If you have talked with a Kansas City roofing contractor before, you may be aware of the sometimes confusing terms that are often used in their field of work. There are a few key ones that it is helpful to know before you call a Kansas City roofing contractor to discuss a job. Take a few moments to review some of the following important roofing phrases and terms:
Bond – The word bond in roofing terms has to do with the method employed when securing tiles to a roof. There are a variety of bond options available for roof tiles including straight, broken, cross, or staggered bonds.
Cellulose or Fiberglass Shingles – Shingles are either derived from an organic or artificial base. Basically, organic shingles are made from cellulose; asphalt shingles are comprised of fiberglass.
Deck or Sheathing – The framework upon which a roof is assembled; typically comprised of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB).
Drainage – The design of the whole roof system, such as slope and layout, that allows for all the shedding of water.
Eave – The overhanging outer edge portion of a roof.
Fascia – A wide board that is installed vertically on its edge around the entire roof. It is set to the rafter ends or to the wall and is where the gutters are attached.
Flashing – Made from a thin metal and applied around/in areas such as the chimney, air vents, and valleys to prevent rain water from seeping under the roof.
Hip – The edge formed where two pitched roof surfaces meet.
Rafters – A sloping series of timbers that extend from the eave to the ridge of a roof; designed to support all the roofing material.
Ridge – The peak or the apex of the roof; usually horizontal.
Roof Pitch or Slope – This tells you how many inches the roof rises for every 12″.
Square – In roofing terms, square refers to how much roofing materials are needed to cover 100 square feet.
Valley – The point at which two slopes in a roof come together.
By knowing only a couple roofing terms like these, you too can easily participate in roofing conversations with your Kansas City roofing contractor and more accurately relay instructions regarding repairs or new installs.
If you have any questions about other roofing terms you don’t understand, be sure to ask the qualified roofers at Bill West Roofing. As a local Kansas City Roofing contractor, we specialize in roof replacement and repair services so, for all your roofing needs, contact Bill West Roofing.