Roofing Terms Made Simple

Roofing Terms Made Simple. Are you looking for a new roof in the market? Unless you are a roofing contractor yourself, then you are going to hear a lot of new stuff about the roofing system. 

We know that roof replacement is an expensive step and even then you are not sure what you are getting. You are spending thousands of dollars and still do not what will happen about your roof, that is a big question. 

We know that everyone is not a roofer so we want to build up your knowledge so that you can speak the language of the roofers. If you know the language of the roofers, you will be able to feel much better during the construction time. 

Roofing Terms Made Simple

An Introduction to Common Roofing Terms

Roofing Styles: Hip, Gable and Shed

Hip roof:

A roof that has slopes on all four sides is termed a hip roof. The characteristics present in this roof are:

  • The length is equal on all the sides
  • It has slopes on all four sides.
  • It forms a ridge with the help of slides
  • These roofs are great for snowy and windy weather
  • It also allows the home builder to add vaulted ceilings or an attic in their house.

Gable Roof:

It is a triangle-shaped roof and these are very popular across the country. Whenever kids do drawing, the houses they made had gable roofs on them.

Shed Roof

This kind of roof has a slope in one direction. This kind of roof is tied to an upper steeper wall or roof at one end and on the lower end, it is tied to a porch roof. This kind of roof is used on smaller buildings where one wall is built taller than the opposite one.

Understanding Slope and Pitch

The slope and pitch are different terms and they have different meanings. The slope is linked with the roof’s rise and run while pitch describes the relationship with the roof’s rise and run. Pitch is determined by dividing the rise of the roof by the span from one wall to another. It is always good that one should know about the difference between the pitch and slope.

Parts of a Roof: Decking, Eaves, Ridges, Valleys, Ventilation

All the roofs have a deck, eaves and ridges and most of the roofs have valleys present in them. 

Decking

It is the foundation of the roof and the deck is the base on which the whole structure of the roof is present. Usually, decking is made up of plywood or OSB.

Eaves

These are the edges present on the roofs that go beyond the exterior walls of the house. Gutters are placed on the edges of eaves. Usually, there are some vents present on the eaves too for attic ventilation.

Ridges

These are the highest points on the roof where the two sides of the roof intersect. They create a mountain-like shape in which there is a valley present in between. Roofers use special kinds of shingles on these places and they are made in such a way that ventilation is made properly.

Roofing Materials: Underlayment, Shingles, Flashing

Each of the materials plays a vital role in the whole roof system. If you are not familiar with these common roofing terms, here are the basics.

Underlayment

It is the base of the roof that comes above the deck and then this layer is covered by shingles. This layer is made up of asphalt and fibrous material which is waterproof or water-resistant. The quality of this material is really important.

Shingles

These are visible roofing materials that one can see from a distance placed on the roof of the house. These are the first items of the roof that come in contact with the outer environment. They are made up of different materials and the most used are the asphalt shingles.

Flashing

This is a corrosion-resistant metal strip that is installed at roof edges and seams. These are the places where the water will try to penetrate through the asphalt shingles into the underlayment. There are four types of flashing

  • Base Flashing
  • Cap Flashing
  • Drip Edge
  • Valley Flashing

If you have questions about a roof repair or new residential asphalt roofing system call RRG Roofing today at 678-325-6949 in Dahlonega, GA or Murphy, NC!

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