Common Roof Terms:

• Deck or Sheathing:
  The plywood or surface foundation where roofing materials are applied.
• Dormer:
  A small structure projecting from a sloped roof, usually with a window.
• Drip edge:
  An L-shaped metal strip on a roof edge allowing water to run off and drip clear of the roof.
• Felt or Underlayment:
  A layer of tar paper or other material used as extra protection for the roof deck.
• Flashing:
  Sheet metal local roof features like vents, chimneys and skylights. It directs water onto shingles instead of into joints on roofs.
• Louvers:
  Slatted air vents underneath eaves that ventilates the space below a roof deck to equalize temperature and moisture.
• Penetrations:
  Vents, pipes, stacks, chimneys or anything that penetrates a roof deck.
• Eave:
  The horizontal lower edge of a sloped roof.
• Rafters:
  The supporting framing to which a roof deck is attached.
• Rake:
  The inclined edge of a roof covering a wall.
• Ridge:
  The top edge of two intersecting sloped roof surfaces.
• Slope:
  The rise in inches, a '4-in-12' slope rises 4 inches for every foot of horizontal distance.
• Valley:
  The 'V' angle formed at the intersection of two declining roof surfaces.