Board-up and roof tarping for Lakewood homes after a fire

Many Lakewood houses have the steep, cross-gabled roofs typical of 1920s and 1930s Tudor design. Steep pitches make tarping dangerous for anyone without fall protection, and fire-weakened decking adds to the risk. Contractors often work from ladders on the eaves, roof jacks or a lift, fastening the tarp with wood battens and running it over the ridge so wind-driven rain cannot get under it.

Cross gables and valleys complicate things: water collects where roof planes meet, and a tarp that does not lap correctly into the valley will funnel rain straight into the house. Ask how the contractor plans to handle valleys before they start.

Original double-hung wood windows, some with old wavy glass, are common in Lakewood. Firefighters may break them for ventilation. Where the frames survive, boards can be fastened through the outer casing or braced from inside to limit new holes, and broken sashes can be saved for a window restorer. Save pieces of broken leaded or decorative glass in a labeled box.

If your street is inside a protected district in East Dallas, original windows are often a focus of review for permanent repairs ^[2]. Good photos and saved pieces make that process easier.

Lakewood's big trees shade the roofs, and after a fire, limbs may need trimming before a tarp can be installed or to keep branches from tearing it in the next storm. Leaves and twigs pile up on tarps and in gutters, so tarped roofs need checking after windy days.

With White Rock Lake and its parkland close by ^[3], raccoons, squirrels and birds move quickly into open attics. Covering gable vents and roof holes, and closing gaps in crawlspace skirting, keeps them out while the house is empty.

Most homeowners policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage ^[1]. Keep the board-up contractor's photos and invoice, and note the date the work was done. Because boards hide the damage, your before photos are the adjuster's main record of original windows and doors. For the broader process, see the board-up and tarping service page.

Some Lakewood houses, especially Spanish Eclectic designs, have clay tile roofs, and a few older homes have slate. Walking on either breaks pieces, and fire-damaged tile can be loose. Tarping these roofs usually means working from a lift or carefully placed supports, and saving intact tiles from damaged areas so they can be reused to match during repairs.

Many Lakewood lots have a detached garage at the back, sometimes with a small apartment above. If the fire involved that building, or heat damaged it, it needs its own board-up and tarp. A garage apartment with a tenant raises questions about notice and temporary housing; talk to your insurer about how the policy treats it.

If part of the house is badly damaged or the front porch is unsafe, temporary fencing keeps neighbors, children and dogs away. On Lakewood's walkable streets, people pass close to the house every day, and a damaged porch or loose debris near the sidewalk is a real risk.

After a significant fire, gas is often shut off at the meter. Only Atmos Energy or a qualified technician should restore it, and you should call from outside if you smell gas ^[4]. Older wiring that got wet should stay off until an electrician checks it.

Many Lakewood houses greet the street with a porch, stoop or small covered entry. If firefighters entered through the front, or the fire reached the porch roof, the entry may be damaged and unsafe to walk on. Contractors can brace a weakened porch roof, block off an unsafe stoop and set up a safe temporary entrance at a side or rear door so the front can wait for proper repair.

Keep the original porch columns, brackets and railings if they come off. They are much easier to restore or copy than to recreate from photos alone.

Board-up stays until windows, doors and roof sections are permanently repaired. In an older Lakewood house, where original windows may be restored rather than replaced and exterior work may need review, that can take longer than in a newer home. Plan for the boards and tarp to be in place for weeks or months, and ask the contractor how often they will check them.

A short note to neighbors with the contractor's name helps. People on Lakewood's walkable streets notice changes, and a neighbor who knows who belongs at the house can call you if they see something wrong.