Tree and limb damage
A limb can crack shingles, punch through the deck or both. Removing a tree is tree work, not roofing, and a roofer will usually want the limb or tree cleared before repair starts. Ask the roofer who they would call for it.
Urgent? Call to reach a local roofer
Emergency Roof Repair in Souderton When the Roof Is Open to the Weather
What to do in the first hour when a limb, wind or water has opened your roof, and how a roofer handles the temporary cover and the real repair.
- Roof repair and full replacement
- Leaks, wind and storm damage
- Connected to a local roofer
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Emergency Repair
Emergency Roof Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Emergency roof repair is the first, temporary stage of a repair: stopping more water getting in, usually with a cover or a quick patch, until the proper work can be done. Souderton Roofing puts Montgomery County callers through to a local roofer, who comes out when a crew is free and tells you what is possible.
Some roof problems can wait for a Monday appointment. Others cannot: a tree has come through the shingles, a section of roofing has peeled back in the wind, or water is running down a wall during a storm. In those cases, the goal is not to finish the repair that night. It is to keep more weather out of the house until the repair can be done properly.
This area has seen what that looks like. In August 2021, an EF-1 tornado from the remnants of Fred first touched down just south of Souderton, crossed into Hilltown Township, and recorded peak gusts over 100 mph along a path of about 9 miles. Trees fell on homes in the Hidden Springs mobile home community, and roofing was torn off an auto repair shop on Dublin Pike near Blue School Road. Within a couple of weeks, the remnants of Ida brought more damage to the region.
Most emergencies are much smaller than that. A limb through the shingles after a thunderstorm is enough. This page covers what to do while you wait, what a roofer's emergency visit usually involves, and what no web page, including this one, can promise.
- Service area
- Souderton & Montgomery County
- Availability
- Call to reach a local roofer, emergencies first
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
What counts as a roofing emergency?
An emergency is damage that lets weather into the house and cannot wait: an open hole, torn-off roofing, or water coming in during rain or snow. A few lost shingles with no leak can usually be scheduled as ordinary roof repair. If you are unsure, call and describe it.
The line is not always clear. A small leak in a heavy storm can be an emergency to the person watching it drip. The roofer will ask about the size of the opening and where the water goes, and will tell you honestly whether it can wait for a regular visit.
Can a roofer come tonight?
Maybe. A roofer comes when a crew is free, and in a widespread storm many calls arrive at once, so waits grow. No arrival time can be promised from this page. The roofer will say what they can do and when, and whether a temporary cover is practical.
Call early, and be specific. A clear description and photos help a roofer decide how to prioritize and what to bring. If you can wait indoors in a dry room, you are in a better position than if you try to deal with it alone.
After a storm that hits many homes, as the 2021 events did, crews are busy and weather may stop the work. That is not a reason to climb up yourself. It is a reason to protect the inside and document the damage.
What should I do before the roofer arrives?
Keep people away from damaged ceilings, move belongings out from under drips, photograph the damage from the ground and note the date and weather. Do not go onto the roof, move a fallen tree, or touch wet electrical fixtures.
If power lines are down, stay well away and call the utility and emergency services. If the damage involves the structure, such as a tree resting on the house, the roofer may ask you to have the tree cleared or checked first.
Put valuables and papers somewhere dry, and keep the area under the damage clear so the roofer can get in.
What happens after the temporary fix?
The roofer quotes the permanent repair in writing, which may be a patch, a section or a replacement. In Souderton Borough, building permits fall under the Borough Code of Ordinances and the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, so ask whether the repair needs one.
Large storm repairs may need permits, and the borough or township office can say. The storm damage guide explains the paperwork you may meet after a storm, without promising any outcome.
Compare the temporary and the permanent quote, and ask what the first one covers. You are not obliged to give the same roofer the permanent job, but the roofer who covered it knows the roof.
How is an emergency visit different from a storm inspection?
An emergency visit is about stopping water first: the roofer looks at the opening, decides whether a cover is safe and sets it. A storm inspection is the slower, fuller check of the whole roof afterwards. Many jobs involve both, one after the other.
The emergency stage is short and focused. The inspection that follows covers every slope, the flashing and the attic, and it ends in written findings. The storm damage repair page covers that second stage.
If you only need the fuller check and nothing is leaking, say so on the call. It helps the roofer decide how to schedule you.
Warning signs
Signs you need emergency roof repair
Do not go onto a damaged roof, do not try to move a fallen tree, and stay away from downed lines and wet electrical fixtures. If the structure is in doubt or anyone is hurt, call emergency services first.
- A hole or open gap in the roof from a fallen limb, a tree or something blown onto it
- A section of shingles, or a whole sheet of roofing, peeled back or missing after wind
- Water running through a ceiling, down a wall or around a light fixture during a storm
- A chimney, vent or skylight knocked loose, cracked or leaning
- Roof boards visible from the ground, or sky visible from the attic
- A sagging section of roof or ceiling, especially after a tree strike or heavy snow
- Gutters and fascia torn away from the house, with shingles hanging at the eave
- A roof that was only lightly damaged but is now taking in rain every time it falls
Our process
How our emergency roof repair visit works
Get everyone safe first
Keep people out of rooms with sagging ceilings, bulging drywall or water near electrical fixtures. If a tree is on the house and you think the structure is affected, or if there are downed power lines, call emergency services before you call a roofer.
Call and describe what you see
Call the number on this page and tell the roofer the size of the damage, where it is and whether water is coming in. Say whether a tree is involved, and whether there is anything blocking the driveway or yard. You are put through to a roofer who serves your town.
Document before anything moves
From the ground, photograph the roof, the fallen limb and the inside damage. Note the date and the weather. Your insurer may ask for this, and what it does with it is between you and the insurer.
Temporary cover, when it is possible
A roofer may fasten a tarp or a temporary cover over the opening to keep water out. Whether that is safe depends on the roof, the wind and the weather, and the roofer decides on site.
Plan the real repair
Once the roof is covered, the roofer looks at what needs to be replaced and what can be repaired, and quotes the work in writing. Temporary cover is not a repair, and the proper work follows when materials, weather and crew time allow.
Options
Types and options for emergency roof repair
Wind damage
Wind lifts and tears shingles, ridge caps and flashing, usually starting at edges and corners. The wind damage page covers how that damage looks and gets repaired.
Water entering during a storm
When the roof is not visibly damaged but water is coming through, the cause may be flashing, a vent or a clogged gutter. The roofer traces it, as described on the roof leak repair page.
Cost
How much does emergency roof repair cost in Souderton?
This page carries no dollar figures. No sourced local price exists for emergency work, and an emergency visit is priced by what is found and what is done.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary cover or board-up | Quoted by the roofer on the call or on site | Depends on the size of the opening and how safely the roof can be reached |
| Removing damaged material | Part of the written quote | Torn shingles, broken boards and debris on the roof |
| Permanent repair | Quoted separately | Often scheduled after the temporary cover, once materials and weather allow |
| Tree removal | A separate trade | Normally not part of a roofing quote |
Your exact price is confirmed with the roofer before any work starts. For general figures, see the Souderton roof replacement cost guide.
Need emergency roof repair today?
Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.
Montgomery County
Why emergency roof repair is different in Montgomery and Bucks counties
The 2021 tornado ran about 9 miles, from just south of Souderton into Hilltown Township. If you live in Telford or Hilltown, the same weather can reach you. Wind damage is a real local risk, not a distant one.
Ida, on September 1 and 2, 2021, damaged roofs around Ambler, Fort Washington and Willow Grove, and an apartment complex in Lansdale suffered a partial roof collapse. Those events were exceptional, and ordinary storms are less severe, but they show what an open roof can lead to.
Winter storms bring their own emergencies: snow and ice. If water enters after a thaw, see the ice dam page.
Related
Related services
Storm Damage Roof Repair
How roofs are checked and repaired after thunderstorms, tornado-spawning remnants and winter storms around Souderton, through a local roofer.
Roof Leak Repair
Finding and fixing roof leaks on Souderton-area homes, from flashing and pipe boots to worn shingles, through a local roofer.
Wind Damage Roof Repair
Lifted shingles, missing ridge caps and bent flashing after a blow, repaired by a local roofer.
Where we work
Emergency Roof Repair across Montgomery County
- Emergency Repair in Souderton
- Emergency Repair in Franconia
- Emergency Repair in Telford
- Emergency Repair in Hatfield
- Emergency Repair in Harleysville
- Emergency Repair in Lansdale
- Emergency Repair in Hilltown
- Emergency Repair in Sellersville
- Emergency Repair in Skippack
- Emergency Repair in North Wales
- Emergency Repair in Green Lane
- Emergency Repair in Schwenksville
- Emergency Repair in Perkasie
- Emergency Repair in Montgomeryville
- Emergency Repair in Collegeville
- Emergency Repair in Norristown
- Emergency Repair in Red Hill
- Emergency Repair in Blue Bell
- Emergency Repair in Ambler
- Emergency Repair in Doylestown
- Emergency Repair in Pennsburg
- Emergency Repair in Quakertown
- Emergency Repair in Royersford
- Emergency Repair in East Greenville
- Emergency Repair in King of Prussia
- Emergency Repair in Bally
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
After a Storm: Roof Damage, Tarps and Your Insurance Claim
After a storm, stay off the roof, check the ceilings for stains or sagging, and photograph everything from the ground before anything is moved or covered.
FAQ
Emergency Roof Repair FAQs
Is a tarp a real repair?
No. A tarp or temporary cover keeps water out for a short time while the proper repair is arranged. It can blow loose in wind, and it should not be left for a long time. Ask the roofer when the permanent work should happen.
Do I call my insurer first?
Either order works. Photograph the damage before anything is moved, and ask your insurer what it needs. Nothing on this page can say what an insurer will cover, and the roofer cannot promise a claim outcome.
Will a roofer remove the fallen limb?
Often not. Tree work is a separate trade, and a roofer may ask you to have a limb or tree cleared before the repair. Ask the roofer who they suggest, and keep photos of the tree and the damage.
What if no one can come until tomorrow?
Protect the inside as best you can from a dry spot: move belongings, set buckets, and keep away from wet fixtures. Ask the roofer what else to do. Keep your photos and note the time of each call.
Can I stay in the house?
That is a safety judgment this page cannot make. If ceilings are sagging, a tree rests on the house or you smell gas or see sparks, leave and call emergency services. Otherwise, ask the roofer what they see.
Does an emergency visit cost more?
The price is whatever the roofer quotes you, and no figure can be given here. Ask for it before work starts, and ask what is included. If the quote is unclear, ask the roofer to write it down.
What should I have ready when I call?
Your address or town, what happened and when, where on the house the damage is, whether water is coming in, and whether a tree or lines are involved. Photos help if you can send them. Keep a pen handy to note what the roofer tells you.