Glossary of Roofing Terms

Slope
Slope is the degree of incline of a roof plane.

Soffit
A soffit is the finished underside of an eave.

Soffit Vent
A soffit vent is an under eve opening for the intake of outside air.  These are not part of a typical roofing job, but are needed for good attic ventilation and cooling.

Soil Stack
Soil stack is a vent pipe that penetrates the roof.

Span
The span is the horizontal measurement from eave to eave.

Square
A square is a unit of roof measurement equal to 100 square feet.

Square Butt Shingles
Square Butt Shingles are generally three tab 20 year shingles.

Starter Course
The starter course is the first course of shingles on a roof.

Tab
Tab refers to the portion of strip shingles defined by cut outs or slots.

Underlayment
Underlayment refers to asphalt saturated felt applied over the roof deck and under the roofing material. There is a wide range of quality in underlayment.

Valley
A valley is the intersection of two roof slopes.

Vent
A vent is an outlet for air.

Weathering
Weathering refers to changes in color, texture or efficiency brought about by exposure to outside elements such as the sun and extreme weather.

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