [roof storm damage](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/storm-damage/). ### How much does emergency roof repair cost? The temporary dry-in is priced by the job and by access, and the permanent repair is priced separately once we find the actual failure point. Repairs are flat-priced, not multiplied by roof area. You get a written number before the permanent work starts. See the [roof repair cost breakdown](https://arproofing.com/residential-roofing/roof-repair/cost/). ## Start with the assessment, not the estimate We look at the roof, document what we find with photographs, and give you the written assessment — whether or not you hire us. Then you decide, on your timeline. [Free Inspection & Estimate](https://arproofing.com/book/) [Call or text (210) 714-0040](tel:+12107140040) ![ARP Roofing emblem](https://arproofing.com/_astro/arp-roofing-logo-mark.DkCqIzKt_t6kXC.webp)