This glossary contains many useful terms and definitions. It is organized alphabetically.

Pan -- Flashing used on the upper side of a roof penetration such as a chimney or skylight. Sometimes referred to as Back Pan.

Pipe Boot or Jack -- See Plumbing Vent Jack.

Pitch -- The degree of roof incline expressed as the ratio of the rise (vertical) to the run (horizontal).

Plumbing Boot or Jack -- See Plumbing Vent Jack.

Plumbing Vent Jack -- Pre-formed flange placed over a vent pipe to seal the roof around the vent pipe opening. Made of lead, rubber or metal. Referred to by various terms: pipe boot/jack, plumbing boot/jack, no-caulk or leads.

Ply -- The number of layers of roofing. Usually in reference to a low slope or flat type of roof.

Racking -- Roofing application method in which shingle courses are applied vertically up the roof rather than across and up. Not a recommended procedure.

Rafter -- The supporting framing member immediately beneath the deck, sloping from the ridge to the wall plate.

Rafter Tail -- Eaves end of the rafters, sometimes covered by a fascia board.

Rake -- The incline edge of a sloped roof over a wall. Also called gable edge.

Release Tape -- A plastic or paper strip that is applied to the back of self-sealing shingles. This strip prevents the shingles from sticking together in the bundles, and need not be removed for application.

Ridge -- The uppermost, horizontal external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes, i.e., the top of a roof where the two sides meet. Ridge shingles (sometimes referred to as just ridge or ridge cap), are used to cover this area.

Ridge Cap -- Any material used to cover the ridge are of the roof. See ridge shingles.

Ridge Shingles -- Shingles used to cover the ridge and/or hip area of the roof. See Hip Shingles.

Ridge Vent -- A type of roof vent that ventilates along the ridge or hip line where the roof deck has been cut back. Can be either an exposed type or hidden under the ridge cap. This is the most efficient way to ventilate areas over enclosed cathedral ceilings.

Rise -- See Pitch

Roll Roofing -- Asphalt roofing products manufactured in roll form. Not acceptable for residential roofing.

Roll Valley -- Open valley construction for composition roofs using roll roofing as the valley liner.

Roof to Wall -- L shaped flashing used at a roof to wall abutment.

Roof Vent -- Typically any outlet for air on the roof to ventilate the area below the roof deck (attic).

Roofing Tape -- An asphalt-saturated tape used with flashing to further seal problem areas.

Run -- See Pitch.

Saturated Felt -- An asphalt impregnated felt used as an underlayment between the deck and the roofing material. Also called shake liner for shake and vapor barrier for asphalt shingles.

Self-Sealing Shingles -- Asphalt shingles containing factory applied strips or spots of self-sealing adhesive. This adhesive seals the coursed of shingles together when exposed to the heat of the sun after application. Once heat sealed down they attain wind resistance.

Shake(s) -- A roofing material (usually wood but there are simulated alternatives), of various sizes for sloped roofing applications woven in combination with a saturated felt shake liner. Shakes are rectangular, typically 24 inches long and 4 to 14 inches wide with a tapered body which is thickest at the butt or bottom. Shakes are typically applied with a 10-inch exposure (to the weather). See separate wood Shake & Shingle Section.

Shake Liner -- An organic saturated felt typically 18 inches wide used as an underlayment to shakes in order to keep water out. It is typically overlapped at 10 inches and the shakes are interwoven with part of this overlap. At Olde Towne Roofing, we would recommend a " hybrid" fibreglass shake liner to provide protection throughout the shingle layer area of the shake.

Sheathing -- Exterior grade boards or sheets used as a roof deck material. Also called sheeting.

Sheeting -- See Sheathing.

Shed Roof -- A roof containing only one sloping plane. Has no hips, ridges, valleys or gables. The area at the top is called a clear story.

Shingle(s) -- See Wood Shingles or Asphalt Shingles

Slope -- See Pitch.

Soffit -- The finished underside of the eaves. Can be enclosed (finish material is horizontal or parallel to the roof pitch), or exposed (underside of the roof deck material).

Soffit Vent -- Venting in the soffit area of the house that provides venting at a lower portion of the roof deck and good circulation with other forms of venting such as ridge or roof vents. See Bird Blocks.

Soil Stack -- See Vent Pipe.

Span -- The horizontal distance form eaves to eaves.

Square -- A unit of roof area equal to 100 square feet.

Starter -- See Starter Strip.

Starter Strip -- Roofing applied at the eaves that provides protection by filling in the spaces under the cutouts and/or joints of the first course of roofing material.

Steep Slope Application -- Method of installing asphalt shingles on roof slopes greater than 21 inches per foot. Usually requires additional fasteners and/or manual adhesives; depends upon the manufacturer's specifications.

Step Flashing -- Flashing application method used where a vertical surface meets a sloping surface. The "steps" are woven in with the individual courses of roof material.

Strip Shingles -- Asphalt shingles that are approximately three times as long as they are wide. These include three tab (3-tab) and laminated shingles.