Glossary
Roofing Glossary: Plain-English Terms
Words you will hear from a roofer after a storm, explained simply.
Call us today615-410-9749- Underlayment
- The water-resistant layer installed over the roof deck, under the shingles or metal.
- Decking
- The boards or sheets, also called sheathing, that form the base of the roof.
- Flashing
- Metal or membrane that keeps water out of the joints of a roof.
- Step flashing
- Small pieces of metal stepped up a wall where a roof meets it.
- Counter-flashing
- A second layer of metal that covers the top edge of other flashing.
- Drip edge
- Metal along the roof edge that sends water into the gutter.
- Ridge cap
- The shingles or metal that cover the top peak of the roof.
- Ridge vent
- A vent along the peak that lets hot, damp air out of the attic.
- Valley
- The low line where two roof slopes meet and water runs together.
- Eave
- The lower edge of the roof that overhangs the wall.
- Rake
- The sloped edge of the roof at a gable end.
- Fascia
- The board along the roof edge that holds the gutter.
- Soffit
- The underside of the roof overhang, often vented to let the attic breathe.
- Gable
- The triangle of wall at the end of a pitched roof.
- Hip
- The sloped ridge where two roof planes meet at an outside corner.
- Dormer
- A small structure that sticks out of a sloped roof and often holds a window.
- Penetration
- Anything that passes through the roof, such as a pipe, vent or chimney.
- Pipe boot
- A rubber or metal collar that seals a pipe where it exits the roof.
- Cricket
- A small peaked structure behind a chimney that sends water around it.
- Curb
- The raised frame around a skylight or rooftop unit.
- Granules
- The tiny stones on a shingle that protect the asphalt from the sun.
- Seal strip
- The strip of adhesive that bonds one row of shingles to the next.
- Architectural shingle
- A thicker, layered shingle with a dimensional look.
- Three-tab shingle
- A flatter, thinner shingle cut into three equal tabs.
- Impact-resistant shingle
- A shingle built to resist hail impact better than a standard shingle.
- Ice and water shield
- A self-sealing membrane used at eaves, valleys and penetrations.
- Tarp
- A heavy-duty cover strapped over a damaged roof to keep rain out.
- Dry-in
- Covering the roof deck with a water-resistant layer so the house is protected.
- Board-up
- Covering an opening in the roof with sheathing.
- Tear-off
- Removing the old roofing down to the deck.
- Overlay
- Installing new roofing over the old layer.
- TPO
- A single-ply white or gray membrane used on flat roofs.
- EPDM
- A rubber membrane often used on flat roofs.
- Modified bitumen
- A rolled asphalt roofing with reinforcing layers, used on flat roofs.
- Standing seam
- A metal roof with raised seams and hidden fasteners.
- Scupper
- An opening in a wall or parapet that lets water drain off a flat roof.
- Ponding
- Water that stays on a flat roof more than a short time after rain.
- Moisture meter
- A tool that measures dampness in wood, drywall or insulation.
- Pitch
- How steep a roof is.
- Hail bruise
- A cracked spot under the granules where hail struck a shingle.
- Wind uplift
- The force of wind trying to lift roofing off the deck.
- Attic ventilation
- The flow of air in through the soffit and out at the ridge that keeps an attic dry.
- Condensation
- Moisture that forms when warm, damp air meets a cold surface.
- Sealant
- A flexible material used to seal joints and fasteners.
Can you tarp the roof before the permanent repair?
Yes. A strapped tarp or a board-up keeps rain out while materials are ordered and the weather clears, and we photograph the work so you have a record.
Do you work on commercial and apartment roofs?
Yes. We repair and replace flat, low-slope and pitched roofs on shops, offices, churches, schools and apartment communities, and we coordinate with owners and property managers.
What if you find more damage once the work starts?
Hidden damage such as soft decking happens. We stop, show you, explain the options and agree on the next step before we continue.
Request a Quote
Tell Us What Happened to the Roof
Tell us what you see, where the water is coming in and add any photos, and we will get back to you quickly with a plan. Prefer to talk? Call 615-410-9749.
Request Emergency Help
Roof Nashville is the emergency and storm damage roofing company for Nashville and Middle Tennessee: tarping, board-up, leak repair, hail and wind repair, replacement, gutters and the photos behind every job.
- 615-410-9749
- Storm damage and roof leaks
- Serving Nashville and Middle Tennessee
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