Sounds like you're handling it pretty well. I remember helping my brother with his solar attic fan—thought we'd breeze through it, but halfway in, clouds rolled up and we scrambled for cover. Your tarp move was spot-on... wish we'd thought of that.
Yeah, solar attic fans can be sneaky like that. I had a similar situation last summer—figured I'd knock it out in an afternoon, easy peasy. Got halfway through cutting the hole when I noticed dark clouds rolling in fast. Thought I could beat the storm, but nope, ended up with rain pouring into the attic and me scrambling around trying to cover everything with garbage bags and duct tape. Your tarp idea sounds way smarter than my garbage bag fiasco... lesson learned the hard way, I guess.
Honestly, these installs always seem straightforward until Mother Nature decides otherwise. Now I always check the forecast twice before starting any roof work—even if it's sunny and clear when I start. Glad yours turned out better than mine did!
"Honestly, these installs always seem straightforward until Mother Nature decides otherwise."
Yeah, weather can definitely throw a wrench into roof projects, but honestly, I'd argue that the real sneaky part isn't always Mother Nature—it's usually the prep work. I've seen plenty of folks underestimate the importance of measuring twice (or three times) before cutting into their roofs. Sure, storms are unpredictable, but most of the headaches I've dealt with come from rushed measurements or not fully understanding attic ventilation needs.
A couple years back, I helped a neighbor who thought installing a solar attic fan was just about cutting a hole and dropping it in. He didn't realize his attic had inadequate intake vents, so even after installation, he wasn't getting proper airflow. Ended up having to redo some soffit vents and add ridge venting to balance things out. It wasn't a disaster like rain pouring in (been there too, unfortunately), but it was still extra work he hadn't planned for.
Your tarp idea is definitely smarter than garbage bags—no argument there—but I'd also suggest spending more time on the planning stage. Checking forecasts is good practice, sure, but double-checking your attic's existing ventilation setup and making sure you have all necessary materials beforehand can save you from unexpected trips to the hardware store mid-project.
Roof work always seems simple until you're halfway through and realize you're missing something critical... or worse yet, you've overlooked structural details that could cause bigger issues down the line. Weather mishaps make for good stories later on (once you've dried off), but careful prep usually prevents most headaches before they start.
Yeah, totally agree with you on the prep being the real headache. Weather's unpredictable, sure, but at least you can tarp things up and wait it out. Messing up measurements or ventilation is way harder to fix after the fact. Learned that lesson the hard way myself when I underestimated how much intake ventilation my attic needed—ended up spending a weekend cutting new soffit vents. Like you said:
"Roof work always seems simple until you're halfway through and realize you're missing something critical..."
Couldn't have put it better myself.
Been there myself—thought installing a solar attic fan would be a quick afternoon job, but ended up spending two days troubleshooting why it wasn't pulling enough air. Turns out, my attic insulation was blocking half my soffit vents. Had to crawl around in fiberglass fluff for hours clearing it out. Definitely agree, prep and double-checking ventilation beforehand saves a ton of headaches later... hindsight's always 20/20, right?
