search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
    • Century Club
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Legally Speaking
    • Safety Advice
    • Technical Details
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor eNews
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Latinos in RoofingLow Slope RoofingSteep Slope Roofing

Top 10 Most Popular Roofing Stories of 2021

By Chris Gray
supply-chain-crisis
December 29, 2021

Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic dominated the conversation in the roofing industry. 2020 felt like one of the worst years yet, and many were looking forward to 2021 being better.

The universe, it seems, had other plans. Just as the roofing industry adjusted to the pandemic, new difficulties like a supply shortage crisis caused massive problems. However, it wasn’t all bad news, with companies announcing major acquisitions and new ways to reduce environmental impacts.

RC took a look back at the most-read stories to see which issues mattered to readers in this tough year.

10. Young Guns…and Growing

The pandemic caused RC to forgo its tradition of selecting new nominees for our annual Young Guns – some of the best and brightest individuals under 40 in the roofing industry – but it gave an opportunity to catch up with former Young Guns. Roofing contractors enjoyed seeing how Young Guns Randy Brothers, Cody Hayes, Matt Gutierrez, Bryan Herrera and Tamira Trujillo are doing since their nominations.

9. Tesla CEO Claims ‘Significant Mistakes’ Made with Solar Roof

Tesla made waves when it entered the solar roofing market with its Solar Roof, with roofing contractors praising and critiquing the product. It’s no wonder, then, that one of the most popular stories from 2021 was when Tesla CEO Elon Musk admitted to making “significant mistakes” with certain aspects of its Solar Roof product during an earnings call.

8. Roofing Leaders Address Supply Chain Crisis During NRCA Town Hall

This year, the supply shortage arguably became the most pressing concern for roofing contractors, even overshadowing the pandemic at times. Roofing contractors wanting to know the status of the crisis checked out RC’s coverage of the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) Telephone Town Hall, where a leading group of industry manufacturers broke down the challenges they’re facing.

7. Dangerous Fall Shows Need for More Fall Safety in Roofing

Falls continue to remain the top cause of fatalities in the roofing industry and is the most cited OSHA violation in 2021. A rash of fall-related roofing incidents took place in the beginning of the year, including a death in Oregon and a critical injury in Ohio. The incidents point to a need for roofing contractors to ensure they’re being safe.

6. Impact of Attic Ventilation on Shingle Life

Roofing contractors know how important proper attic ventilation is and often have to communicate this with customers. To help drive the point home, Paul Scelsi, marketing communications manager at Air Vent Inc., took a deep dive into how attic ventilation affects shingle life with this article.

5. Tecta America Completes the Acquisition of Empire Roofing Inc.

In a major announcement, Tecta America announced that it acquired Texas-based Empire Roofing Inc. Consistent with Tecta's business model, the company and its related operations will operate going forward as Empire Roofing, a Tecta America Company. Empire employs over 700 professionals, and in 2020, was named RC's Commercial Contractor of the Year.

4. GAF Invests $100 Million into New Shingle Recycling Program

As more companies do their part to reduce their impact on the environment, GAF took a bold step by launching a new patented recycling process for asphalt shingles. GAF successfully produced the industry’s first asphalt roofing shingles containing recycled material from post-consumer and post-manufacture waste shingles that otherwise would have headed to a landfill. The company committed $100 million to bringing the project to commercial scale.

3. Roofing Industry Faces Unprecedented Supply Disruption

Unsurprisingly, the supply shortage crisis ended up being one of the most popular topics roofing contractors wanted more information on during 2021. In this article, RC caught up with experts from the NRCA following a webinar on the crisis to better understand what caused the shortage and what contractors can do.

2. Top 100 of 2021

Every year, RC tracks the top-performing roofing contractors across the country with its Top 100 list. The list is ranked by self-reported revenue from contractors, and has become an important marketing tool for contractors in both the residential and commercial sectors. This year marked the 13th consecutive year RC published its Top 100 list.

Those who want to make the list for 2022 can submit their company starting in January 2022.

1. Florida Senate Passes Bill Altering Property Insurance on Roof Damage Claims

Even beyond the pandemic and the supply shortage, one topic became one of the most popular and set off alarms in the roofing industry. Legislation in Florida targeted roof damage claims as well as litigation against insurance companies. The bill allows property insurers to only offer homeowner’s policies that adjust roof claims to actual cash value if the roof is older than 10 years. The bill also allows property insurers to offer homeowners the option of purchasing a stated value limit for roof coverage.

The legislation was temporarily halted, but caused the roofing industry to wonder of other states will pass similar legislation.

KEYWORDS: COVID-19 fall prevention Florida GAF supply shortage Tecta America Tesla top lists ventilation young guns

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Chrisgray
Chris Gray is the editor of Roofing Contractor and Roofing Supply Pro. He has worked in the fields of journalism and copywriting for nearly 20 years, ranging from local print newspapers to the multi-media promotion of international artists.


Reach him at 248-244-6498 or grayc@bnpmedia.com.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Roofing Contractor Group Publisher Jill Bloom

    Physics, the Power of Authenticity and You

    In February's Publisher's Note, Jill Bloom describes a...
    Columns
    By: Jill Bloom
  • The Family Food Fare supermarket in Midland, Mich.

    ‘Rooftop Ninja’ Discovered Living on Roof, Inside Grocery Sign

    A bizarre tale out of Midland, Mich.: a woman dubbed the...
    Roofing News
    By: Bryan Gottlieb
  • A before and after heat measurement comparison

    How Hot is Too Hot in the Attic?

    If the ventilation is working, how hot should the attic...
    Sustainable Roofing
    By: Paul Scelsi
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • An overhead view of a residential block
    Sponsored byCBIZ CompuData

    From Spreadsheets to Strategy: How Roofing Companies Can Transform Financial Operations

  • Snow Guard Solutions for Metal Roofs by S-5!
    Sponsored byS-5!

    Safeguard Your Building: How Snow Guards Prevent Costly Roof & Property Damage

  • A hand holding a wooden block that reads 'EVOLVE'
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Embracing Change: A New Era for the Roofing Industry

Popular Stories

Agentes de ICE arrestaron a casi una docena de empleados de una empresa de techos en Lowell, Massachusetts. Los arrestos son parte de una redada federal más amplia contra la contratación no autorizada y las violaciones migratorias en Boston.

ICE Redondea a Equipo de Techos Afuera de Boston

QXO CEO Brad Jacobs will share the company’s strategic vision today at the Wolfe Research Global Transportation & Industrials Conference in New York following its acquisition of Beacon Roofing Supply..

QXO’s Brad Jacobs Charts Growth at Wolfe Research Conference

A new study by TalentLMS and WorkTango on employee morale and mental health asserts that communication is key.

The Roofing Consolidation Boom—and Its Impact on Workers

Roofing Contractor Webinar

Events

December 3, 2025

The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.

View All Submit An Event

Related Articles

  • covid-19-globe

    Top 10 Most Popular Roofing Stories from 2020

    See More
  • 45488.jpeg

    Top 10 Most Popular Roofing Articles of 2022

    See More
  • OSHA's Top 10 roofing-related violations of 2024.

    Top 10 Largest Roofing-Related OSHA Penalties of 2024

    See More
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing