Call for Emergency Help First (If Major)
If you have water actively pouring in, significant ceiling damage, or signs of structural failure (sagging ceiling, cracking sounds, electrical concerns), call an emergency roofing contractor FIRST before doing anything else. For State Certified Roofing emergency response in Central Florida, call (352) 696-8989 same-day response for active leaks during business hours.
For minor leaks (drip from a ceiling, water stain spreading slowly), the steps below will protect your home until a roofer can get there.
The 24-Hour Action Plan
Minute 0-5: Contain the Water
- Put a bucket under the drip. Use a tall bucket, not a shallow dish you don't know how long until it's emptied.
- Put a towel around the bucket to catch splash.
- If water is coming in fast, use a trash can, cooler, or anything else that holds volume.
- Empty regularly. Don't let the bucket overflow that causes more damage than no bucket at all.
Minute 5-15: Move Valuables
- Move electronics, furniture, rugs, and personal items away from the drip zone
- Cover anything that can't be moved with plastic sheeting or large garbage bags
- If water is coming through a light fixture, turn off power to that circuit at the breaker (safety first water + electricity is deadly)
Minute 15-30: Release Ceiling Water Pressure
This sounds counterintuitive but it's important: if water is pooling in your ceiling (you'll see a bulging or discolored ceiling area), poke a small hole in the lowest point of the bulge with a screwdriver and let the water drain into a bucket.
Why: A water-filled ceiling will eventually collapse, causing far more damage than a small controlled hole. A 2-inch drain hole is a patch job. A collapsed ceiling is + in repair plus ruined contents.
Minute 30-60: Document Everything
Before you clean up, take extensive photos and videos:
- The source of the leak (ceiling area, wall area)
- Any water-damaged contents
- The roof itself from ground level take photos of ALL sides of your home
- Any debris on the ground near your house (shingles, tree branches, flashing pieces)
- Attic access if you can safely reach it photograph water staining on underside of roof decking
- Time-stamp everything (your phone does this automatically)
These photos are critical for insurance claims. Without them, the adjuster only sees the "after" which makes claim denials easier.
Hour 1-4: Contact Professionals
- Call a licensed roofing contractor (not a handyman, not a storm-chaser door-knocker). Licensed roofers have insurance, permits, and accountability. For Central Florida, call (352) 696-8989.
- Contact your insurance carrier to report the leak. Ask for a claim number and write it down. They'll assign an adjuster.
- Do NOT commit to any repairs until you have written estimates from a licensed roofer. Storm-chasers will try to pressure you in the chaos resist.
Hour 4-24: Temporary Repairs
A licensed roofer will typically provide emergency tarping within 24 hours. If the leak is severe and you can't wait, basic self-tarping options:
- Heavy-duty tarp over the leak area, weighted with sandbags or 2x4s
- Roofing cement for very small identified leak points (only for small penetration leaks, not for general failures)
- DO NOT walk on a wet roof. Wet asphalt shingles are extremely slippery. Most roof falls happen during emergency self-repair attempts.
What NOT to Do
DO NOT: Climb Up on a Wet Roof
Wet roofs cause falls. Professional roofers wear specialized boots and use fall protection for this reason. A roof fall can be fatal. No leak is worth your life.
DO NOT: Hire the First Person Who Knocks on Your Door
After significant storms, "storm-chaser" contractors canvass neighborhoods offering cheap emergency repairs. Many are unlicensed, out-of-state, or will do cheap temporary work that creates bigger problems. Read our full guide on Florida storm-chaser scams.
DO NOT: Apply Roofing Cement to a Large Area
Roofing cement is for SMALL repairs to SPECIFIC damaged areas. Applying cement broadly across your roof creates a waterproof layer that traps moisture underneath, accelerating decay and voiding most shingle warranties.
DO NOT: Pay Large Deposits for Emergency Work
Legitimate Florida licensed contractors do not require large upfront deposits for emergency tarping. A typical emergency tarp service is depending on size, paid on completion. If someone demands upfront to tarp your roof, they're scamming you.
DO NOT: Sign Contracts Under Pressure
"Sign now or the price goes up" is a scam. "We can only do this today" is a scam. Legitimate contractors give you time to review written estimates and compare quotes. Under Florida law, you have a 10-day right-to-cancel on most residential contracts.
DO NOT: Accept "We'll Eat Your Deductible" Offers
This is ILLEGAL in Florida. Any contractor offering to "eat" or "waive" your insurance deductible is committing insurance fraud and you can be held liable for participating. Legitimate contractors charge you the deductible.
The Insurance Claim Process
After immediate action, if you're filing an insurance claim:
- Contact your carrier within 48 hours if possible (you must file, not the contractor)
- Get a licensed roofer's inspection report BEFORE the adjuster arrives if possible
- Meet with the adjuster on-site. If a roofer can meet you, that helps
- Get a written estimate from your roofer independent of the adjuster's estimate
- If the adjuster's estimate is significantly lower than your roofer's, you have the right to dispute it
Read our full Hurricane Roof Damage Insurance Claim Guide for the complete process.
Emergency Call
For active roof leaks in Marion, Lake, Sumter, or Citrus Counties: call (352) 696-8989 for same-day emergency response during business hours. Full emergency repair service details here.