Emergency Roof Repair in Unionville, PA

Emergency roof repair is temporary work that stops water from entering a damaged roof until a permanent repair can be made safely. It usually means tarping or sealing the opening, removing loose debris, and documenting the damage. Around Unionville, most emergencies come from wind and falling limbs, the same causes PECO cited for the major Chester County outages of 2026.

The first hour after roof damage

What you do in the first hour decides how much damage the inside of the house takes. Work through these in order.

1. Get people out of danger. Leave any room where the ceiling is sagging, cracking or bulging with water. A waterlogged plaster or drywall ceiling can fall without warning.
2. Deal with electricity. If water is near light fixtures, outlets or the electrical panel, switch off power to that area at the breaker, but only if you can reach it without standing in water. If you cannot do it safely, leave it and call for help.
3. Check for power lines. If a tree or limb is touching wires, stay well away and call PECO's emergency line at 1-800-841-4141 (WHYY). No roofer should touch that tree until PECO says the lines are safe.
4. Control the water inside. Buckets, towels and plastic sheeting. If water is pooling in a ceiling bulge, a small hole at the lowest point over a bucket releases it in a controlled way instead of a collapse.
5. Move valuables. Electronics, documents, photographs, rugs and furniture out of the wet area.
6. Photograph everything. The ceiling, the attic if it is safe, the yard, the roof from the ground and any debris. Note the date, time and weather.
7. Call (831) 300-2416. Tell us whether water is coming in, whether anything is on the roof, and how to reach the property.

When a tree or limb hits the roof

Unionville's mature oaks, tulip poplars and sycamores are a big part of the area's character, and also the most common cause of serious roof damage here. PECO's 2026 outage filings with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission blamed tree limbs brought down by wind for storms on February 22, March 16 and May 20 that cut power to 5,765, 29,553 and 7,259 Chester County customers (March 16 filing). The same limbs land on roofs.

What to do

• Do not try to remove it yourself. A limb resting on a roof can be holding damaged framing in place. Cutting it the wrong way can drop it through the ceiling.
• Keep people out of rooms below it. Weight can shift as rain soaks the wood and the roof.
• Lines first. If the tree touches any wires, PECO must clear the lines before anyone works on it.
• Coordinate removal and roofing. Tree crews remove the limb in sections; we tarp the opening as soon as it is clear, the same day where weather and safety allow.

What we check after a tree strike

• Broken or cracked rafters and decking under the impact point
• Damaged ridge, valleys and flashing near the strike
• Cracked slates or dented metal some distance from the obvious hole
• Gutters, fascia and soffit pulled loose by the limb
• Wet insulation and ceilings that need drying

The roof emergencies we see around Unionville

Windstorms

Strong gusts lift shingles along ridges, rakes and the windward slope, peel back loose metal panels on barns and outbuildings, and pull ridge caps free. The March 16, 2026 windstorm alone left 29,553 Chester County PECO customers without power, according to PECO's filing.

Severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings

On July 28, 2026, the National Weather Service issued a radar-indicated tornado warning for south central Chester County, warning of damage to roofs, windows and vehicles (NWS alert archive). Summer storms bring sudden gusts, downbursts and heavy rain that overwhelm valleys and gutters.

Hail

Severe thunderstorm warnings for southwestern Chester County this year called for quarter-size hail (Forth). Hail bruises shingles, cracks old slate and dents metal. The damage often is not obvious from the ground, so a careful inspection matters before an insurance deadline passes.

Winter storms and ice dams

PECO's filing for the February 22, 2026 storm cited heavy winds and snow. Snow load, ice dams at the eaves and branches heavy with ice can all cause sudden leaks in winter, often inside exterior walls.

Outbuilding emergencies

Barns, run-in sheds and garages around Unionville often take wind damage first because their metal and roll roofing is lighter and older. A peeled-back barn roof can expose hay, equipment and animals within hours.

Emergency roof damage and insurance

Most homeowners policies cover sudden damage from events such as wind, hail and falling trees, along with the interior damage it causes. They generally do not cover wear, age or lack of maintenance. Your policy and deductible decide what applies, so call your agent or carrier early.

Protect your claim

• Report promptly. Policies usually require timely notice of damage.
• Prevent further damage. Policies generally expect reasonable steps to protect the property, which is exactly what tarping is. Keep every receipt.
• Photograph before cleanup. Photos of the damage before anything is moved make the adjuster's job easier.
• Keep damaged materials if you safely can, until the adjuster has seen them.
• Get a written report that separates storm damage from existing wear.

We give you dated photos and a written description you can submit, and we can meet the adjuster if you want us there. We will not promise a free roof or offer to cover your deductible.

How to get ready before the next storm

• Trim trees. Have an arborist remove dead limbs and branches that hang over the roof.
• Clear gutters and valleys in late fall after leaf drop and again in spring.
• Photograph your roof now. Current photos from the ground make it much easier to show what changed after a storm.
• Know your shutoffs. Find your electrical panel and label the breakers for upstairs rooms.
• Save the numbers. Our number, (831) 300-2416, and PECO's emergency line, 1-800-841-4141.
• Fix small problems early. Loose flashing, cracked pipe boots and slipped slates are much more likely to fail badly in a storm.

Emergency repairs by roof type

The right temporary fix depends on what the roof is made of. A method that works on asphalt shingles can crack slate or tear a membrane.

Asphalt shingle roofs

Torn or missing shingles leave the underlayment or bare decking exposed. Where only a few shingles are gone and the decking is sound, a temporary patch of underlayment and replacement shingles can be enough. Larger areas get a tarp secured with battens and run over the ridge. Lifted shingles that are still attached are left in place and documented, because pulling them can tear more of the roof.

Slate roofs

Slate breaks under foot traffic and under hammer blows, so emergency work on slate is slower and more careful. Missing or broken slates can sometimes be covered with a temporary sheet of metal slid under the course above, which keeps water out without nailing through sound stone. Larger holes from limbs get a tarp secured away from the good slates wherever possible. Permanent repair then uses matched slate and copper flashing.

Metal roofs on barns and outbuildings

Wind tends to peel exposed-fastener panels back from the eaves or the ridge. A loose panel acts like a sail and can tear off neighboring panels in the next gust, so the first job is to secure or remove anything flapping. Open seams and missing panels are then covered until replacement panels and fasteners can be installed.

Flat and low-slope roofs

On porches, additions and commercial buildings, punctures and open seams in EPDM, TPO or modified bitumen let water spread under the membrane. Temporary patches made for wet conditions can stop an active leak, but the area should be opened and inspected once it is dry, because insulation under a membrane can stay wet for a long time.

Cedar shake roofs

Split and missing shakes are covered with underlayment or a tarp until matching shakes can be installed. Cedar holds water, so we also check for soft spots in the decking near the damage.

Chimneys and skylights

Storms crack chimney crowns, knock caps loose and break skylight glass. A broken skylight is covered from outside, and loose chimney caps or flashing are secured so they cannot blow off and cause more damage.