Roofing Glossary - Roofing Terminology

AAMA American Architectural Manufacturers Association.

Acrylic Coating A system to coat roofing that uses a base coating made of acrylic resin.

Aggregate A term used to describe the ballast that is distributed on top of the roofing system.
Aggregate material consist of rock, stone, crushed stone or slag, water-worn gravel, crushed lava rock, or marble chips.

AIA American Institute of Architects.

Aggregate Ballast for a roof system. Aggregate can be rock, stone, river rock, crushed stone.

Alligatoring A defect in the surface of a bitumen roof. The cracks appear in the top of the roof and look like alligator leather.

Aluminized Steel Is sheet steel that has a thin coating of aluminum its surface to aid the steel's capacity to resist weathering.

ANSI Is a source for conformity standardization. It stands for, American National Standards Institute.

Apron Flashing The metal flashing that faces the down the slope of the roof, where the front of a wall or chimney joins the roof.

Architectural Panel A roof panel made from metal that typically needs a solid substrate.

Architectural shingles are becoming the most popular choice of shingle for steep sloped roofs. Also known as dimensional and laminate shingle.

Asbestos A fiber that was added to cement to manufacture shingles.

ASHI The oldest and largest professional organization for home inspectors in North America. American Society of Home Inspectors.

Asphalt Roll Roofing Made from the same material used to make shingles, except it comes in rolls usually 36 inches wide. It is a lower cost solution often used on utility buildings.

Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material used in Ohio on steep sloped roofs.

ASTM Develops international standards for materials, products, systems and services used in construction. American Society for Testing and Materials.

Back Nailing also blind nailing nailing the roofing material so that the fastener is shielded from the weather by the next course of material being installed.

Back Surfacing Fine mineral dust coated on the underside of asphalt roofing shingles to prevent them from sticking to each other while in the package.

Ballast Material that is installed over a single ply membrane. Usually consists of river rock or premade concrete paving stones.

Barrel Roof Is a design of roof which features a partial round shape to it.

Base Ply The primary component in the first ply of roofing material in a flat roof system.

Base Sheet A sheet impregnated with asphalt utilized as the initial ply in certain built-up and modified bitumen roofs.

Batten A wood furring screwed or nailed to the roof deck utilized in securing the chosen roof system.

Bitumen A petroleum based roofing product.

Bleeder Strip also Rake Starter The starter strip that is installed along the rake.

Blind Nailing also back nailing fastening the roof material so it is protected from moisture by the following material that is getting installed.

Blister An encapsulated compartment of air, which might be combined with moisture or vapor, contained in between layers of felt or membrane and the roof deck.

Blocking Sections of treated or untreated wood built into a roof system, commonly affixed on top of the deck and underneath the membrane layer, utilized in order to stiffen the deck surrounding an opening, or to serve as a nailer for attachment of the membrane layer and/or flashing.

BOCA This is the code most municipalities adopt. Building Officials and Code Administrators, International, Inc.

BOMA Network of professionals involved in building ownership, management, development and leasing. Building Owners & Managers Association, International

Bond The adhesive factors keeping several components bonded together.

Boot A portion of material shaped to shield roof penetrations, typically plumbing pipes, from water infiltration.

Brake Is a device to cleanly bend metal. Can be hand held or weigh several tons.

Bridging This is a condition where roofing membrane spans an unsupported area on the roofing deck.

Brooming A method used to press the roofing membrane and the substrate together to assist the adhesive to bond together. It is simply using a push broom over the recently layed material.

Buckle A wrinkle in the roofing material caused by incorrectly placing the membrane or it could also be because of heat expansion.

Built-Up Roof Membrane also BUR Is a roofing membrane material that is made of layers of bitumen.
It also has reinforcement, in the way of fabric, that is installed between the layers.

Bundle A reference to a package of roofing shingles. Can also refer to wood shakes.

Butt Joint Where two parts of roofing material meet.

Butyl A rubber like product created by copolymerizing isobutylene along with a modest quantity of isoprene. Butyl can be produced in sheets or mixed along with various other elastomeric components in order to produce sealants and adhesives.

CABO Council of American Building Officials.

California Valley A valley is a junction of two sections of roof that slope into each other. A California valley refers to a valley that doesn't use any metal or flashing to join the two sections of roof. This is not the preferred method in our Ohio climate because it will not last as long as the rest of the roof.

Camber A moderate convex contour of a roof area, such as in a pre-stressed concrete deck.

Cant To give a slanting edge to. Often used to refer to cant strip.

Cant Strip A strip of material utilized to create a 45 degree transition from the roof deck to a vertical wall.  Cant strips are usually formed with wood.

Cap Flashing Composed of metal or tile. Usually used to cover a parapet wall and the termination of roofing membrane.

Cap Sheet Is a granule surfaced coated sheet utilized as the uppermost ply of some built-up roofs.

Capillary Action The action that causes movement of water by surface tension when in contact with two adjacent surfaces such as metal roofing panels.

Catalyst An ingredient in multi part roof systems that initiates or increases a chemically reactive environment.

Caulk Usually used non-specifically to refer to any material that comes out of a caulk gun.

Cavitation As it applies to spray foamed roofing, it is when a void is created in pump line. It will cause the ratio of two part materials to go out of spec.

Chalk Line A line wound on a reel in a box that contains powered chalk and is used to make a straight line as a guide to installing materials.

Chase Chimney Unlike a mortar chimney a chase chimney is essentially a wooden box with a steel chimney crown on top. The box is typically covered with vinyl, aluminum or wood siding. They sometimes are covered in simulated stone.

Cladding Material utilized to decoratively encase the exterior walls of a structure.

Closed Valley A valley is a junction of two sections of roof that slope into each other. A closed valley refers to a valley that doesn't use any metal or flashing to join the two sections of roof. This is not the preferred method in our Ohio climate because it will not last as long as the rest of the roof. It could be a cut valley, a California cut valley, or a woven valley.

Coal Tar Pitch A roofing material used in flat or low-slope built-up roofs.

Coal Tar Roof Cement A combination involving prepared coal tar foundation, solvents, mineral fillers possibly fibers that can be applied with a trowel.

Coil Nails Roofing nails that are designed to driven by a nail gun. They are held together by two wires spot welded to the shaft of the nail. The section of wire that holds each wire is cut as they are fired into the shingle.

Combing Ridge An expression employed in order to express an installment associated with completing slate at the ridgeline of a roof by which the particular slates upon an individual section project past the apex of the ridge.

Composition Shingle A category of roofing shingle utilized in steep-slope roofing and normally composed of roofing-grade asphalt, a fiberglass reinforcing mat and mineral granules on top.

Compressive Strength The ability of materials and components to resist deformation or other damage caused by the weight of compression of either live or dead loads.

Contact Cement Adhesives that are utilized to bond roofing components.

Coping The piece of material used to cover the top of a wall and protect it from the elements. It can be constructed from metal, masonry, or stone.

Copper A reddish-brown element that conducts heat and electricity very well. It is also used as a primary roof material as well as a flashing component.

Cornice A horizontal projecting part that crowns the wall of a building.

Counter Batten Wood strips installed vertically on sloped roofs over which horizontal battens are secured. Counter flashing: Formed metal sheeting secured to walls, curbs, or other surfaces, for use in protecting the top edge of base flashings from exposure to weather.

Counter Flashing Sheet metal that is secured onto a wall, curb, chimney or some other similar surface to cover and to prevent moisture from getting behind the top of the step flashing or termination of the membrane or other roofing material.

Course The row formed by the roofing material being installed.

Cove In roofing, a heavy bead of sealant material installed at the point where vertical and horizontal planes meet.

CPA Copolymer Alloy.

CPE Chlorinated Polyethylene.

Cricket A roof component used to divert water away from curbs, platforms, chimneys, walls, or other roof penetrations and projections. See also Saddle.

CSPE Chlorosulfonated polyethylene.

Cupola A small roofed structure set on the ridge of a main roof area. They are usually decorative but may also provide ventilation.

Curb A raised member used to support skylights, HVAC units, exhaust fans, hatches or other pieces of mechanical equipment above the level of the roof surface.

Cure A process by which a material is forms permanent molecular linkages by exposure to chemicals, heat, pressure, and/or weathering.

Cure Time The time necessary to effect curing.

Curing Agent A material additive that alters chemical activity between the components resulting in a change in the rate of cure.

Curing Compound A liquid that is applied to newly installed concrete which slows water loss while curing.

Cutback Bitumen thinned by solvents that is used in cold-process roofing adhesives, roof cements, and roof coatings.

Cut-off A detail designed to seal and prevent lateral water movement in an insulation system, and used to separate different sections of a roofing system.

Cutout The open area between shingle tabs. Also known as a "throat".

Cut Valley A valley is a junction of two sections of roof that slope into each other. A Cut valley refers to a valley that doesn't use any metal or flashing to join the two sections of roof. This is not the preferred method in our Ohio climate because it will not last as long as the rest of the roof.

Dead Loads Permanent non-moving loads that result from the weight of a building's structural and architectural components, mechanical and electrical equipment, and the roof assembly.

Dead Level Horizontal or flat, as in a roof deck or rooftop with no intentional slope to the roof drains.

Dead Loads Permanent non-moving loads that result from the weight of a building's structural and architectural components, mechanical and electrical equipment, and the roof assembly.

Deck A structural component of the roof of a building.

Decking also sheeting: This is the wood that the roofing material will rest on. It is most often OSB (Oriented Strand Board), but can also be plywood or one inch thick planking.

Delamination Usually refers to when the layers of a sheet of plywood separate, causing the material to be weaken.

Dew Point The temperature that water vapor condenses. Cooling at or below the dew point will cause condensation.

Dimensional shingles are becoming the most popular choice of shingle for steep sloped roofs. Also known as architectural and laminate shingle.

Dimensional Stability The ability of a material to resist change in length, width, and/or thickness that results from exposure to elevated or freezing temperatures, and moisture, over time.

Dome A roof with a partial-spherical shape.

Dormer A framed projection through the sloping plane of a roof.

Double Coverage Installing roofing so that there is twice the material used resulting in a double layer of roofing. Commonly refers to double felting a low pitched roof before installing shingles.

Downspout A conduit used to carry runoff water from a scupper, conductor head, or gutter from the roof.

Drain An outlet or other device used to collect and direct the flow of runoff water from a roof area.

Drip Edge A strip of metal at the edge of the roof.

Dynamic Load Any load which is nonstatic, such as a wind load or a moving live load.

Dry-In A term used to describe the temporary water tightening of a roof during the installation period.

EPDM Rubber Membrane (ethylene propylene diene monomer) Used for flat roofing applications. It is resistant to heat, cold, weather, UV and also does not pollute runoff water.

Eave A roof edge that extends out past the exterior wall.

Eaves-Trough Another name for Gutter.

ECH Polyepichlorohydrin, commonly referred to as epichlorohydrin.

Elastomer A material which, after being stretched, will return to its original shape.

Elastomeric Properties of a material that will permit it to return to its original shape after being stretched.

Efflorescence The formation of mineral deposits, usually white in color, on the face of stone, brick, concrete or other masonry surface. Usually caused by alkalies that have leached through the mortar.

Elasticity The ability of a material to return to its original size after being stretched.

Elastomeric The elastic, rubber-like properties of a material that will stretch when pulled and will return relatively quickly to its original shape when released.

Elongation The ability of a material to be stretched or lengthened.

Emulsion Fine particles suspended in a liquid solution. See also Asphalt Emulsion and Bituminous Emulsion.

End Lap The extension of one component of material past the end of an adjacent piece of material.

Envelope A continuous seal for preventing bitumen from leaking down into or off a building. Is constructed by extending the base sheet or other non-porous ply of felt beyond the edge of the field plies. It is then turned back onto the top of the system and adhered. See also Bitumen-Stop.

Epichlorohydrin (ECH) A synthetic rubber material similar to EPDM with a stronger resistance to animal fats and oils than EPDM.

Epoxy A category of synthetic resins that produce chemical-resistant coatings and adhesives.

EPDM Rubber Membrane (ethylene propylene diene Monomer) Used for flat roofing applications. It is resistant to heat, cold, weather, UV and also does not pollute runoff water.

Exhaust Vent A device used to vent air from the roof cavity with vents that are installed on or near the higher portions of the roof such as the ridge.

Exotherm Heat generated by a chemical reaction.

Exposure The portion of the membrane that is not overlapped by the succeeding ply or course. Or, the portion of the roofing material exposed to the weather after being installed.

Extrusion The process of manufacturing and/or shaping a material by forcing it through a die.

Flashing This is usually metal that appears were the shingle terminates into something else. Examples are; step flashing, chimney flashing, valley flashing, apron flashing, etc.

Felt also underlayment An asphalt saturated organic mat that is applied between the roof deck and the shingles. Type I is commonly referred to as #15 and type II is #30.

Fascia Vertical roof trim located along the perimeter of a building, usually below the roof level.

Ferrule Used in conjunction with a spike to fasten gutter to the fascia.

Flashing Components used to seal the roof system at areas where the roof covering is interrupted or terminated. This would include things like chimneys, soil pipes, furnace vent pipes. electric service, HVAC fittings, skylights, curbs, walls, etc.

Fleece Mats or felts used as a membrane backer and composed of fibers.

Flood Coat The surfacing layer of bitumen into which aggregate is embedded. A flood coat is applied at an approximate rate of 45 to 60 pounds per 100 square feet.

Flood Test A water test performed to determine the effectiveness of a roof covering.

Fluid-Applied Elastomer A liquid elastomeric substance which cures to create a one piece rubber membrane.

Gable A triangular shaped section that protrudes out from a perpendicular section of a roof.

Galvalume Trade name for a protective coating composed of aluminum zinc.

Galvanic Action A reaction between different metals in the presence of an electrolyte.

Galvanize To coat with zinc.

Gambrel Roof A roof that has two different pitches.

Geodesic Dome A geodesic dome is a structure that uses a pattern of self bracing triangles to gain maximum strength.

Gravel Stop A sheet metal piece that fits on the perimeter of a flat roof. Similar to drip edge except it has a built in partition to prevent the flow of gravel or water over the side of the roof.

Gutter A trough installed on the downward slope of a roof to control the flow of water off of it.

Hat Vent A stationery vent that gets installed near the peak of the roof to provide exhaust ventilation for the attic.

Hand-Tabbing Applying spots of roof cement to the underside of shingle tabs.

Hatch A unit used to provide access to a roof from the interior of a building.

Heat Welding Fusing sections of roofing material together through the use of hot air or an open flame and pressure.

Head Lap The portion of an unexposed portion of a shingle that is covered by the row or course of shingles two courses above it.

Hem The edge created by folding metal back on itself. Metal is hemmed for safety and strength reasons.

Hip The angle produced by way of that intersection of two sloping roofing sections.

Hip Roof A roof that rises by inclined planes on all sides of a building. The line where two adjacent sloping sides of a roof meet is called the Hip.

Hoist A mechanical device used to lift roofing materials to roof. A hoist can be hand or electrically operated.

Hot Slang for hot bitumen.

Humidity The amount of water vapor in the air. Combined with temperature it can be a critical consideration in the installation of some roof materials.

HVAC Acronym for Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning.

Hypalon The trademark name for Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE), which is a single-ply roofing material.

ICBO International Conference of Building Officials, responsible for The Uniform Building Code.

Ice & Water Shield A rubberized asphalt membrane with a peel off backing. It adheres to the roof decking creating a waterproof seal. It is designed to be covered with shingles or other roofing material because it degrades with exposure to UV light. Due to its consistency, it seals around the roofing nails that would be used to install the shingles on top of it.

Infrared Thermography The use of an infrared camera to detect moisture in the building envelope.

Intake Ventilation The portion of a ventilation strategy utilized to pull outside air into the attic. Typically vents mounted within the soffit or along the eaves of a structure.

Interlocking Shingles Shingles that are manufactured with built in interlocking tabs. They are only recommended as a second layer of roofing.

IRWC Institute of Roofing and Waterproofing Consultants.

Joint Tape Tape used to seal joints between insulation boards.

Joist Any of the parallel horizontal beams installed from wall to wall to support the roof of a structure.

Knee Cap Metal trimming made from sheet products. It will be placed over a rib panel after installation.

Laminate Shingles are becoming the most popular choice of shingle for steep sloped roofs. Also known as dimensional and architectural shingle.

Lap Seam This is where two sections of sheet roofing are sealed at the overlap.

Lead Is a Metal that is sometimes utilized for flashing material.

Live Loads Objects upon the roof that may include tools, persons, snowfall and so forth that aren't considered part of the roof. However their weight must be factored into the roof load capacities.

Mansard The steeper section of a two section roof.

Mansard Roof A highly pitched roof that transitions into a lesser sloped roof at its peak.

Masonry Refers to any kind of brick or block work.

Mat A slim stratum of weaved or non-weaved or simply knotted fibers utilized in order to strengthen a roofing material component.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS Sheets) Published product descriptions of the chemical compounds in a system supplied by the particular product's company. MSDS additionally include additional data such as emergency treatments as well as safe product handling.

Mechanical Fasteners Hardware including anchoring screws, discs, battens, roofing nails, or perhaps various other components which will be utilized in order to secure the roofing products.

Membrane Any section regarding the particular roofing product which will serve as the actual waterproofing sheet. Could possibly be made up of just one component or perhaps a number of components laminated with each other.

Metal Flashing Roofing elements produced from sheet metal which are generally employed to be able to terminate the roofing membrane layer or other material alongside roof perimeters as well as at roof penetrations.

Mil A measurement that is equal to 0.001 inches (1/1000 in.). Oftentimes applied in order to specify the actual thickness of any kind of roofing membrane layer.

Mineral Fiber Fibers processed from rock or glass.

Mineral-Surfaced Roofing Roofing components having the top surface area composed of mineral roofing granules.

Mineral Granule Coatings The granules applied to some roofing products, such as shingles, that protect the underlying asphalt from UV light.

Miter The particular joint created by way of a pair of diagonally cut sections joined together with each other.

Moisture Relief Vent A vent that is located thru the roof covering membrane layer in order to alleviate moist water vapor pressure which has ended up stuck within the roof.

Moisture Scan: A study associated with a roof expressly in order to discover the actual quantity of moisture content existing within the roofing structure. Equipment employed in moisture reports could be electric capacitance meters, infrared digital cameras or even nuclear scanning devices.

Monolithic A term to express an item with no seams; created via a solitary component.

Monomer A simple molecule which will be able to blend along with various others to form a polymer.

Mop-and-Flop This is a roofer's phrase describing wherever the rear part of any roofing material is actually "mopped" with hot bitumen. The actual components is then "flopped" over and also arranged in place.

Mopping To utilize very hot asphalt or perhaps coat tar making use of a hand mop or maybe mechanized applicator.

NAHB National Association of Home Builders.

Nail Gun A pneumatic device used to drive nails. They typically are driven by air compressors and connected air hoses, they sometimes use self contained air cartridges as their power source.

Nailer A piece of lumber that is secured to the deck, walls, or to premanufactured curbs. Nailers are used to receive fasteners for roof membranes. Generally, nailers are installed wherever it is necessary to secure base flashings and edge metal. Also see Blocking.

Nailing Pattern Refers to a specific method or pattern at which nails are applied.

Neoprene A synthetic rubber produced by polymerization of Chloroprene for use in liquid-applied and sheet-applied elastomeric roofing.

Nesting To overlay existing shingles with new shingles and butt the top edge of the new shingle up against the bottom edge of the existing shingles.

Net Free Vent Area The area permitting unrestricted air flow.

Night Seal To temporarily seal the edge of a roof membrane in order to protect it from moisture entry. A.K.A. Night Tie-Off and Water Cut-Off.

Non-Vulcanized Material A material that retains its thermoplastic properties throughout its service life.

Nonwoven Random arrangement of the reinforcement fibers of a scrim sheet or mat.

Nosing Metal flashing bent at a 90º angle and is installed around roof perimeters, curbs, platforms, etc. in order to protect the edge of the roofing system. Nosing should not be used in place of drip edge. To see the difference in the two, click here.

NRCA National Roofing Contractors Association.

NTRMA National Tile Roofing Manufacturers Association.

Open Valley A valley is a junction of two sections of roof that slope into each other. An Open valley refers to a steel valley that is open instead of closed with shingles. This is the preferred method in our Ohio climate.

Organic Formed from hydrocarbons.

Organic Shingle An asphalt shingle reinforced with organic material such as paper. This is not a common shingle in the Ohio area.

OSB Oriented Strand Board - Often used as roof sheathing in place of plywood.

Parapet Wall That part of a perimeter wall that is elevated above the surface of the roof.

Penetration Any object that pierces the surface of the roof.

Perlite A natural volcanic glass having distinctive concentric cracks and a relatively high water content. Perlite is used in lightweight insulating concrete, fire-resistant rigid insulation board.

Permeability The amount of movement of a fluid through a material

PIMA Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association.

Pipe Boot A prefabricated flashing piece used to flash around circular pipe penetrations. Also known as a Roof Jack.

Pitch Used to describe the slope of a roof. Can also be short for coal tar pitch.

Pitch Pocket also Pitch Pan A flanged piece of flashing material placed around irregularly shaped roof penetrations and filled with grout and a pourable sealer to seal around the penetration in order to waterproof.

Ply A layer of felt or other reinforcement material in a roof system.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) A thermoplastic polymer that can be compounded into flexible and rigid forms through the use of plasticizers, stabilizers, fillers, and other modifiers; rigid forms are used in pipes; flexible forms are used in the manufacture of sheeting and roof membrane materials.

Ponding The accumulation of water at low-lying areas on a roof.

Purlin Horizontal secondary structural member used to transfer loads from the primary structural members.

Racking A shingle installation method where the shingles are installed in staggered vertical rows.

Raggle A groove that is cut into the side of a vertical surface such as a wall or chimney that is used to insert a flashing element such as a reglet or counter flashing. Rake: The sloped perimeter edge of a roof that runs from the eaves to the ridge. The rake is usually perpendicular to the eaves and ridge.

Rake The sloped edge of a shingled roof.

Rake Starter also Bleeder Strip The starter strip that is installed along the rake.

RCI Roof Consultants Institute.

RCMA Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association.

RDCA Roof Deck Contractors Association.

Reroof also Tear Off the removal of the existing roof components down to the structural deck, followed by installation of a completely new roof system.

Reglet A slot, usually sheet metal, that counter flashings are attached to. Reglets can be surface-mounted, set in a raggle, or be part of the wall assembly.

Reinforced Membrane A roofing membrane that has been strengthened by adding polyester scrims or mats, glass fibers or other material.

Ridge The line where two planes of roof intersect, forming the highest point on the roof that runs the entire length of the roof.

Ridge Cap Material applied over the ridge or hip of a roof.

Ridge Vent An exhaust vent located at the ridge of a roof that works in conjunction with vents at the lowest part of the roof.

Roll Roofing asphalt roll roofing Made from the same material used to make shingles, except it comes in rolls usually 36 inches wide. It is a lower cost solution often used on utility buildings.

Roofschmutz Roof cement that is misapplied or incorrectly used.

Scrim Usually a woven material utilized for the reinforcement of single ply membranes; it is typically laminated or coated thus producing the membrane.

Self-Adhering Membrane also SA A category of membrane that has adhesive pre-applied from the factory.

Self-Tapping Screws Fasteners that don't require a pre-drilled hole to insert.

Sheeting also decking : This is the wood that the roofing material will rest on. It is most often OSB (Oriented Strand Board), but can also be plywood or one inch thick planking.

Shed Roof A one sided roof that has only one sloping plane.

Shiner An incorrectly place nail which isn't covered by the subsequent course of shingle.

Shingle Seal Down Strips Asphalt shingles with seal down strips of roof cement pre-applied during manufacturer. Designed to aid in wind resistance.

Shingle Vent II A popular brand of ridge vent manufactured by Air Vent. It is designed to allow ridge cap shingle to be installed over the vent. It allows your roof ventilation to be updated to current specs without looking unsightly.

Single-Ply Membrane Roofing membranes which are installed in one layer.

Slip Sheet Sheeting material placed between two layers of other roofing sheets to allow separation of the two sheets.

Slope The incline of a roof expressed as a percent or as a ratio of rise to run.

Snow Guard Protrusions attached to a roof to prevent snow and ice from rapidly coming off of a roof.

Soffit The under portion of an overhang of a roof. Can also refer to the material covering this section.

Soffit Vent A vent designed to be part of the intake portion of a ventilation system placed in the soffit.

Soil Pipe A through roof pipe that ventilates the structures plumbing.

Spall When a chimney or masonry wall flakes or fractures.

Spud Removing a flat roof using essentially a large scraper or spud bar.

Spud Bar A shovel handled tool with a steel edge on one end which is employed in order to scrape as well as clear away the roof down to the substrate.

Square A unit of measure equal to 100 square feet.

Standing Seam A style of metal roofing where the vertical seams rise above the surface, are joined and then folded over to join them.

Starter Course The row or course of shingle that is installed under the initial course of shingle at the lowest point of the roof.

Steep Slope Roof Roofing that has a slope greater than 3 in 12. This is a sufficient slope to allow water shedding materials such as shingle, slate, clay tile etc. Any pitch lower than 3/12 is considered a flat roof.

Steeple A steeple is a high tower atop a roof.

Step Flashing Metal pieces that roofers use to join the shingles to the side of the wall to prevent water from getting in the interior. Pieces of metal that are bent at a 90 degree angle. They are placed between each course of shingle when the shingle terminates at the side against a wall.

Stormgluten The residual film left on the roof after a heavy rain. Consisting of organic material from the atmosphere that did not drain properly.

Substrate The surface that the roof is installed upon.

Tab The portion of an asphalt shingle that is outlined by the cutouts.

Tarp As it applies to roofing, it is either used to collect the debris being removed from the roof or it used as a temporary roof repair. See roofing tarps

Tear Off also Reroof The removal of the existing roof components down to the structural deck, followed by installation of a completely new roof system.

Tensile Strength The amount of longitudinal pulling stress that a material can withstand before being pulled apart.

Termination Bar A bar used to seal and anchor the free edges of a roof membrane.

Terra Cotta A semi fired ceramic clay used to make clay roofing tiles.

Thatch Roof A roof covering made with straw, palms or reeds that are bound together in order to shed water.

Thermal Shock The cracking that may occur due to rapid temperature change. The stress of rapid contraction or expansion of the material overcomes the strength of the material.

Three tab shingle (3-tab) also strip shingle These are the traditional style of shingle that have five by twelve inch "tabs".

Tuckpointing The removal of a mortar joint in brick masonry work and the reapplication of new mortar.

Tear Off also Reroof the removal of the existing roof components down to the structural deck, followed by installation of a completely new roof system.

Thermal Shock The cracking that may occur due to rapid temperature change. The stress of rapid contraction or expansion of the material overcomes the strength of the material.

Thermal Stress Stress introduced by in roofing material that causes wild fluctuations in expansion and contraction.

Thermogram The image produced by a infrared camera.

Thermography A process for creating heat images coming from the radiant energy released from a roof or structure.

Thermoplastic Roofing material that softens whenever it is heated up and then hardens when it cools back down. This usually refers to roofing material that can be welded together such as PVC and TPO.

Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO) TPO is a class of single ply membrane that is a blend of polypropylene and ethylene-propylene polymers. It can be fully adhered with adhesive, that is either applied at the factory or on site, or mechanically attached.

Thermoset A material that hardens or “sets” when it is heated and then allowed to cool.

Thinner Is a fluid utilized to cut down the viscosity of coatings or adhesive. Thinners evaporate in the course of the curing operation. Thinners may end up being put to use as solvents for cleaning of tools.

Three tab shingle (3-tab) also strip shingle These are the traditional style of shingle that have five by twelve inch "tabs".

Through Wall Flashing any water-resistant components, usually either sheet metal or membrane, protruding through a wall.

Tie-Off Joining a section of roof to either another section of roof or a wall so that the two sections are waterproof.

Tongue and Groove Deck A planked roof substrate that has interlocking edges that fit into each other.

Traffic Bearing A membrane formulated to withstand foot traffic. Oftentimes it is a thicker membrane placed on top of the existing roof.

Tuckpointing The removal of a mortar joint in brick masonry work and the reapplication of new mortar.

Underlayment also felt An asphalt saturated organic mat that is applied between the roof deck and the shingles. Type I is commonly referred to as #15 and type II is #30.

Ultraviolet Light also UV UV rays accelerate deterioration of roof materials.

Vapor Migration The motion associated with water vapor out of an area of higher vapor pressure to an area of reduced vapor pressure.

Vapor Pressure That pressure at virtually any specified temperature exerted by a water vapor which is in balance with its fluid or solid form.

Vapor Retarder Material that are set up in order to obstruct or limit the flow connected with water vapor by way of a roofing assemblage.

Valley This refers to the junction of two sections of roof that slope into each other.

Vent An opening or device used to permit air or vapors to exit an enclosed structure.

Vermiculite A kind of aggregate put to use in light-weight insulating cement, produced by means of the heating up and resultant expansion associated with a substance.

Viscous Resistant to flow under pressure. Viscous products tend to be typically cohesive and also possess a tacky thickness.

Void Any sort of opening or gap that would cause roofing material to be unsupported.

Volatile Refers to any material or compound that can change quickly from solid or fluid to a vapor.

Vulcanization A method by that results in organic or manmade rubber or any other polymeric materials to be to render them non-thermoplastic, enhancing their elastic and physical qualities.

Water Absorption A measurement to express how absorbent a particular material is. Is usually determined by time of immersion and volume of liquid that is absorbed. The results are usually expressed by a ratio of the weight of the material and fluid.

Water Cure Describes a process associated with curing a material, like cement, by utilizing a fine mist of water across the surface area in order to regulate the amount of water evaporation coming from the material.

Water Stop A diaphragm utilized over a joint as a sealer, in order to prevent water penetration.

Waterproof The ability of membrane material, or some other roofing component to be able to entirely protect against water intrusion.

Waterproofing Usually refers to the chemical treatment of masonry walls or chimneys to block the flow of water from passing through.

Woven Valley A valley is a junction of two sections of roof that slope into each other. A Woven valley refers to a valley that doesn't use any metal or flashing to join the two sections of roof. It continues up the slope, the left and the right sides of the roof alternately laid to weave the shingles together. This is not the preferred method in our Ohio climate because it will not last as long as the rest of the roof.

 

 

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