What the International Roofing Expo is
The International Roofing Expo (IRE) is the annual trade show for the roofing and exteriors trades in North America. It is produced by Informa Markets in partnership with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), and it moves between host cities each year.
The show combines three things: an exhibit hall of suppliers and manufacturers, a conference program of education sessions taught by working practitioners, and several days of unstructured time with peers. Dates, venue, floor plan and the exhibitor list are published at theroofingexpo.com ahead of each show.
Why NRCIA members go
Roof inspection is a field where the product changes underneath you. New coverings, new underlayments, new solar attachment methods and new code language all reach the field faster than they reach any textbook. Walking an exhibit hall is a fast way to see what is coming before it shows up on a client’s roof and you have to explain it.
Three things members typically get out of the week:
- Material knowledge. Manufacturer reps will walk you through failure modes and installation details for their systems. Ask about the details that leak, not the ones in the brochure.
- Session content. The conference program regularly covers documentation, safety, insurance work and business operations, all of which sit close to inspection practice.
- Referral relationships. Contractors who do not offer inspection work are a natural referral source for members who do, and the reverse is true as well.
Getting more out of the show
Pick your sessions before you arrive. The conference and exhibit passes cover different parts of the program, and some training classes carry a separate fee, so read what a pass includes before you buy.
Bring a specific question. Inspectors who arrive with a real problem from a recent job, an odd flashing failure or a coating that keeps blistering, tend to leave with an answer. Inspectors who arrive to browse tend to leave with a tote bag.
Turning a trade show into an accreditation
Conference sessions build knowledge. Accreditation builds a documented standard you can hand to a client, an agent or an adjuster. NRCIA programs cover roof inspection through RoofGUARD™, root-cause and expert-witness work through ForensicGUARD™, exterior elevated elements through E3GUARD™, and insurance-related evaluations through DisasterGUARD™. Accredited members work the five-zone LeakFREE® Check and deliver findings in a LeakFREE® Roof Inspection Report.
LeakFREE® is our federally registered trademark. Only NRCIA members can issue a LeakFREE® certification.
Review the programs and join NRCIA.
LeakFREE®, Forensic ROOF®, Mr. RoofCheck®, InspectionPLUS®, Today’s Inspection… Tomorrow’s Protection®, and Got Leaks?® are registered trademarks of Field Gate FLP, used by permission. RoofGUARD™, ForensicGUARD™, DisasterGUARD™, E3GUARD™, and Think Like a Raindrop™ are trademarks of Field Gate FLP.
