Learn about roofing from the experts themselves

By Emma Peterson.

AskARoofer Minisodes are a great way to learn more about the roof above your head!  

Here at AskARoofer (AAR), we know that life gets busy, and time is a hot commodity. This is why we developed the AAR Minisode podcast series! Each episode of this series is 10-minutes or less, making it easy to get concise and informative advice about common issues and concerns related to maintaining your roof. The best part? You are learning directly from industry experts and our trusted RoofersCoffeeShop® R-club members!  

Whether you are looking for specific solutions or to increase your knowledge of the roofing world in general, make sure to check out the series on AskARoofer, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and any other streaming service you use for podcasts. Keep reading to get a sneak preview of a few of our most recent episodes!

Storm safety

The aftermath of a weather event, whether it’s hail, snow, high winds or some other form of storm, is a crucial time to be aware of your roof’s condition. In one of our recent episodes, we reached out to Mike Vaughn of  DaVinci Roofscapes and Mark McMillan of Horn Brothers Roofing to learn what homeowners should do if their roof is damaged by a storm. The duo pointed out that the first step in checking is to have a qualified, licensed contractor or insurance adjuster to get up on the roof. That way, you’re getting an honest and accurate opinion on the severity of the damage.

In another episode, listeners had the chance to learn about general care that should be done year-round in order to set your roof up for success in the case of a storm. In this conversation, expert Bridget Wilson from Cardinal Roofing shared her insights on both the immediate, short-term actions to take after a storm and the more long-term care that keeps your roof performing well over the years. One of her big points was to make sure that not only your roof be maintained, but your entire roof system. An example of this is making sure your gutters are unclogged so that water drains properly off the roof, avoiding structural damage and other issues.  

Understanding underlayment

In addition to episodes covering roof maintenance in preparation for when a storm hits, Dominic Favazza from GCP joined us for an episode all about underlayment. Roofing underlayment is a protective layer placed between the roof sheathing and shingles and is key to your roof’s ability to keep you safe and dry no matter what Mother Nature throws your way. One of the interesting things that came up in this episode was the revelation there are different kinds of underlayments that perform better in certain climates. Dominic explained, “In climates like New Mexico for example, we typically encourage homeowners to look for an underlayment with an in-service temperature rating of 180°or more, because that thermal heat that radiates through those shingles can reach pretty high temperatures.”

Building barndominiums

We also got the chance to sit down with Stacee Lynn, founder of The Barndominium Company, for an episode exploring more about the rise of this metal building trend. This episode has all of the information you could ever want about these structures, from engineering tips to architectural trends! Stacee even shared a little history on how this trend started, “Barndominiums have been around for a long time, a lot of people think they came out of Texas, but it actually came out of Connecticut. There was a gentleman back in the 1990s who was doing a development in the suburbs of Connecticut, and he coined the term so that people could house their horses in the same subdivision as their residential space!”  

Keep an eye out for next AskARoofer Minisode to learn more about the world of roofing!