Roof Repair Glossary of Terms
Our Roofing Services
At Hometown Roofing in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we like to provide our customers with useful resources about their roof and our roofing services. Below, we’ve listed several terms you should know about the roofing industry.
If you need help with any roofing services or you’re looking for a roofer you can trust, reach out to our team of professional roofers today. We have years of combined experience in the industry, and we are well known in the community for our excellent customer service. Schedule an appointment today.
Roof Repair Glossary Of Terms
In alphabetical order, we’ve listed important terms to know when working with a roofing company.
Algae
A fungus that grows on your roof that leaves stains.
Angled Fasteners
Nails and staples for roofs that are driven in at angles which are not parallel to your deck.
Apron Flashing
Metal flashing used on chimneys.
ARMA
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association. The big main organization of roofing manufacturers.
Asphalt
A waterproofing compound used in many types of roofing materials.
Asphalt Concrete Primer
Primer based on asphalt that is used to prepare concrete and metal for sealant.
Asphalt Plastic Cement
Sealant material based on Asphalt, meeting ASTM D4586 Type 1 and 2. Primarily used to adhere to roofing materials.
ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials. The organization that sets the standards for roofing materials.
Back Surfacing
Material added to shingles to assist in keeping them separated during storage.
Blistering
Bubbles in roofing materials. Typically caused by moisture.
Blow-Offs
When shingles are blown off the roof by high winds.
Buckling
When wrinkles affect shingles and their underlayments.
Closed Cut Valley
A shingle installation method when the shingles of a roof completely cover another roof’s shingles. The top layer of the shingle is cut to match the valley lines.
Counter Flashing
Material which is installed over roof base flashing systems.
Crickets
A water diverter installed behind chimney’s to divert water around projections.
Cupping
When a shingle is improperly installed on an existing roof. This is also a result of manufacturing defects.
Deck
The substructure over which roofing is applied. This is typically made of plywood or wood planks.
Deck Armor™
An extra layer of protection that protects your roof deck. This prevents the elements from penetrating under your shingles.
Dormer
A raised or extended roof that is bigger than the roof plane.
Drip Edge
A lip that keeps shingles off the deck at edges.
Eaves
The roof edge from the fascia outside wall. The first three feet of roofing is termed at the eave.
End Laps
When rolled products in roofing are installed. The rolled material is overlapped by the next section of rolled material.
EWA
Engineered Wood Association. Sets standards for all varieties of plywood used in the U.S.
Exposure
Area of roofing material exposed to the elements.
Fasteners
Nails that secure roofing to the roofing deck.
FHA
The federal housing authority that sets standards for construction.
Fiberglass Mat
Fibers condensed in strong mats used for roofing.
Flange
A metal pan that extends up to a roof slope around flashing areas. This is usually at chimneys.
Flashing
A material used to waterproof roofs around projections.
Flashing Cement
Sealant used around flashing. It is usually very thick.
Gable Roof
A typical roof style where there are two peaks in the roof meet at a ridgeline.
Granules
A crushed rock coating on the surface of shingles.
Hand-Sealing
A way to seal shingles on highly sloped areas where the wind is high.
High Nailing
When shingles are nailed above a manufacturer’s specified nail location.
Hip Roof
Roof with four roof planes coming together at a peak and four separate hip legs.
Ice Dam
When the snow melts and refreezes on a roofs eaves. Ice dams make the water break up under shingles and can start leaks.
“L” Flashing
Metal flashing consisting of several feet of metal. Used on horizontal walls. Made to resemble an L.
Laminated Shingles
Shingles that are made from two pieces that are laminated together.
Laps
The area where roofing underlayments overlap one another.
Liberty™
Self-adhering slope roofing. The system is applied without torches, open flames or solvent based adhesives.
Low Slopes
Roofs that are less than 4/12 are low-sloped roofs. Special installation practices are used on roofs sloped 2/12-4/12. Shingles cannot be installed on slopes less than 2/12.
Mansard
A roof design with a vertical roof plane that into a roof plane less than its peak.
Mats
The term for the base material of shingles.
Modified bitumen
Rolled roofing membrane with polymer modified asphalt and fiberglass reinforcement.
Mortar
Mixture of mortar, sand and water used in bonding a chimney’s bricks together.
Nail Guide Line
A painted line on shingles to aid in proper insertion of nails.
Nail-Pop
When a nail is not fully driven in.
Nesting
Installing a second layer of shingles to avoid shingle cupping.
NRCA
National Roofing Contractors Association. A respected national organization.
Organic Mat
Material made from recycled wood pulp.
Organic Shingles
Shingles made from organic (paper) mats.
OSB
Oriented Strand Board.
Overdriven
The term used for fasteners driven through roofing material with too much force, breaking the material.
Overexposed
Installing shingle courses higher than their intended exposure.
Quarter Sized
Term for the size of hand sealant dabs, size of a quarter.
Racking
Method of installing shingles in a straight up the roof manner.
Rake Edge
The vertical edge of gable style roof planes.
Release Film
The plastic sheet installed on the back of WeatherWatch® and StormGuard® underlayments. Used for packaging and handling. Remove before installation.
Rigid Vent
Hard plastic ridge vent material.
Roof Louvers
Rooftop rectangular shaped roof vents. Also called box vents, mushroom vents, airhawks, soldier vents.
Roof Plane
A roofing area defined by having four separate edges. One side of a gable, hip or mansard roof.
Sawteeth
The exposed section of double thickness on Timberline® Series shingles — also called dragon teeth. Shaped to imitate wood shake look on the roof.
Self-Sealant
Sealant installed on shingles. After installation, heat and sun will activate sealant to seal the shingles to each other.
Selvage
The area on rolled roofing that is not exposed. Area without granules. Designed for nail placement and sealant.
Shed Roof
Roof made of a single roof plane. Does not connect to other roofs.
Side Laps
Rolled material where one roll overlaps the roll beneath it. Also referred to as selvage edge rolled roofing.
Side Walls
The area where the vertical roof plane meets the wall.
Soffit Ventilation
Ventilation installed under the eaves of a roof.
Starter Strip
The first course of roofing that is installed. It is typically trimmed from the main roof material.
Steep-Slope Roofing
Any slope higher than 4/12.
Stepflashing
Metal flashing installed on walls and chimneys for weatherproofing purposes.
Tab
Bottom portion of traditional shingle. It is separated by shingle cut-outs.
Tear-Off
Removing the existing roofing materials.
Telegraphing
When shingles show the uneven surface beneath them. Shingles installed over buckled shingles sometimes show buckles.
Transitions
A roof plane that ties into an adjacent roof plane on a different slope.
Underdriven
A fastener that is not fully driven flush with the shingles.
Underlayments
Rolled material made of asphalt that provides added protection to your roof.
Valleys
When two sloped roofs intersect and create a V shaped depression.
Warm Wall
The wall inside of a building used to determine how far up to install underlayments.
Waterproof Underlayments
Underlayments designed to seal wood decks and waterproof vulnerable areas.
Woven Valleys
A way of installing valleys by laying shingles on top of each other at the valley center.
At Hometown Roofing, we service the entire Dallas area including suburbs such as Richardson, Frisco and Plano. If you are in need of any of our roofing services, please give us a call.