Roof leaking?First hour
In the first hour of a roof leak, keep people clear of any bulging ceiling, catch and photograph the water, and call a roofer to cover the opening with an emergency tarp. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso answers the phone 24/7, and the inspection is free.
The first hour,step by step
Work in this order: people first, then belongings, then the evidence, then the hole. The steps follow the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) advice for storm damage.1
- 1
Keep people clear
Stay out from under a sagging ceiling. Wet plaster and wallboard are heavy and can fall without warning.4 Keep away from wet light fixtures, fans, outlets, and the breaker panel, and call an electrician if water is near wiring.
- 2
Catch the water and move belongings
Set buckets under the drip and move furniture out of the way. TDI says to stop the water as soon as you can, remove pools of water, and start drying the area.2
- 3
Take pictures and video
Photograph the stain, the drip, and anything damaged. TDI says not to throw anything away until your insurance adjuster tells you to.1
- 4
Cover the opening
TDI says to make temporary repairs and cover holes to keep rain out, and to keep a list of repairs and save receipts.1 On the roof itself, that job belongs to a roofer.
- 5
Call a roofer and your insurer
Call the insurance company to report the damage. Call a roofing company in El Paso to tarp the roof. Call before any permanent repair is made.
A bulging ceiling,poke it or leave it
A ceiling that sags or bulges may be holding water, and the advice on it splits. A FEMA and American Red Cross booklet says to poke a hole at the edge of the sag so the water can drain.4 That booklet is written for flood recovery, not for a roof leak.
Its rules: stand to the side, never under the sag, and start at the edge, because a hole in the center can bring the whole ceiling down at once.4 Some contractors say to leave a bulge to a professional, and that's the safer choice if the sag is large, near a light, or over a doorway.
Rule of thumb. If you do poke it, poke the edge, stand aside, and keep a bucket ready.
Fixing it from inside,what that can do
From inside the house you can contain the water, dry the area, and trace the stain. You can't fix the leak itself from there, because the repair has to happen where water enters the roof.
A roofing technical bulletin warns that owners who patch without verifying the leak path often fail, since the stain inside may not sit under the spot where water gets in.5 IKO adds that roofing caulk is not flashing and is only a secondary protection in select cases.6 Our guide to finding a roof leak covers the attic checks.
Drying matters too. Mold can begin growing within a day after a leak.2 If the stain sits under a swamp cooler, check the cooler's pan, overflow, and float valve first; a cooler leak can look like a roof leak. The swamp cooler guide has the details.
Covering the roof,who should do it
Leave the tarp to a roofer. A restoration company's own tarping guide calls a storm-damaged roof slippery, unstable, and unsafe, and tells people to avoid steep, wet, or multi-story roofs.7 IKO says its repair steps are for trained contractors, not homeowners.6
Call a roofer for an open roof, water coming through a ceiling, or a hole. Call an electrician for anything near wiring. A handyman can help inside the house, but the roof is a roofer's job.
Lifetime Roofing of El Paso sends its own crew, not subcontractors. The inspection needs no insurance claim, and the written estimate comes within 48 hours of the inspection. If a leak comes back on our work, we come back and fix it at no charge.
Before the adjustersees the damage
Make emergency repairs only. TDI says not to make permanent repairs before the adjuster sees the damage, and the Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel says the same.13 Keep every receipt.
TDI says most homeowner policies cover sudden and accidental water damage and usually not gradual leaks.2 Your policy decides; our guide on insurance and roofs in Texas goes further.
Texas law makes it illegal for a roofer to offer to waive your deductible.1 Lifetime documents the damage and writes the estimate; we don't adjust claims.
Questions people askabout a roof leak
Should I poke a hole in a bulging ceiling?
Only at the edge. A FEMA and Red Cross flood booklet says to poke the edge of the sag while standing aside, never the center. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso says a large bulge near a light is safer left to a professional.
Can I tarp the roof myself?
Not safely. A storm-damaged roof can be slippery and unstable. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso tarps an open roof with its own crew, and the phones are answered 24/7.
Does homeowners insurance cover a roof leak?
Often, if it's sudden. The Texas Department of Insurance says most policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, not gradual leaks. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso documents the damage and writes the estimate.
Should I make repairs before the adjuster comes?
Emergency repairs only. The Texas Department of Insurance says to wait on permanent repairs and save receipts. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso tarps the opening and leaves permanent work until after the adjuster's visit.
What happens if a roof leak is left alone?
The damage spreads. Mold can begin growing within a day after a leak, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso offers a free inspection and covers an open roof each night.
Where these factscome from
- Texas Department of Insurance, Help after a storm, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, When are water damage and mold covered by insurance?, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel, Roof repairs, read November 1, 2026.
- FEMA and American Red Cross, Repairing Your Flooded Home (FEMA P-234), 2010, read November 1, 2026.
- Western States Roofing Contractors Association, Technical Bulletin 2026_LSRC-02, read November 1, 2026.
- IKO, The Roof Flashing Installation Guide, read November 1, 2026.
- SERVPRO, How to Tarp a Roof, read November 1, 2026.
More fromthe guides
- How to Find a Roof Leak
Why the stain isn't under the leak, and what you can check before calling a roofer.
- Does Insurance Cover a Roof in Texas?
Whether Texas homeowners insurance pays for a roof, and what TDI says about it.
- Repair or Replace a Roof? How to Decide
How to tell a repair from a replacement, and what El Paso's 25% permit line means.
Call Lifetime Roofing of El Paso
(915) 353-3934
Get a free roof inspection
Based at 8900 Gateway Blvd E, El Paso, TX 79907