I tried the tarp trick last summer when a surprise storm ripped a few shingles off my 90s-era asphalt roof. It kept most of the water out, but honestly, it was a pain to secure without making things worse. I used bricks and some rope through the gutter brackets—no way was I putting more holes in the decking. It bought me a couple weeks until I could get a roofer out, but I wouldn’t trust it for long. The green roof idea sounds interesting, but I’m not sure it’d work with my pitch or budget right now.
I hear you on the tarp hassle—last spring, I had to scramble up during a hailstorm and ended up using sandbags and some old 2x4s to weigh things down. It worked okay for a couple days, but wind kept shifting it around. Did you notice any water sneaking in at the edges? I always worry about hidden leaks with those quick fixes. As for green roofs, I’ve wondered if the extra weight would be too much for older trusses, especially on a steeper pitch like mine. Anyone ever tried a temporary peel-and-stick patch instead of a tarp?
Anyone ever tried a temporary peel-and-stick patch instead of a tarp?
Yeah, tarps are like that one friend who means well but can’t really be trusted when things get rough. I’ve seen wind whip them around like a flag on the 4th of July, sandbags or not. Water always seems to find the tiniest opening at the edges, especially if you don’t get the tarp super tight. Those peel-and-stick patches can actually be pretty handy for smaller leaks—just gotta make sure the surface is dry enough or they won’t stick worth a darn. Not perfect, but sometimes better than chasing your tarp down the street...
- Gotta agree, tarps are like that flaky friend—shows up when you need ‘em, but don’t count on ‘em to stick around.
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100% this. I tried tarping my uncle’s shed last fall and even with bricks and bungee cords, the wind just laughed at us. Ended up with a soggy mess inside anyway.“Water always seems to find the tiniest opening at the edges, especially if you don’t get the tarp super tight.”
- Peel-and-stick patches are decent for those little “drip right over your favorite chair” leaks, but I’ve had mixed luck. If there’s any dust or moisture, forget it—they peel off faster than a sticker on a hot day.
- Anyone tried those spray-on sealants? Like the ones from late-night infomercials? Wondering if they’re just as sketchy as they look or if they actually buy you some time.
- Also curious—does roof type matter for these quick fixes? My neighbor’s got metal panels and swears by magnetic covers instead of tarps. Never seen that before...
Tarps are a gamble, honestly. I’ve managed a handful of emergency roof jobs over the years and, in my experience, tarps are more about buying you a couple days than actually stopping leaks for any real length of time. If you’re in a windy spot or if the roof’s got a steep pitch, forget it—unless you’ve got half a toolbox up there anchoring every corner, water’s still going to find its way in. I’ve seen folks use sandbags, bricks, even duct tape... never seen it last through a proper storm.
Spray-on sealants? Tried ‘em on a flat roof once. They’ll slow the drip, but if there’s real movement or pooling water, it just cracks and peels. Maybe buys you a week or two if you’re lucky. Those infomercials oversell it, for sure.
As for roof type—absolutely matters. Shingles vs metal is night and day. Magnetic covers actually make sense on metal, but I’ve only seen them used on industrial buildings so far. Wouldn’t trust them in a hurricane, but at least they won’t blow away as fast as a tarp. At the end of the day, nothing beats getting a proper patch or replacement done if you can swing it. Tarps and sprays are just band-aids.