Breaking barriers: Innovative solutions transforming the roofing industry, one breakthrough at a time

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Revolutionary roofing solutions promise to transform moisture management and energy efficiency. 

In the latest episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth discusses the innovative solutions shaping the future of roofing with Chris Meyer, director of low-slope roofing at VaproShield. With over two decades of expertise in wall water-resistant barriers, VaproShield is now setting its sights on revolutionizing the commercial roofing market. 

Chris noted a critical gap in roofing systems as the lack of continuous air barriers, which he says contributes to “roughly 90% of condensation and moisture issues in a roofing envelope.” To address this, VaproShield introduced SlopeShield Plus, a permeable vapor retarder that balances moisture control and air tightness while allowing roofs to "breathe" through seasonal cycles. 

A major focus of the conversation was on the game-changing potential of SlopeShield Plus in both new and re-roofing projects. Expressing how the product effectively addresses persistent moisture issues, Chris explains, “We had a plywood deck project up in Portland where the plywood was roughly 40% moist at the time from the readings that we got. And we took that all the way down to 10% in 43 days.”  

For re-roofing applications, Chris recounts a standout case: a long-troubled concrete roof system that retained visible water. After applying SlopeShield Plus and installing vents to enhance air movement, the system dried completely in just 47 days. Chris shares, “And this was a roof that had been retaining moisture. When we cut some of the cores open, you could visibly see water in the roof.” 

As energy codes grow stricter, Chris stresses the importance of adapting to evolving building science. He advises contractors to focus on educating building owners about the added value of air-tight and moisture-controlled roofing systems. "We used to call it the wetting and drying cycles of a roof, back when we had black roofs. Now that we have all these highly reflective options and everything's increasing around the Heat Island Index, when you switch to these highly reflective roofs, the temperature of the roof doesn't get as high. So, it doesn't have the ability to dry out the way that it used to. So, we need to look at some newer ways of controlling how moisture is introduced into that system."  

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how these advancements could redefine the roofing industry and boost your business!