Roofing Terms Homeowners Should Know

When something goes wrong with your Los Angeles, CA home’s roof, the first instinct is to call in a professional. Well, at least it should be — roofing repairs or replacements, are better off left for the experts.  

Before you can accurately understand a roof inspection report, roof assessment, or a roofing estimate, you should be familiar with roofing terminology. Understanding basic roofing terminology will help you better communicate your problems/needs with a professional and make better purchasing decisions.

So Top Roofing Inc. put together some commonly used terms that identify parts of a roof and types of roofing.

• Built-up Roof

  • A low-slope (or flat-seeming) roof covered with alternating layers of roofing felt and hot-mapped asphalt and topped off with a layer of gravel.

• Cornice

  • The portion of the roof projecting out from the sidewalls of the house.

• Counterflashing

  • The flashing is embedded at its top in a wall or other vertical structure and lapped down over shingle flashing.

• Courses

  • Horizontal rows of shingles, or tiles.

• Drip

  • The strip of metal extending out beyond the eaves or rakes to prevent rainwater from rolling around the shingles back onto the wooden portion of the house.

• Eaves

  • The lower edge of a roof, usually overhanging beyond the edge of the house.

• Fascia

  • The trim board behind the gutter and eaves.

• Flashing

  • Sheet metal or other material used at junctions of different planes on a roof to prevent leakage.

• Felt

  • Tar paper used by the roofer, usually made of a combination of asphalt and either paper or rags.

• Frieze Board

  • A board at the top of the house’s siding that forms a corner with the soffit.

• Gable

  • The triangular upper part of a wall closing the end of a ridged roof

• Hip

  • The external angle at the junction of two sides of a roof, whose supporting walls adjoin.

• Joist

  • In a flat roof, a horizontal structural member over which sheathing is nailed.

• Rafter

  • A structural member usually slanted to which sheathing is nailed.

• Rake

  • The slanting edge of a gabled roof extending beyond the end wall of the house.

• Ridge

  • The horizontal line at the top edge of two sloping roof planes.

• Sheathing

  • The rigid material (often 1-inch by 6-inch or one inch by twelve-inch boards or sheets of plywood) that is nailed to the rafters, and to which shingles or other outside roofing materials are secured.

• Shingle Flashing

  • Flashing that is laid in strips under each shingle and bent up the edge of a chimney or wall.

• Slope

  • The number of inches of vertical rise in a roof per 12-inches of horizontal distance. Also referred to as pitch.

• Soffit

  • Boards that enclose the underside portion of the roof, extending out beyond the sidewalls of the house.

• Square

  • One hundred square feet of roof, or the amount of roofing material needed to cover 100 square feet when properly applied.

• Underlayment

  • The material (usually roofing felt) laid on top of sheathing before the shingles are applied. 

• Valley 

  • The less than 180-degree angle where two sloping roof sections come together. 

• Valley Flashing 

  • The flashing in valleys, extending in under to shingles on both sides.

• Vents

  • An outlet on the roof for air.

Now that you’re more familiar with the basics of roofing terminology — let’s start a conversation. 

Summer is the best time for Los Angeles, CA homeowners to schedule roof repairs or roof replacements. Call us today to make sure your roof is in tip-top shape (877) 353-6688 or contact us here.