Elite Roofing- GLOSSARY OF COMMONLY USED TERMS

Algae Discoloration:  A type of roof discoloration caused by algae.  Commonly called fungus growth.

Asphalt Plastic Roofing Cement:  An asphaltic-based cement used to bond roofing materials.  Also known as flashing cement or mastic.

Bundle:  A package of shingles.  There are 3,4 or 5 bundles in a "square".

Caulk:  To fill a joint with mastic or asphalt cement to prevent leaks.

Cement:  An asphalt based cement used to bond roofing materials.  Also known as mastic or flashing cement.

Class "A":  The highest fire-resistance rating for roofing as per ASTM E-10.  Indicates that roofing is able to withstand sever exposure to fire originating from sources outside the building.

Cricket:  A peaked saddle construction at the back of a chimney to prevent accumulation of snow and ice and to deflect water around the chimney.

Deck:  The surface installed over the supporting framing members to which the roofing is applied.

Dormer:  A framed window unit projecting through the sloping plane of a roof.

Eaves:  The horizontal, lower edge of a sloped roof.

Felt:  Fibrous material saturated with asphalt and used as an underlayment of sheathing paper.

Flashing:  Pieces of metal or roll roofing used to prevent seepage of water into a building around any intersection or projection in a roof, such as vent pipes, chimneys adjoining walls, dormers and valleys.  Galvanized flashing should be minimum of 26 gauge.

Flashing Cement:  An asphalt based cement used to bond roofing materials.  Also known as mastic.

Fungus:  A type of roof discoloration caused by algae.  Commonly called fungus growth.

Gable:  The upper portion of a sidewall that comes to a triangular point ridge of a sloping roof.

Granules:  Ceramic coated colored crushed rock that is applied to the exposed surface of asphalt roofing products.

Gutter:  The trough that channels water from the eaves to the downspouts.

Head Lap:  Shortest distance from the butt edge of an overlapping shingle to the upper edge of a shingle in the second course below.  The triple coverage portion of the top lap of strip shingles.

Hip:  The inclined external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Hip Roof:  A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each of four sides.  Contains no gables.

Laminated Shingles:  Strip shingles containing more than one layer of tabs to create extra thickness.  Also called three-dimensional or architectural shingles.

Overhang:  That portion of the roof structure that extends beyond the exterior walls of a building.

Pitch:  The degree of roof incline expressed as the ratio of the rise, in feet, to the span, in feet.

Rafter:  The supporting framing member immediately beneath the deck, sloping from the ridge to the wall plate.

Rake:   The inclined edge of a sloped roof over a wall.

Ridge:  The uppermost horizontal external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Ridge Shingles:   (Hip & Ridge Shingles) Shingles used to cover the horizontal external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Sheathing:  Exterior grade boards used as a roof deck material.

Slope:  The degree of roof incline, expressed as the ratio of the rise, in feet, to the run, in feet.

Soffit:   The finished underside of the eaves.

Square:  A unit of measure covering 100 square feet.

Strip angles:  Asphalt shingles that are approximately three times as long as they are wide.

UL:  Underwriters Lab

UL Label:  Label displayed on packaging to indicate the level of fire resistance of asphaltic roofing.

Valley:  The internal angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Vent:  Any outlet of air that protrudes through the roof deck such as a pipe or stack.

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