Simplifying ventilation systems

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Gibraltar Building Accessories aligns brands and educational opportunities to deliver consistent, trusted ventilation performance. 

As consolidation continues to reshape the roofing industry, Gibraltar Building Accessories is moving to meet contractors where complexity has grown. During this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards spoke with Justin Ache about why the industry is pushing toward simpler, more consistent ventilation solutions and how Gibraltar is responding by unifying its ventilation offerings under the AirVent name. 

Justin, division marketing specialist at Gibraltar, explained the shift around the realities contractors face every day. “I really think it’s people trying to simplify how they buy and install a roof,” he said. Rather than reducing options, he explained, the goal is ensuring that the options available work together, removing guesswork that can lead to inconsistent performance and callbacks. 

That confusion, Justin noted, often stems from mismatched systems sourced from different manufacturers. “Right now, you might install shingles from company A, and they tell you to then use an exhaust from A or B, and you’re supposed to guess which intake pairs best with it.” Distributors and retailers, he added, have responded by tightening assortments so contractors are not forced to mix and match on the roof. 

Under the unified AirVent brand, Gibraltar is working to eliminate what Justin described as product roulette across regions. Contractors operating in multiple states or responding to storm work have historically encountered different brand names for similar products. “Now they see the AirVent brand and immediately know, ‘okay, this is the same quality I’m used to, just a different style for a different region,’” he said. “That’s the whole point. Clean up confusion, boost the trust.” 

Education remains central to that effort. AirVent’s Ask the Expert seminar series, now in its 28th season, is designed to help contractors understand not just what to install, but why. Justin shared, “The whole point of these seminars is to keep contractors updated on code changes, best practices and honestly, the why behind ventilation.” He emphasized that the sessions are tailored by region and audience, making them relevant whether contractors are working in Florida, the Pacific Northwest or the Midwest. 

That focus on education extends online through AirVent’s ventilation calculators. “Having people go and say, ‘hey, I am installing this kind of roof, it’s this big attic square space, here’s the kind of intake I want to use, here’s the kind of exhaust I want to use, how much do I need of each,’” Justin said. “Behind each one of those calculations is a roof getting installed correctly.” 

Gibraltar’s involvement at the code level reinforces that commitment. Justin noted that Paul, a longtime AirVent educator, serves as chair of the ventilation solutions group with Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, helping align manufacturers and contractors around evolving requirements. “We really want to be in front of the asphalt shingle manufacturers when we discuss ventilation,” he said. “We’re really proud of it.” 

For contractors, consistency matters, especially as crews, markets and weather conditions vary. By consolidating under a single, widely recognized brand, Gibraltar aims to make ventilation decisions clearer and performance more predictable, roof after roof. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about AirVent and Gibraltar Building Accessories!