When many think of blue tarps, the first image that pops into their minds is roofs covered in the material. The tarps are held down with a combination of boards, nails, and bricks and over any damaged portions of a roof. If a window has been blown out or shattered from such a storm, a blue tarp will most likely be placed over the damaged area, as well. Such medium-duty tarps are used for temporary protection, especially to keep out any additional water from the interior of the home and to prevent mold or mildew from building up. Often, these are used in the aftermath of a hurricane or tornado, until a contractor is contacted to assess the damage, but areas that don’t experience such natural disasters should also keep a few blue tarps on hand.
The northeastern United States has been experiencing strange and uneven weather patterns this past winter. Heavy snows have covered parts of Philadelphia and Washington, DC, while Connecticut and Boston are experiencing more rain and wind than usual. In fact, some of the winds have been approaching hurricane strength levels. As a result, suburbs north of Boston recently saw hurricane-like damages as the result of such storms. The outcome? Many, such as the hotel pictured in the article under the link, had to turn to blue tarps for temporary protection.
However, as seen in the picture, such as tarp wasn’t applied properly and, if another storm hits before the damage is fixed, the wind will brush aside the cinderblocks and tarp and continue to damage the roof. Although those in the Northeast generally don’t experience such storms, the basic protocol when applying blue tarps after a storm is to not only have the polyethylene on hand but several boards and nails. A tarp should go directly over the damage, be it a crack or something larger, but shouldn’t cover the roof. See the polyethylene as a temporary patch and secure it over such areas with the boards and nails.
