As an industry, roofing has been around for a long time. It is a complicated field with a lot of unique terms, so it makes sense that a homeowner might get confused. However, we believe that the more knowledge you have, the better decisions you can make for your roof. So, we’ve collected a list of the basic roofing terminology that you need to know to start understanding the world of roofers. We have included the very basics so that complete beginners can get a foothold.
Here is our list:
Butt edge: The lower part of the shingle tab, the part that is visible when the shingles are installed on the roof. The top of the shingle is a plain black sheet with adhesive on the back.
Course: A row of shingles, running horizontally across the roof.
Dormer: A dormer is an addition to the roof. They normally have windows and seem to pop out from the roof surface a bit.
Downspout: The pipe that drains the gutter system. You’ll see it on the side of your house, leading water to the ground.
Decking: The thin sheets of plywood or OSB that span over the roof rafters and hold up the shingles and underlayment.
Drip edge: Protective layer added to the edge of the roof to prevent water damage.
Eave: An eave is the part of the roof that extends over the exterior wall. Many entrances have eaves for shelter from the rain and for good looks.
Fascia: A wooden board along the edge of the roof that the gutters hang off.
Felt: Felt is a kind of underlayment that lays beneath the shingles. Felt may be made from fibers, but there are also new synthetic felts.
Flashing: Thin metal strips used to stop water from getting into vulnerable areas of the roof. There is edge flashing, chimney flashing, skylight flashing, and more.
Gutter: The vinyl trough that collects rainwater at the edge of the roof. If you have seamless gutters, they will just look like a white strip across the edge of the roof.
Peak: A point that makes up the top-most part of the roof. Not all roofs have peaks.
Ridge: A line that makes up the top-most part of a roof. Not all roofs have ridges.
Rafter: Inside of the roof, there are wooden beams that create its structure. These beams are called rafters.
Shingles: Shingles are the top-most covering of the roof. They are made of asphalt and resist water. There are many kinds of shingles.
Slope: The angle of the roof. Usually, slope expressed in rise over run, where run is 12 inches. The rise indicates how much the roof rises for every 12 inches across. 4:12, 6:12, and 8:12 are common roof slopes.
Underlayment: Any material meant to lay beneath the shingles. Ice and water protector is a common underlayment.
Valley: A part of a roof where two slopes meet. They point inward, making a “V.” Valleys may be installed in three different ways: woven, closed-cut, and open.
Vent: An outlet that allows air to escape the attic through the roof.