Roofing Terms You Might Need to Know

When you need your roof worked on for any reason, it’s always important to work with a professional. Dynamic Home Improvements has a lot of experience with all kinds of roofing services and needs. 

We’ve also worked with many homes and businesses, so we know there can be a lot to pick up on if this is your first roofing project. We want you to feel secure in your choice of roofing contractor, so our team has compiled a list of typical words or phrases you might need to know. 

When you choose us to work on your roof, you can trust our expertise and customer service. Give us a call today to schedule your estimate, or keep reading to learn some of the roofing terms that could help! 

There are Layers to Your Roof

There are several layers to your roof that all work in tandem to protect you. The roof deck is crucial to the structural integrity of your roof. Making up the wooden beams of your roof, the decking holds everything up. 

What’s even less known is that decking can be one of two main types: Plank or sheet. The latter can be made of plywood or OSB while plank decking is exactly what the name suggests. Because it’s wood, decking is highly susceptible to moisture damage, mold, or rot. If it gets wet, it can lead to a roof replacement.

Your roofing materials are exposed to the elements to prevent water from getting in. When we install your roofing, we use a starter shingle to begin. These pre-cut shingles form a row at the lower end of your roof, or the eaves and rakes, to give us a place to start laying shingles.

A good thing about starter shingles is that they’re adhesive, which means that the first row of materials on your roof are sealed for improved wind resistance.

Located between the decking and your roofing materials, underlayment is designed to protect your deck if materials get damaged or go missing. This felt or synthetic material acts as a buffer to prevent moisture from seeping in.

However, it’s not a good idea to leave your underlayment exposed for too long. It’s not meant to absorb too much water before you schedule a roof repair in Bergen County, NJ. To get started with your roofing estimate, give us a call today!

Up on the Roof

There are a lot of components to your roof that many homeowners don’t know about. All of these sections or parts are necessary to keep your home secure from the elements, so it’s good to know all of these terms:

• Flashing is the thin metal on your roof that seals out water. It’s usually used to go around external features, like a chimney or skylight, or the valleys and walls of your roof. You can choose between aluminum, copper, and steel for your metal flashing. The main types of flashing are counter, apron, and step.
• Water and ice shields can help your roof against those types of damages. This waterproof membrane can be a smooth, high heat, or granular surface type. Our experts will install a water and ice shield at key points of your roof, like the low slope, valleys, and any penetrations.
• Facets are the various sides or sections of your roof. The number of roof facets will depend on the complexity of your roof.
• Gables are the triangular section below the overhang of two roof facets. To give a better idea of what gables are, they’re usually a great point for ventilation.
• A roof cricket can divert water to go around your chimney or walls using a dual-triangle design.
• Eaves and rakes are your roof’s edges. We mentioned these terms earlier, but eaves run horizontally along the edge of your roof while rakes are the edges of a slope. Eaves are basically the line for your gutter repair and installation in Morris County, NJ.
• Valleys and hips are related to the slope of your roof. Valleys are the point where two facets meet at a slope for an interior angle. These improve water flow and runoff. Roof hips are similar and form an exterior angle at a slope.
• Drip edges are metal parts that get nailed to your roof decking at the eaves. These work with hips and gutters to keep water flowing off your roof to protect your decking.
• The soffit is installed where a roof overhangs the wall below. In many cases, we’ll use the location of a soffit to install an intake vent.
• Fascia goes right above a soffit and under the eaves. While fascia is sometimes just for show, it can be used in place of a drip edge.
• The pitch of your roof is just how steep it is. To give you a mathematical understanding, your roof’s pitch is calculated with a formula of X/12. X is the rise of your roof, while 12 is the run. In other words, a roof with an 8/12 pitch will have a rise of 8 feet for every 12 feet of length.
• Dormer is typically a window, but it can be any section of roof that sticks out to create a second mini-roof.
• Caulking is the sealant for roof repair to fix leaks. Professional caulking of your roof can last around two years.

As you can tell, there are a lot of components and terms to your roof. Our trained roofers at Dynamic Home Improvements will work with you to tackle whatever project you need done when you give us a call today!

Other Roofing Terms to Know

Whether you need a roof replacement in Monmouth, NJ or a simple repair, the cost of labor and materials is found using a unit of measurement called the roofing square. In this case, the “square” is one hundred square feet of area on your roof.

Another financial reference is the term “prorated.” This term relates to product warranties, because a prorated material warranty will depreciate in value every year. Non-prorated material warranties mean the material retains its value.

We like for our customers to always feel they’re making an informed decision. Our experts can explain anything from complex roofing terms to the options for gutter repair and installation. We’re experienced with many areas and types of roofing, so don’t be afraid to ask questions when you call Dynamic Home Improvements now!