Board-up and emergency securing means closing every opening a windstorm or fire left in your home: broken windows, damaged doors, and holes in the roof or walls. Crews fasten plywood and tarps over them so rain, animals and trespassers stay out until permanent repairs can begin. It is temporary work that protects what you still have.
In Tacoma, that temporary work matters a great deal. A tree limb through a window in Proctor or a kitchen fire in South Tacoma is bad enough on its own. Leave the opening uncovered through a few days of fall rain and you can end up with a second round of damage that had nothing to do with the original event.
This guide explains what securing a home involves, what you can do yourself, and where to stop and wait for help. It applies whether you live near the Stadium District, on Hilltop, or anywhere else around Commencement Bay.
What does emergency board-up actually include?
It includes more than plywood over a window. A securing visit usually covers four things, handled in order of how much water or access each opening allows.
- Roof openings. Holes from fallen limbs, missing shingles, or cuts firefighters made for ventilation are covered with heavy tarps that are anchored so wind cannot lift them.
- Windows and glass doors. Broken panes are cleared from the frame and the opening is closed with plywood cut to fit.
- Entry doors and garage doors. A door that was forced open, burned, or knocked off its track is braced or boarded so the house can be locked again.
- Walls and structure. Where a tree or a fire has opened a wall, the gap is closed and, if needed, the area is braced so it stays put until a contractor can rebuild it.
Depending on the property, securing can also mean temporary fencing, shutting off water to a damaged section of the house, or moving belongings away from the open area.
When does a Tacoma home need to be boarded up?
Any time the outside can get in. The common situations are a tree or large limb on the roof, windows broken by flying debris, a door damaged during a fire response, and a fire that burned through part of the roof or an exterior wall.
Fires create openings people do not expect. Firefighters often break windows and cut into roofs on purpose to release heat and smoke. That work helps them put the fire out, and it also means a fire confined to one room can leave several openings on different sides of the house.
A good rule: if you can see daylight, feel a draft, or reach through it, it needs to be closed before the next rain.
Why does quick securing matter so much around Tacoma?
Timing and weather are the reason. Tacoma's wettest months run from November through January, and the area is prone to windstorms in fall and winter. The storm that breaks a window is often followed by more rain within days, so an uncovered opening rarely stays dry for long.
The housing matters too. Tacoma has a large number of historic properties, and many of its neighborhood business districts and the homes around them grew up along the streetcar lines of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Older houses in places like the Stadium District, Proctor and Hilltop often have plaster walls, wood floors and wood trim that are hard to match once they have been soaked.
Water that gets into those materials does not stay at the opening. It runs down inside wall cavities, soaks insulation, and collects under flooring. Wood swells and cups, plaster softens, and metal fixtures begin to corrode. Closing the opening early keeps the repair limited to what the storm or fire actually damaged.
What should you do before the crew arrives?
Start with safety, then protect what you can reach easily. Here is a sensible order.
- Stay clear of downed lines. The National Weather Service warns that power lines lying on the ground may still be live. Keep away from them and from anything they are touching, and report them to your utility.
- Wait for the all-clear after a fire. Do not go back inside until the fire department tells you it is safe to enter.
- Take photos first. Photograph each damaged area from outside and inside before anything is moved or covered.
- Move belongings out of the wet zone. Shift furniture, rugs, electronics and papers to a dry room if you can do it without walking under damaged ceilings.
- Catch what is dripping. Buckets, towels and plastic sheeting on the floor will limit how far the water spreads.
- Call your insurance company. Report the damage and ask what they need from you. Your insurer decides what your policy covers.
Then stop. You do not need to solve the roof or the wall yourself.
Can you board up a window or tarp a roof yourself?
A ground-floor window, often yes. A roof, usually no. If you have plywood, a drill and a second set of hands, covering a first-floor window from the outside is a reasonable job for a careful homeowner. Wear gloves and sturdy shoes, because broken glass travels farther than you expect.
Roofs are different. A wet roof in the wind is a fall risk, and a roof that has been hit by a tree or burned from below may not hold your weight. Tarps that are weighted with a few bricks instead of being properly anchored tend to come loose in the next gust, which puts you back where you started.
Leave these to a crew: anything on a roof, second-story windows, openings near electrical service lines, and any part of the house that looks like it has shifted or sagged.
What happens after the fire department leaves?
The house is yours to protect from that point on. Once the fire is out and officials have released the property, securing it is generally the owner's responsibility. Check your policy for what it asks you to do after a loss, and ask your adjuster if anything in it is unclear.
After a fire, securing usually happens alongside two other early tasks. One is dealing with the water used to put the fire out, which can soak floors and ceilings well away from the burned area. The other is a first look at soot and smoke residue, since it settles on surfaces throughout the house and is easier to clean before it has had time to stain and etch finishes.
A restoration crew can take on all three kinds of work, so you are not coordinating separate companies while you are also finding a place to sleep.
How long does board-up stay in place?
It stays until permanent repairs replace it, and that depends on your claim, your contractor's schedule and how long materials take to arrive. For a single broken window that might be days. For a fire-damaged roof it can be much longer.
Because of that, the work should be done as if it has to last through several storms. Plywood should be cut to the opening and fastened securely. Tarps should extend well past the damaged area and be anchored along their edges. It is worth walking around the house after every windy night to confirm that nothing has loosened.
Quick Answers for Tacoma Homeowners
Is board-up the same as a repair? No. It is a temporary cover that keeps weather and people out. A roofer, glazier or general contractor does the permanent work later.
The opening is small. Can it wait until the weekend? In a Tacoma fall, waiting usually means rain gets in first. A small roof puncture can wet a whole ceiling, so cover it or have it covered right away.
Do I need to be home when the crew secures the house? It helps to be there at the start so you can point out what was damaged and give access. You do not need to stay for the whole visit.
What should I save for the insurance company? Keep your photos, a short list of what was damaged, and receipts for anything you bought to protect the house, such as tarps or plywood.
The inside already got wet. Is securing still worth doing? Yes. Covering the opening stops more water from coming in, and drying can begin once the house is closed up.
Can someone come at night or on a weekend? ServiceMaster of Tacoma is available 24/7, including during storms.
If a windstorm or fire has left your home open to the weather, contact ServiceMaster of Tacoma to have it secured and to plan the cleanup and drying that come next.