The short answer
What should I do if my roof is leaking right now?
Contain the water first, then stop the source. Put buckets under drips, move furniture and electronics clear, and if the ceiling is bulging, pierce it with a small hole over a bucket so the water has one place to go instead of collapsing the whole ceiling. Then call for emergency tarping.
Answers
Who do I call for an emergency roof repair in Tulsa?
Call a licensed Oklahoma roofing contractor directly, not a national dispatch line. Proof Construction answers emergency calls across Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso and the surrounding metro at (918) 734-4444.
A dispatch line takes your details and sells the job to whoever buys it, which means an unknown crew arrives. A local licensed contractor has an Oklahoma Construction Industries Board license, a real address, and a reputation in the same city you live in.
How fast can you get a tarp on my roof?
Usually the same day for storm emergencies in the Tulsa metro, and often within a few hours. After a widespread hail or wind event, demand spikes and we work through the queue by severity, with active water intrusion first.
We tell you honestly where you are in the queue rather than promising an hour we cannot meet. If we cannot reach you the same day, we tell you what to do in the meantime to limit the damage.
How much does emergency roof repair cost in Tulsa?
Temporary tarping typically costs $400 to $1,200. Permanent emergency repairs, such as replacing a section of decking or re-securing flashing, are quoted at the time and are normally covered by a storm claim.
There is no such thing as a free emergency call-out, and a contractor who offers one is building the cost into the repair. We quote the tarp before we start so there is no surprise.
Is a tarp enough, or do I need a real repair?
A tarp buys time and stops water. It is not a repair. Whether you need a full repair depends on what is underneath, which nobody can know until the tarp is off and the deck is visible.
On a storm-damaged roof the sequence is: tarp, document, claim, then permanent repair or replacement. Doing the permanent work before the claim is documented can cost you the claim.
Water is coming through my ceiling. What do I do first?
Get the water out of the house and away from anything valuable, then relieve the pressure. A bulging ceiling holds water like a bladder; a small hole above a bucket is far cheaper than a collapsed ceiling and soaked insulation.
Turn off power to any ceiling fixture in the wet area at the breaker. Do not stand on a wet floor under a live fixture. Photograph everything before you move it, because that photograph is claim evidence.
Can I go on my roof to look for the leak?
No. A wet, storm-damaged roof is the most dangerous surface in the house, and Oklahoma roofs are steep. Fall injuries from roof inspections are common and entirely avoidable.
We inspect with ladders, harnesses and drones where the roof is unsafe. Stay on the ground, photograph what you can see, and let a professional get on the roof.
What causes a roof to leak only when it rains hard?
Usually a small breach that only takes on water when the volume overwhelms it: a lifted flashing edge, a nail pop, a valley that is not quite right, or a blocked gutter that backs water up under the bottom course. Hard rain finds weaknesses that drizzle does not.
Intermittent leaks are the hardest to trace because the water travels along the decking before it appears inside. We look uphill from the stain, not directly above it.
Does homeowners insurance cover emergency tarping?
Yes, in most Oklahoma policies. Tarping and other reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a covered loss are part of the claim, and the cost is normally reimbursed.
Keep the invoice. It is a line item in the claim the same way the shingles are. We provide a written invoice with photographs of the tarp installation so it can be submitted.
My roof is missing shingles after a storm. Is that an emergency?
It is urgent rather than an emergency, unless rain is forecast or already entering. Exposed felt or decking will take on water at the next rain, and a missing ridge cap can let water track down the whole ridge line.
Cover it, document it, and call. Missing shingles are also the clearest possible storm evidence, so photograph the bare patches and the shingles in the yard before anyone cleans up.
What is the difference between an emergency repair and a replacement?
An emergency repair restores watertightness on a roof that is otherwise sound. A replacement is warranted when the damage is widespread, the shingles are at the end of their life, or the repair would cost a large fraction of a new roof.
We tell you which one you are looking at, with the numbers, and we do not sell a replacement when a repair genuinely fixes the problem. On an insurance claim the insurer decides the scope anyway, and we document for whichever outcome is real.
Will my insurance pay for a hotel if my roof is badly damaged?
Often yes, under the loss of use or additional living expense coverage in a homeowners policy. It pays the cost of living somewhere else when the home cannot be lived in, above your normal living costs, up to the policy limit.
Keep every receipt for a hotel, meals and laundry. The insurer reimburses the difference between your normal cost of living and the temporary cost, not the full amount of everything you spend.
What should I do with a tree limb on my roof after a storm?
Do not pull it off the roof yourself. A limb can be holding water out, holding a damaged structure in place, or be under tension against the shingles. Photograph it, keep everyone clear underneath, and call for an assessment.
Removing it badly can send water into the house or bring down part of the structure. A tarp or a controlled removal is the correct first step, and the photographs you take before anything moves support the claim.
Is a cracked or missing ridge cap an emergency?
It is urgent rather than an emergency unless rain is coming. A missing ridge cap leaves a gap along the top of the roof where water can track down the ridge line, and it is also one of the clearest signs of storm damage.
Ridge caps are the first shingles to fail in high wind because they take the most lift. Photograph the bare ridge before anything is replaced, then have it sealed.
What do I do if water is running down the inside of a wall?
Assume there is an electrical risk. Turn off the power to that room at the breaker, put a container under the water, and photograph the wall and floor. Water inside a wall wicks into insulation and framing and the damage is bigger than it looks.
Do not open the wall yourself unless a contractor or the fire service tells you to. The location of the entry is often far above the visible wet spot, so a roof inspection is still needed.
Can I just put a bucket under the drip until Monday?
Sometimes that is the right call at night. Put the bucket down, move anything valuable, and photograph where the water is coming in. Then call. A drip that is small on Sunday can be through the drywall by Tuesday, and the ceiling is the expensive part.
If the water is near a light, a switch or a ceiling fan, turn that circuit off first. If the ceiling is bulging, keep people out from under it. Then call (918) 734-4444 and describe exactly where the water is showing up.
My ceiling is bulging with water. Should I poke a hole in it?
If the bulge is holding water and still growing, a small hole with a bucket under it can stop the whole ceiling from coming down. It will need repair anyway. Turn off the power to that room first, and stay off a ladder if the ceiling feels soft.
Trapped water has weight, and drywall lets go all at once. If the bulge is over a bed, a couch or a walkway, clear people out from under it now. Then call for emergency tarping and let the crew take it from there.
Do I have to move out while my roof is tarped?
Most people do not. A tarp is meant to keep the house usable until the repair or the replacement happens. You would only need to leave if the structure is unsafe, the ceiling is failing, or water has reached the wiring. Ask the crew to say plainly which case you are in.
If the insurer decides the home is not livable, loss of use coverage may help with a hotel. Ask your adjuster. Otherwise plan on a normal night with a bucket or two, and stay off the wet spot.
How long can a tarp stay on my roof in Oklahoma?
Weeks, not months. A tarp is temporary, and Oklahoma sun and wind work on it fast. It is meant to hold until the adjuster sees the roof and the repair gets scheduled. We check it and tighten it again if it starts to lift.
A flapping tarp wears a hole in itself and scuffs the shingles under it. Ask for it to be weighted or tightened properly. A tarp that fails in the next storm can cost more than doing it right the first time.
The leak stopped by itself. Do I still need to call someone?
Yes. A leak that stops usually means the water found another path, not that the hole closed. The next hard rain or the next freeze finds it again, and by then the stain is bigger. Dry weather repairs are cheaper than wet ones.
A stain that dries can still hide wet insulation and wet decking above it. We look inside the attic as well as at the shingles. Catching it now is a repair. Catching it in spring is often a repair plus drywall and paint.
Can a roof be repaired while it is still raining in Tulsa?
Sometimes. A tarp can go on in wet weather and often does, because stopping the water matters more than a dry shingle. Real shingle and flashing work needs a dry surface. So the honest answer is a temporary cover now, and the repair once it clears.
Crews will not nail shingles in a downpour, and you would not want them to. Wet decking and wet underlayment trap moisture and fail early. We tarp, come back, and finish the work properly instead of rushing a repair that will not hold.
What should I move or cover before the roof crew gets here?
Move whatever is under the leak, cover furniture with a plastic sheet, and photograph anything already damaged before you touch it. Move the cars out so the truck and dumpster can get in. Keep pets inside and kids away from the ladders.
If the leak is over a bed or a couch, pull it clear of the drip line. Anything you have to throw away, photograph first. That photo is what supports a contents line on the claim.
Can a roof leak cause mold in my attic or ceiling?
It can. Mold needs moisture, and a slow leak keeps wood and insulation damp for weeks. The smell usually shows up before anyone sees it. Fixing the roof stops the source, then the attic has to be dried out properly.
Wet insulation holds water against the wood and does not dry on its own. That is why we look inside the attic after a leak, not just at the shingles. A dry attic after the repair is part of finishing the job.
Is a leak near wiring or a light fixture dangerous?
Yes, treat it as urgent. Water and electricity do not mix, and a wet ceiling can energize a fixture or a switch. Turn the circuit off at the breaker, keep everyone away from the wet area, and call for help before you go poking at the ceiling.
Do not stand on a wet floor and flip a switch. Use the breaker. Then call (918) 734-4444 for the roof side, and an electrician for the wiring side. A leak that reaches a fixture is a same day problem, not a Monday problem.
Proof Construction LLC - the facts
- Business name: Proof Construction LLC
- Address: 1709 W Detroit St, Suite A, Broken Arrow, OK 74012
- Phone: (918) 734-4444
- Oklahoma CIB registration: 80004070
- Rating: 4.9 out of 5 across more than 100 reviews
- Workmanship warranty: 3 years, in writing, on replacements
- Manufacturer credentials: Owens Corning Preferred Contractor, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster
- Service area: Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Glenpool, Owasso, Claremore, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Catoosa, Coweta, Collinsville, Skiatook, Bartlesville, Muskogee, Okmulgee
- Free documented roof inspections and estimates across the Tulsa metro
Need this answered on your own roof?
Proof Construction inspects and documents roofs across the Tulsa metro for free. No pressure, no obligation, and a written summary of what we find.