Is a roof repair or replacement in your future? If you're a homeowner, the answer is probably yes - most people purchase at least 2-3 roofs in their lifetime.
Whether or not you decide on a long-lasting metal roof, taking a little time to learn ‘roofing language’ can be especially helpful when discussing your current roof's issues with a contractor. It will also help you to be a bit more knowledgeable when reviewing a roofing estimate.
In the first of a 2-part series, here's a handy list of roofing terms you may encounter:
Roofing Terms Explained: Part One
Aluminized Steel: Sheet steel with a thin aluminum coating on the surface to enhance the steel’s ability to withstand weathering.
Aluminum: A non-rusting metal used in roofing for metal roofing and the fabrication of gutter and flashings.
Decking: The surface, usually plywood or oriented strand board (OSB), to which roofing materials are applied. This material covers the rafters.
Dormer: A small structure projecting from a sloped roof, usually with a window. It is often used in attics to add light and a pleasing design to the house.
Drip Edge: An L-shaped strip (usually metal) installed along roof edges to allow water run off the drip clear of the deck, eaves and siding
Eaves: The lower edge of a roof (usually overhanging beyond the edge of the house).
Fascia: Trim board behind the gutter and eaves.
Felt: The ‘tar paper’ used by roofers, usually made of a combination of asphalt and either paper or rags.
Fire Rating: System for classifying the fire resistances of various materials. Roofing materials are rated Class A, B, or C, with Class A materials having the highest resistance to fire originating outside the structure.
Flashing: Sheet metal or other material used at junctions of different planes on a roof. Flashing is used to prevent the seepage of water around any intersection or projection in a roof, such as vent pipes, chimneys, valleys, and the joints at vertical walls.
Frieze Board: A board at the top of the house’s siding, forming a corner with the soffit.
Gable: The triangular shaped part of the end of a building underneath the roof and above the main portion of the house.
Galvanized Steel: Steel that is coated with Zinc to aid in corrosion resistance.
Gutter: A channel (usually sheet metal) installed along the down slope perimeter of a roof to convey runoff water from the roof to the downspouts.
Hip: The external angle at the junction of two sides of a roof whose supporting walls adjoin. The external angle at the junction of its two sides is known as the hip.
Joist: In a flat roof, a horizontal structural member over which sheathing is nailed.
Louvers: The slatted devices that are installed in a gable or soffit in order to ventilate and equalize air temperature under the roof deck.
Membrane: The portion of the roofing system that serves as the waterproofing material.
Want to avoid having to place more than one roof on your current home? Choose a metal roof - find a contractor here.