Asphalt Emulsion surface coating for some cold applied roof systems. Used as a base for smooth applied systems. Can be spray applied or brushed on.
Asphalt Shingles popular in the early years of the 20th century, fulfilling a need for an economical fire-resistant roof covering. Over the years, asphalt shingles have increasingly become recognized as an economical, fire-safe and aesthetic product with a combination of beauty, durability, longevity and value.
The “standard” asphalt shingle is the square butt strip shingle, elongated in shape and available with one or three tabs. This product is made of a base mat or organic material (cellulose fibers) or inorganic material (glass fibers). The organic mat is saturated and coated with asphalt and then surfaced with ceramic-coated opaque mineral granules.
The saturating process is not necessary for fiberglass-based asphalt shingles, which require only a coating asphalt. The coating asphalt provides weatherproofing qualities. The mineral granules protect the shingles from the sun’s ultraviolet rays and give the shingles color and added protection against fire.
Base flashing that portion of the flashing attached to or resting on the deck to direct the flow of water onto the roof covering.
Base Sheet first layer of paper applied usually 3 times thicker than ply sheets and coated.
Battens 1"x2"x4' wood strips nailed to the roof, upon which the field tile hangs.
Built-Up Roofing a method of applying a roof system composed of various amounts of roofing paper (base sheet and ply sheets) to achieve a waterproof membrane. Can be hot applied or cold applied.
Built-Up Roofing Systems built-up roofing was introduced in the late 1800s and remains the most popular roofing system for commercial and industrial buildings for new and retrofit markets.
Built-up roofing membranes are composed of layers of bitumen or cold-applied adhesive that serve as the weather-proofing component of the membranes. Reinforcement piles, such as organic felt, glass-fiber ply sheet and polyester plysheet, are installed in each layer of bitumen or cold-applied adhesive. Bituminous membranes are installed in multiple-ply configurations with bitumen or cold-applied adhesive between layers, or plies of membranes, of reinforcement to construct a “built-up” membrane.
Cap Sheet surface sheet for most built up roof systems. Can be made of organic asphalt products or modified asphalt products.
Chopped Fiberglass a method of reinforcing asphalt emulsion allowing application of a larger amount of asphalt emulsion thus preventing material from cracking. Material is applied with a special spray gun.
Chopped Fiberglass/Monolithic a method typically used in Roof Restoration. This method reinforces the asphalt emulsion allowing the application of a larger amount of asphalt emulsion thus preventing material from cracking.
Coating a layer of viscous asphalt applied to the base material into which granules or other surfacing is embedded
Coated Sheet has an asphalt and sand finish. The finish keeps the asphalt or adhesive from seeping through sheet.
Cold Application Material solvent based material used for applying built up roof system. Can be spray applied or brushed on.
Counter flashing that portion of the flashing attached to a vertical surface to prevent water from migrating behind the base flashing.
Deflection the downward displacement of a structural member or system under load.
Drain an outlet or other device used to collect and direct the flow of runoff water from a roof area..).
Eaves flashing/Ice guard additional layer of roofing material applied at the eaves to help prevent damage from water back-up.
Elastomeric the elastic, rubber-like properties of a material that will stretch when pulled and will return relatively quickly to its original shape when released.
Elastomeric Coating a coating system which, when fully cured, is capable of being stretched at least twice its original length (100% elongation) and recovering to its original dimensions.
Expansion Joint a structural separation between two building elements that allows free movement between the elements without damage to the roofing or waterproofing system.
Fascia a vertical or steeply sloped roof or trim located at the perimeter of a building. Typically, it is a border for the low-slope roof system that waterproofs the interior portions of the building.
Felt a flexible sheet that is saturated with asphalt and used as an underlayment, sometimes called "tar paper"
Flashing pieces of metal or roll roofing used to prevent seepage of water into a building around any intersection or projection in a roof such as vent pipes, chimneys, adjoining walls, dormers and valleys. Galvanized metal flashing should be minimum 26-gauge.
Granule (also referred to as Mineral or Ceramic Granule) opaque, natural, or synthetically colored aggregate commonly used to surface cap sheets, shingles, and other granule-surfaced roof coverings.
Granule Surfacing a small granule product manufactured for roof surfacing. Size would be comparable to rock salt.
Gravel Surface gravel used for surfacing built up roofing.
Hip the inclined external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes. The hip runs from the ridge to the eaves.
Hot hot asphalt that is used for bonding ply sheets and surface coatings and or cap sheets. It is melted on job site by kettles or tankers.
Ice Dam a mass of ice formed at the transition from a warm to a cold roof surface, frequently formed by refreezing water at the overhang of a steep roof, causing ice and water to back up under roofing materials
Kettle a large butane fired trailer that melts the asphalt on the job site, sometimes referred to as a tar pot.
Lap to cover the surface of one shingle or roll with another.
Mechanical Fasteners roofing Nails, Screws and plates are used to fasten roof insulation, single ply membranes, base sheetsand felt underlayments.
Modified cap sheets or ply sheets that are manufactured with a modified rubber product. More tensile strength than regular asphalt products.
Mastic an asphalt-based cement used to bond roofing materials. Also known as flashing cement.
Parapet Wall that part of a perimeter wall immediately adjacent to the roof which extends above the roof.
Ply roofing sheets used in built up roofing systems, also referred to as "felt." The inner layers of Built Up Roof systems Asphalt or modified systems.
Ponding the excessive accumulation of water at low-lying areas on a roof.
Polyester Membrane reinforcing membrane sheet used in Roof Restoration Systems.
Roof Insulation a rigid board of various widths from ½"to 6", usually applied with some form of mechanical fasteners. Typically used to achieve a “R” value or reslpoing. When more than one layer is applied the second layer will applied with an adhesive, either hot or cold.
Single Ply Roofing: EPDM/TPO a rubber roof membrane that is applied with or without adhesive and is sealed and fastened at the laps of the material. Laps are sealed with heat welding using special hot air welders or special lap adhesive. Heat welding is the preferred method of sealing laps.
Ridge Vent a ventilator located at the ridge that allows the escape of warm and/or moist air from the attic area or rafter cavity. Most ridge vents are either premanufactured metal or flexible, shingle-over type.
Ridging an upward, elongated tenting displacement of a roof membrane frequently occurring over insulation or deck joints. Ridging may be an indication of movement within the roof assembly.
Roll Roofing/Cap Sheet as the name implies, roll roofing is manufactured, packaged and shipped in rolls. It comes in a wide variety of weights and measures. Roll roofing products are produced with either a smooth surface or a mineral surface, the latter containing mineral granules that are embedded in the topside of the sheet. In addition to its use as a roof covering, roll roofing is important as a flashing material.
Roof Assembly an assembly of interacting roof components (includes the roof deck, vapor retarder [if pre-sent], insulation, and roof covering).
Roof Curb raised frame used to mount mechanical units (such as air conditioning or exhaust fans), skylights, etc.
Roof Slope the angle a roof surface makes with the horizontal, expressed as a ratio of the units of vertical rise to the units of horizontal length (sometimes referred to as run). For English units of measurement, when dimensions are given in inches, slope may be expressed as a ratio of rise to run, such as 4:12, or as a percent.
Roof System a system of interacting roof components, generally consisting of membrane or primary roof covering and insulation (not including the roof deck) designed to weatherproof and, sometimes, to improve the building's thermal resistance
Rosin Paper (specifically Rosin-Sized Sheathing Paper) a nonasphaltic paper used as a sheathing paper or slip sheet in some roof systems.
Sealant a single- or multi-component polymeric or bituminous-based material used to weatherproof many types of construction joints where moderate movement is expected. The material comes in various grades: pourable, self-leveling, non-sag, gun grade, and cured or uncured tapes.
Self-Adhering Membrane a membrane that can adhere to a substrate and to itself at overlaps without the use of an additional adhesive. The undersurface of a self-adhering membrane is protected by a release paper or film, which prevents the membrane from bonding to itself during shipping and handling.
Single-Ply Membranes roofing membranes that are field applied using just one layer of membrane material (either homogeneous or composite) rather than multiple layers.
Single-Ply System generally, there are six types of single-ply roofing systems: 1) Fully adhered 2) Loose-laid 3) Mechanically-fastened 4) Partially-adhered 5) Protected membrane roof 6) Self-adhering
Tanker vehicle that transports cold asphalt or hot asphalt to job site.
Tear off removal of existing roof membrane, necessary when applying new roof membrane in most cities in Southern California.
Torch Applied System the cap sheet has a coating of modified asphalt that is heated with torch just prior to application.
Underlayments these products consist of a felt or mat (fiberglass or polyester) that may be impregnated or coated with asphalt, stabilized asphalt coating, and polymer modified asphalt, non-asphaltic polymeric coating or a combination of these materials. They are used primarily as underlayment for asphalt shingles, roll roofing and other types of roofing materials. Some of these types of products are also useful as sheathing paper.