# Board-up and tarping in University City > Securing fire-damaged homes, townhomes and apartments in University City near UNC Charlotte: breezeway doors, sliders and shared roofs. URL: https://firedamagerestorationcharlotte.com/board-up-tarping-university-city/ Section: Home > Service areas > University City > Board-Up and Tarping in University City Last updated: 2026-10-31 Disclosure: Fire Damage Restoration Charlotte is a call-in referral service. Your call is connected to an independent, licensed local contractor who speaks with you on that call; we do not perform the work ourselves. University City housing is mostly garden apartments, townhome rows and two-story subdivision houses built from the 1980s on, many rented to students and staff at UNC Charlotte. After a fire, who boards up what depends on whether you own the house, rent a unit or manage the building. The [board-up and tarping](https://firedamagerestorationcharlotte.com/services/board-up-and-tarping/) page describes the basic method. Ring the number and an independent local contractor answers through our line, ready to sort out with you what needs closing up before the call ends. ## Key facts - University City is the northeast Charlotte district that grew up around UNC Charlotte and University Research Park [6]. - The U.S. Fire Administration advises staying off fire-damaged roofs and floors until they are checked, because they may not hold weight [2]. - The National Weather Service office at Greenville-Spartanburg issues the forecasts and storm warnings used for the Charlotte area [5]. ## Who secures a University City apartment after a fire In a rented apartment, the building belongs to the owner, so boarding windows, securing breezeway doors and covering the roof is normally arranged by property management. A tenant's job is usually to get out safely, tell management and their renters insurer, and collect belongings once the fire department allows it. If management is slow to act and your unit is left open, write down when you reported it and to whom. Owners of single-family houses and many townhomes arrange board-up themselves, working with their own insurer. Townhome owners should read their association documents first, because roofs and exterior walls are often the association's responsibility. ## Garden apartment buildings around W.T. Harris Boulevard A typical two- or three-story garden building has units opening onto a shared breezeway or stairwell, all under one continuous roof [6]. A fire in one unit can break windows and doors on its own unit and scorch the breezeway beside it. Crews secure the fire unit's entry door and windows, then check neighboring units for broken glass. Ground-floor sliding patio doors are the biggest openings to close in these buildings. Upper-floor balconies may need panels across the slider and a check that the balcony itself is still sound before anyone stands on it. ## Shared roofs over a row of units Because one roof covers many units, a hole burned above one apartment lets rain fall into an attic that runs over its neighbors too. A tarp needs to cover the damage with plenty of overlap and be fixed to sound framing. On a long roof, crews may need to work from a lift. Charlotte gets frequent summer thunderstorms, and remnants of tropical storms sometimes drop heavy rain over several days. A roof cover that is not firmly fixed can fail in a single storm, so checking the forecast before and after the work is worth the time [5]. ## Board-up order for a University City building A common sequence for apartments, townhomes or houses. 1. **Release and utility checks for the 28262 property:** The fire department clears the building and gas and power are made safe. 2. **Photograph the unit, the breezeway and the roofline:** Pictures from outside and from shared spaces record damage before covers go on. 3. **Close sliders, windows and the unit entry:** Panels sized to the openings, fixed to frames rather than siding. 4. **Cover the roof over the fire unit and its neighbors:** A wide tarp lapped past the damage and fastened with battens. ## Two-story subdivision homes off Mallard Creek Church Road Single-family houses in University City subdivisions are usually two stories with vinyl siding, an attached garage and a fairly steep roof. Upper-floor windows need a tall ladder or lift, and steep roofs call for safety lines. Vinyl siding near the fire can melt, so panels are fixed to window frames and framing rather than through soft siding. Attached garages are a frequent starting point for house fires. If the overhead door is warped, bracing it closed or covering the opening keeps the house sealed. ## Student households and belongings Many renters near UNC Charlotte are students, sometimes several sharing one unit. After a fire, each person's belongings may be covered by their own renters policy, a parent's homeowner policy, or nothing at all. Removing laptops, documents, medicines and other important items early, once allowed, saves worry later. The American Red Cross often helps people displaced by a home fire with immediate needs such as lodging and essentials [7]. ## Details to share on a University City board-up call These help the contractor plan. - **Owner, renter or property manager:** This decides who arranges the work. - **Which floor and building the fire unit is in:** And whether breezeways were damaged. - **Sliding doors or windows that broke:** These need the largest panels. - **Whether the shared roof is open:** And over how many units. ## Townhome rows near the light rail Newer townhomes and mid-rise apartments built near the light rail stations often have three or more floors, and some have low-slope roofs covered with a membrane. Covering an opening in a membrane roof is different from tarping shingles, and higher windows may need a lift. In these communities, management or the association typically coordinates securing the building. ## Permits and North Carolina insurance help Temporary covers usually go on without a permit, while structural repairs afterward go through Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement [4]. Keep records of when covers went on. The North Carolina Department of Insurance explains how property claims generally work and can help with questions [1]. ## After a University City building is secured Once the property is closed, drying [water from firefighting](https://firedamagerestorationcharlotte.com/services/water-damage-from-firefighting/) in units below and cleaning smoke from neighbors can begin. The [University City](https://firedamagerestorationcharlotte.com/areas/university-city/) page explains how shared buildings recover. Our guide on [whether it is safe to stay after a fire](https://firedamagerestorationcharlotte.com/guides/is-it-safe-to-stay-after-a-fire/) helps renters decide whether to stay in a nearby unit. ## Board-Up and Tarping in University City: questions ### Do I board up my University City apartment as a renter? Usually not. The landlord or management arranges securing the building; tell them right away. ### Who covers the roof over a University City townhome row? Often the association. Check your governing documents. ### Can panels be fixed through vinyl siding on a subdivision house? They are usually fixed to window frames and framing instead, since siding near a fire may be weak. ## Sources 1. [North Carolina Department of Insurance](https://www.ncdoi.gov/) 2. [U.S. Fire Administration: Home fire prevention and safety](https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/) 3. [American Red Cross: Home fires](https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire.html) 4. [Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement](https://code.mecknc.gov/) 5. [National Weather Service: Climate of Charlotte (GSP office)](https://www.weather.gov/gsp/) 6. [Wikipedia: University of North Carolina at Charlotte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Charlotte) 7. [American Red Cross: Home fires](https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire.html) ## Talk to someone Call (704) 386-9209 (+17043869209). Your call connects to an independent local contractor who speaks with you on that call.