After a fire, a storm or a break-in, the damage you can see is only part of the risk. A broken window, a smashed door or a hole in the roof lets in rain, animals and people, and every night the house stays open the damage can grow. Emergency board-up closes those openings until permanent repairs can be made. Here is when you need it, what a board-up crew actually does, and how insurance usually handles the cost.
Most board-ups follow one of a handful of events:
A professional board-up is more than nailing plywood over a hole. A typical job looks like this:
The crew walks the property, checks for structural hazards, and lists every opening that needs to be secured: windows, doors, wall breaches and roof damage.
Plywood or oriented strand board is cut to fit each opening. Sheets are sized to cover the frame fully so wind and water cannot get behind them.
Boards are fastened to the frame or braced from the inside so they cannot be pried off easily. Doors that need to stay usable can be fitted with a hinged board and a lock. Where a room needs daylight, clear polycarbonate sheets can be used instead of wood.
Holes and missing shingles are covered with heavy-duty tarps secured with battens so the wind cannot lift them. A well-installed tarp keeps rain out of the attic, insulation and ceilings until the roof is repaired.
Photos of the damage before and after the board-up go into the insurance file, along with an itemized invoice.
Homeowners policies generally require you to protect the property from further damage after a loss and to make reasonable temporary repairs. If rain pours through an open roof for a week after a storm, the insurer can argue that the extra damage came from not securing the house, not from the storm itself.
Many policies also include coverage for reasonable emergency measures, which typically pays for things like board-up and tarping after a covered loss. The limit and conditions vary by policy, so:
A roof tarp is only as good as the way it is fastened. A few things separate a tarp that lasts until the roofer arrives from one that blows off in the next storm:
After some federally declared disasters, FEMA activates Operation Blue Roof, in which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installs free temporary roof covers on eligible primary homes. It runs only in the disaster areas FEMA names, so most homeowners will still need a private tarping crew.
If the house has just been damaged and help is on the way:
A board-up buys time. It does not fix water that already got in or soot that already settled. Once the property is secure, the next steps are usually:
Boards and tarps are temporary. Plywood holds up for a while, but tarps break down in sun and wind and should be checked after every storm until the roof is repaired.
A damaged storefront, office or warehouse has the same exposure as a house, plus a few extra concerns. Inventory, equipment and records are at risk while the building is open, and the business may need a way for staff, inspectors and adjusters to get in safely. A commercial board-up often includes a lockable access door, clear panels where a storefront needs light, and boards sized for large display windows. Business owners should also tell their commercial insurer right away, since many commercial policies have their own requirements for protecting damaged property, and any business interruption claim depends on clear records of when the damage happened and what was done to secure the building.
Usually, when the damage comes from a covered event such as a fire, a windstorm or a break-in. Most policies require you to protect the property from further damage and many include a limit for reasonable emergency measures. Keep the invoice and photos, and check your policy for the limit.
As long as it takes to make permanent repairs, which can be weeks or months after a major fire. Plywood can last that long if it is secured well. Roof tarps wear out faster and should be inspected after every storm and replaced if they tear or come loose.
For a single broken window on the ground floor, a homeowner with plywood and the right fasteners can often make a temporary cover. Upper floors, roofs, large openings and fire-damaged structures are safer left to a crew with the right equipment, and a professional invoice makes the insurance claim simpler.
An open house invites more damage. Spartan Restoration takes calls 24 hours a day for board-up and tarping after fires, storms, break-ins and vehicle crashes.