How long does a temporary roof repair last?

A temporary repair is a quick measure to keep the weather out, such as a tarpaulin, a sealant patch, a temporary tile or a sheet of membrane over a flat roof. None of them is built to a standard, so none comes with a lifespan you can count on. We would be guessing if we promised a number of weeks, and a guess is no use to you when the rain is coming in.

What we can say is what the repair depends on. The size of the damage matters, because a small hole is easier to seal than a stripped slope. So does the part of the roof: a sheltered valley fares better than a ridge or a gable edge, where the wind is strongest. The weather over the next few days does the rest, so a repair that survives a calm week can fail in the first gale. That is why we describe stopgaps as short-term and ask you to plan the real repair straight away.

Some temporary fixes are closer to proper repairs than others. A slipped tile pushed back and clipped is hardly temporary at all. A cracked tile replaced with a matching one is the same. At the other end, a bead of sealant over a split flashing, or a bitumen patch on a torn felt, only fills the gap and relies on the surface underneath staying clean and dry.

Tarpaulins sit in the middle. Fixed with battens to the rafters and pulled tight, they can protect a damaged slope for a while. Pinned down loosely, they fail the first time the wind gets under them. Sealants and mastics dry out, shrink and crack as the sun and the cold work on them, and that movement shows first at joints and edges. Because every stopgap relies on something that will wear, a sensible plan includes a date for the permanent repair, not an open-ended wait. Our page on temporary roof repairs goes through the options.

Checking does not mean climbing. From the ground, look for a tarpaulin that has slipped or is flapping, loose edges, or water pouring over the gutter in a place it did not before. Inside, check the ceiling and the loft after each spell of rain. A new stain, a drip that has restarted, or a damp patch spreading beyond its old edge means the water has found another way in.

Listen as well. A cover that rattles or snaps in the wind is working loose, and the movement can damage the tiles it is meant to protect. Take photographs of any change and note the date, because they help the roofer and your insurer. If the repair fails, do not wait for it to get worse. Ring the roofer who fitted it, or one who can take over, and describe what has changed. A failed stopgap is a reason to move the permanent job up the list, not an inconvenience to put up with.

When a gale did the harm, the insurer should hear about the stopgap as well as the damage. Which? gives rain getting in through a neglected roof as a case of wear and tear. A stopgap left in place for months, with the roof still leaking, may therefore leave you arguing your case, so a short delay serves you better.

Keep a simple file: dated photographs of the damage, the receipts for the temporary work, and the written quote for the permanent repair once the survey is done. What an insurer decides is up to the insurer, and a policy's terms vary, so read yours. Our answer on repairs before the insurer agrees deals with the order of events, and it helps to read it before committing to anything permanent.

The permanent job starts with a proper look at the roof once the weather allows. We remove the cover, find what failed, photograph it and tell you whether a repair is likely to hold or the roof is past saving. Often the fix is local: replacement tiles, a new section of lead, a patch of flat roofing laid properly with edges that shed water. We look for the lightest job that stops the leak for good, with pictures of the faults so you can see what was found.

Next comes a written price, one sum for the whole job. Reach, the extent of the damaged section and whatever the survey turns up all move it, and a scaffold may be needed. Check that VAT and scaffolding are counted in whatever figure you are shown, so you are comparing like with like. A roofer who can explain each fault from photographs is easier to trust than one who cannot. Pictures of the repair itself, taken once it is finished, are worth keeping alongside the quote. For the wider picture on urgent work, our emergency roof repairs page is the place to begin, and putting a tarpaulin on a roof shows how the most common stopgap is fitted.