Algae - Rooftop fungus that can leave dark stains on roofing..

Apron Flashing - Metal flashing used at chimney fronts.

Asphalt - A bituminous waterproofing agent used in various types of roofing materials.

B

Blistering - Bubbles or pimples in roofing materials. Usually moisture related. In shingles blisters are either moisture under the material or moisture trapped inside the material.

Blow Offs - When shingles are subjected to high winds, and are forced off a roof deck.

Buckling - When a wrinkle or ripple affects shingles or their underlayments.

C

Cap Sheet - Top or final layer on low slope roofing systems.

Cant Strips - used for deflecting water away from flashing areas. Typically used on low slope roofs.

Closed Cut Valley - A shingle valley installation method where one roof planes shingles completely cover the others. The top layer is cut to match the valley lines.

Corrosion - When rust, rot or age negatively affect roofing metals.

Counter Flashing - The metal or siding material that is installed over roof-top base flashing systems.

Crickets - A peaked water diverter installed behind chimneys and other large roof projections. Effectively diverts water around projections.

Cupping - When shingles are improperly installed over an existing roof or are over-exposed, they form a curl or cup.

D

Deck - The substrate over which roofing is applied. Usually plywood, wood boards, or planks.

Dormer - A raised roof extending out of a larger roof plane.

Drip Edge - An installed lip that keeps shingles up off of the deck at edges, and extends shingles out over eaves and gutters, and prevents water from backing up under shingles.

Dubl-Coverage® Mineral Guard - Roll roofing material with 19" selvage edge for double coverage over roof deck.

E

Eaves - The roof edge from the fascia to the structures outside wall. In general terms, the first three feet across a roof is termed the eave.

End Laps - When installing rolled products in roofing, the area where a roll ends on a roof, and is overlapped by the next section of rolled material. (underlayments, rolled roofing)

Exposure - The area on any roofing material that is left exposed to the elements.

F

Fasteners - Nails or staples used in securing roofing to the deck.

Felt - Organic or paper-based rolled material saturated with asphalt to serve as roofing underlayment.

Fiberglass Mat - Fibers condensed into strong, resilient mats for use in roofing materials.

Flashing - Materials used to waterproof a roof around any projections through the roof deck.

G

Gable Roof - Traditional roof style; two peaked roof planes meeting at a ridge line of equal size.

Granules - Crushed rock that is coated with a ceramic coating and fired, used as top surface on shingles.

H

Hip Legs - The down-slope ridges on hip roofs.

Hip Roof - A roof with four roof planes coming together at a peak and four separate hip legs.

I

Ice Dam - When a snow load melts on a roof and re-freezes at the eave areas. Ice dams force water to "back-up" a roof and cause leakage.

Inside Corner - The area on a roof where two walls meet, forming a corner resembling a pocket or ?U? shape.

L

Laminated Shingles - Shingles made from two separate pieces that are laminated together. Also called dimensional shingles and architectural shingles.

Low Slopes - Roof pitches less than 4/12 are considered low sloped roofs. Special installation practices must be used on roofs sloped 2/12-4/12.

M

Mansard - A roof design with a nearly vertical roof plane that ties into a roof plane of less slope at its peak.

Mats - The general term for the base material of shingles and certain rolled products.

Mortar - Mixture of sand, mortar, limestone and water used in bonding a chimneys bricks together.

N

Nail Guide Line - Painted line on laminated shingles, to aid in the proper placement of fasteners.

Nail Pop - When a nail is not fully driven, it sits up off the roof deck.

Nesting - Installing a second layer of shingles aligning courses with the original roof to avoid shingle cupping.

O

Open Valley - Valley installation using metal down the valley center.

Organic Mat - Material made from recycled wood pulp and paper.

Organic Shingles - Shingles made from organic (paper) mats.

P

Pitch - Ratio of the rise of the roof to the span of the roof.

Power Vents - Electrically powered fans used to move air from attics and structures.

Plastic Cement - Asphalt based sealant. Also called bull, mastic, tar, asphalt cement.

Plumbing Vents - Term used to describe plumbing pipes that project through a roof plane. Also called vent stacks.

R

Rake Edge - The vertical edge of gable style roof planes.

Ridge Vent - Exhaust ventilation installed along the roof peak.

Roof Plane - A roofing area defined by having four separate edges. One side of a gable, hip or mansard roof.

S

Self Adhering - roofing membranes that have glues or adhesives ?built-in? to them at the factory. These adhere to roofing areas without the need for melting torching, or application of glues/adhesives.

Shed Roof - Roof design of a single roof plane. Area does not tie into any other roofs.

Side Walls - Where a vertical roof plane meets a vertical wall. The sides of dormers etc.

Soffit Ventilation - Intake ventilation installed under the eaves, or at the roof edge.

Smart Choice® System Plus Limited Warranty - GAFMC's next grade of enhanced warranty. Extended coverage for owners.

Starter Strip - The first course of roofing installed. Usually trimmed from main roof material.

Steep Slope Roofing - Generally all slopes higher than 4/12 are considered steep slopes

Step Flashing - Metal flashing pieces installed at side-walls and chimneys for weather-proofing.

T

Tab - The bottom portion of traditional shingle separated by the shingle cut-outs.

Tear Off - Removal of existing roofing materials down to the roof deck.

Transitions - When a roof plane ties into another roof plane that has a different pitch or slope.

U

Underlayments - Asphalt based rolled materials designed to be installed under main roofing material, to serve as added protection.

V

Valleys - Area where two adjoining sloped roof planes intersect on a roof creating a "V" shaped depression.

Ventilation - The term used in roofing for the passage of air from an enclosed space.

W

Warm Wall - The finished wall inside of a structure, used in roofing to determine how to install waterproof underlayments at eaves.

Waterproof underlayments - Modified bitumen based roofing underlayments. Designed to seal to wood decks and waterproof critical leak areas.

Weather Stopper® Integrated Roofing System? - GAFMC's complete roofing system and components.

Woven Valleys - The method of installing valleys by laying one shingle over the other up the valley center.