Homeowners Look Smarter if They Know Roofing Terms

Ever go into a home improvement store or talk to a repairman and not have a clue about the roofing terms they use?  By knowing basic roofing terms you can explain what you want and understand what you are being told. Know the basics about your roof and the first is what your roofing material is made of. The article that follows will help you understand the basic roofing terms and then as a homeowner you can explain exactly what you need when you talk to a repairman. You will look smarter if you know the roofing terms.

The two main roofing terms that homeowners need to know are leaks and solid, both are self-explanatory. However, for the do-it-yourself types there are other roofing terms that will be good to know if you every need to buy replacement pieces at the hardware store. Knowing some of the basic terms needed when discussing new roofing materials or roof repairs can help a homeowner explain exactly what they need, as well as help them understand what another person is talking about.

One of the first basic roofing terms is roofing material, which is what the roof is made of. While the majority of houses have asphalt roof materials, other used include slate, tile, rubber and steel. Roofing nails is the most common application method but steel is held down by screws and a rubberized roof, usually for flat roof or roof with wings, can be glued down or held down with ballast, which is weight kept on the roof until the glue dries.

Roof edging is a metal strip, usually aluminum or thin steel that is applied around the perimeter of the roofline to present an even edge as well as to provide support to the shingles overhanging the extreme edges. Other roofing terms such as the overhang of the shingle is typically about two inches. It is also used to secure the edge of roll roofing, a flat felt material impregnated with tar to help prevent the roof from leaking and is rolled out before the shingles are installed.

Roofing Terms Defined For Other Than Shingles

Where the roof material meets a roof obstruction such as a chimney, a vertical wall for another story, around vent pipes or roof vents, a thin piece of metal is often attached. These are roofing terms for this metal, bent at 90-degrees to go under the shingle and up the vertical obstruction to help prevent water from seeping under the shingle and through the hole in the roof through which the obstruction passes.

The very top of a peaked roof is called the crown and the edge on either the sides of a gable or near the gutter, in professional roofing terms, is called the edge. The term overlap refers to how much of one shingle is placed over the edge of the one under it and roof glue is one of the roofing terms pertaining to roof cement, a tar-like substance used to seal shingles to the ones under it or around edges where nailing is impractical.

Knowing roofing terms when you talk to someone about your roofing repairs helps you get what you need and helps you understand what the other person is talking about. Know what roofing term to use when you talk about what your roof material is made of. Other roofing terms to know is what an overhang of the shingle is and that flat felt material that helps prevent roof leaks is rolled out before shingles are installed. Roofing terms can be confusing but knowing the basic roofing terms can make the homeowner look smart when talking about roofing and know what the person is telling you.