Every line of work has terminology that is specific to that field, and roofing is no different. Many homeowners may not know exactly what a roofing professional is talking about when they hear talk about pitch, substrate, or cupping since these terms are very specific to the roofing industry. But being an informed consumer is a lot easier when you know the terminology your roofing professional might use as well as which words to describe any issues or problems you are seeing with your roof. That’s why No. 1 Home Roofing has compiled a list of the most common roofing terms to help!
Structural Components
- Collar or vent sleeve: A pre-formed sleeve or flange, usually made of flashing materials, that seals the openings between the roof and a vent pipe opening
- Deck: The surface to which a roof is applied, usually consisting of exterior grade plywood, wood boards, or even planks of wood
- Dormer: A roof area that sticks out from the rest of the slope of the roof and usually contains a window
- Drip edge: Located at the edge of a roof, this feature pushes the lip of the shingles outward beyond the gutters or eaves so that water cannot drip back and collect underneath the shingles
- Eave: The underside (horizontal portion) of the roof between the outermost edge of the roof back to the house’s outside (vertical wall area); includes the fascia
- Fascia: Below the roof level and between the edge of the roof and the house; this horizontal trim is underneath the roof and connected to the wall or vertical area of a house
- Flashing: Usually galvanized metal; used to protect the house anywhere the roofing materials connect with a non-roofing area like a chimney, vent, dormer, or roof valley
- Flange: Used in conjunction with flashing; metal pan that goes underneath the flashing and above the joined areas as a connecting piece
- Gable: The triangular-shaped vertical area of a house that meets the roof
- Overhang: Roof portion that hangs past the house’s exterior walls
- Pitch: Describes the incline of the roof, measured in ratios of incline inches to height inches
Problems or Concerns With the Roof
- Buckling: A movement like a wrinkle or a ripple in the roofing underlay that affects the outward look of the shingle
- Cupping: A curled or cup-shaped shingle that occurs when it is improperly installed over another roof, when the shingle is over-exposed to weather, or when a shingle has a manufacturer’s defect
If you live in the Tampa Bay, FL area and need a roof replacement or repair, the roofing professionals at No. 1 Home Roofing in Palm Harbor, FL have you covered. Contact us today so we can show you how our expertise and quality workmanship will lead you to the most reliable roofing solution for your home.