Exterior Remodeling Glossary
Roofing terms for materials, roof components, damage, installation details, and repair conversations.
Roofing terms for materials, roof components, damage, installation details, and repair conversations.
Search or browse definitions alphabetically.
Roofing Materials
An architectural shingle is a laminated asphalt shingle designed to create a dimensional roof appearance and stronger performance than basic 3-tab shingles.
Roofing Materials
Asphalt shingles are overlapping roof coverings made with asphalt, protective granules, and a reinforcing mat.
Ventilation
Attic ventilation is the movement of outside air through the attic to help manage heat and moisture.
Ventilation
Balanced ventilation means attic intake and exhaust work together so air can enter low and exit high.
Roofing Problems & Damage
A blow-off is when roofing material is lifted or torn away by wind.
Ventilation
A box vent is a square static exhaust vent installed near the upper part of a roof to help release warm, moist attic air.
Roof Components
A California valley is a closed roof valley method where shingles are run through the valley and another shingle course is installed along the adjoining roof plane.
Flashing
Chimney flashing is the metal and waterproofing detail used where a chimney passes through the roof.
Asphalt Shingle Technology
Class 3 impact resistance is a common standard asphalt shingle impact rating based on standardized testing for simulated hail impact.
Asphalt Shingle Technology
Class 4 impact resistance is the highest common asphalt shingle impact rating under standardized hail-impact testing.
Roof Components
A closed valley is a roof valley where shingles cover the valley area rather than leaving metal exposed.
Insurance Claims
A code upgrade is work required to bring a repair or replacement into compliance with current building code requirements.
Roof Components
Coping metal is the metal cap installed over the top of a parapet wall to protect the wall and roof edge from water.
Roof Components
Counter flashing covers the top edge of base flashing to help keep water from getting behind roof-to-wall or chimney flashing.
Roof Structure
A cricket is a small peaked roof structure that diverts water around a chimney or other wide roof obstruction.
Roof Ventilation
A damper vent is an exhaust vent cap with a one-way flap that lets bathroom or kitchen fan air leave the home while helping reduce backdrafts.
Roof Components
Drip edge is metal flashing installed along roof edges to help protect the roof edge and bridge the transition from the roof deck to the fascia.
Roof Components
An eave is the lower edge of a roof that overhangs the wall and often includes fascia, soffit, drip edge, and gutter details.
Roofing Materials
EPDM roofing is a rubber membrane roofing system commonly used on flat and low-slope roofs.
Roof Ventilation
Exhaust ventilation allows warm, humid attic air to leave the roof system through ridge vents, box vents, or other high vents.
Ventilation
A gable vent is a vent installed in the triangular gable wall of an attic to help attic air move in or out.
Roof Design & Geometry
A gambrel roof is a roof shape with two slopes on each side, often associated with barn-style rooflines.
Roof Damage
Granule loss is the wearing away or displacement of protective granules from asphalt shingles.
Roof Components
A gravel stop is a metal roof edge detail used on some flat and low-slope roofs to terminate the roof system and help contain surfacing.
Gutters
A gutter apron is a metal roof-edge flashing that helps guide water from the roof into the gutter.
Roof Components
Ice and water shield is a self-adhering waterproof underlayment used in vulnerable roof areas such as eaves, valleys, and penetrations.
Roof Damage
An ice dam is a ridge of ice near a roof edge that can prevent melting snow from draining properly.
Roof Ventilation
Intake ventilation allows fresh air to enter the attic, usually through soffits or low roof-edge vents.
Roof Design & Geometry
A mansard roof is a roof style with a steep lower slope on all sides and a flatter upper roof area.
Industry Standards
Manufacturer specifications are the written product requirements that explain how materials should be installed and used.
Roof Ventilation
A mushroom vent is a static roof exhaust vent, often used as another name for a square box-style roof vent.
Roof Components
A pipe boot is a flashing component that seals around a plumbing vent pipe where it passes through the roof.
Exterior Construction
Polyiso insulation is a rigid foam insulation board commonly used in commercial and low-slope roofing assemblies.
Ventilation
A powered fan is a mechanical attic ventilation fan that uses electricity or solar power to help move hot or humid air out of an attic.
Roof Structure
A rafter is a sloped structural framing member that helps form the roof shape and supports the roof decking.
Roof Components
A rake edge is the sloped edge of a gable roof, where shingles, drip edge, starter shingles, and trim details meet.
Roof Components
A ridge cap is the finishing shingle or cap material installed along the peak where two roof planes meet.
Roof Ventilation
A ridge vent is an exhaust vent installed along the roof peak to help warm, humid attic air escape.
Roof Design & Geometry
Rise and run describe roof pitch by comparing how many inches a roof rises vertically for every 12 inches of horizontal run.
Roof Structure
A roof curb is a raised framed or manufactured base used to support certain skylights, vents, hatches, or rooftop equipment.
Roof Structure
Roof decking, sometimes called the roof deck, is the sheathing or board material that forms the base layer of the roof system.
Roofing Problems & Damage
A roof leak is water entering the home through a roof system, flashing detail, penetration, or related exterior assembly.
Roof Design & Geometry
Roof pitch describes how steep a roof is, usually shown as how many inches the roof rises for every 12 inches it runs horizontally.
Roof Design & Geometry
A roof plane is one flat or sloped surface section of a roof.
Roof Installation
A roof recover, overlay, or shingle over is installing a new roof covering over an existing roof covering instead of tearing the old materials off.
Roof Installation
Roof replacement, sometimes casually called a re-roof, is the process of removing and replacing the roof system so hidden details can be inspected and updated.
Roof Design & Geometry
Roof slope describes the steepness of a roof surface and affects drainage, material choice, and installation requirements.
Roofing Measurements
A roof square is a roofing measurement equal to 100 square feet of roof area.
Flashing Systems
Roof-to-wall flashing protects the joint where a roof meets a vertical wall.
Roofing Materials
SBS peel and stick roofing is a self-adhered modified bitumen roofing material often used on low-slope roof areas.
Asphalt Shingle Technology
SBS shingles are asphalt shingles modified with a rubber-like polymer that can improve flexibility and impact resistance.
Roof Components
A skylight is a roof-mounted window or daylight opening that brings natural light into the home.
Roof Ventilation
A slant-back vent, sometimes called a turtle vent, is a roof exhaust vent with a low-profile sloped cover.
Ventilation
A soffit vent is an intake vent installed under the roof overhang to help bring fresh air into the attic.
Roof Structure
Spaced decking is an older roof deck style made from boards installed with gaps between them.
Roof Components
A speed valley is an informal roofing term often used for a fast closed-valley shingle method that may not be appropriate for every roof system.
Roofing Materials
Standing seam metal roofing is a metal roof system with raised vertical seams that connect panels and help shed water.
Roof Components
A starter strip is the first row of roofing material installed at roof edges to help seal and secure the first shingle course.
Flashing Systems
Step flashing is a series of small metal flashing pieces installed where shingles meet a vertical wall.
Roofing Problems & Damage
Storm damage is exterior damage caused by weather events such as hail, wind, fallen debris, or severe rain.
Roofing Materials
Synthetic underlayment is a modern roofing underlayment made from engineered materials rather than traditional felt.
Exterior Construction
Tapered insulation is sloped insulation used on low-slope or flat roofs to help direct water toward drains, scuppers, gutters, or roof edges.
Roof Installation
A tear-off is the removal of existing roofing materials before installing a new roof system.
Roof Damage
Thermal cracking is cracking caused or worsened by temperature movement, expansion, contraction, and material aging.
Roofing Materials
Torch down modified roofing is a modified bitumen roof system applied with heat, commonly used on low-slope roof areas.
Roofing Materials
TPO roofing is a single-ply membrane roofing system commonly used on flat and low-slope roofs.
Roof Structure
A truss is an engineered roof framing assembly made from connected members that work together to support the roof.
Flashing
Tuckpointing is the process of repairing deteriorated mortar joints in brick or masonry.
Roof Damage
Wind damage is damage caused when strong wind lifts, creases, tears, loosens, or removes roofing or exterior materials.
Asphalt Shingle Technology
A wind rating describes the wind-resistance performance a roofing product is tested or warranted to meet under specific conditions.
Roofing Materials
Wood fiber insulation recovery board is a rigid board product used in some low-slope roofing assemblies as a recover board, insulation layer, or substrate.
Exterior Echelon can inspect your roof, explain what we find, and help you understand your repair or replacement options.