Roofing and roofing terminology can often seem like a whole other language. Summit Roofing Kingston Inc not only aims to provide complete transparency for our customers, but we try to educate them on the steps and materials for/on their roofing project. 

The list below will give you an adequate start to learning the language used in our industry.  If you cannot find the answers here, please look at our FAQ Page, and if you still don't have the answers you're looking for please, feel free to use our feedback form on our Feedback Page. 

1. Self-sealing shingles: Shingles containing factory-applied strips or spots of self-sealing adhesive.

2 & 4. Eave Protection & Roll Roofing: Eave protection & Roll Roofing is a layer of felt or plastic placed under the shingles on eaves, in valleys, along ridges, at roof perimeters and at joint flashings. Eave & Roll protection is important for the performance of a roof, acting as both a waterproofing membrane and as extra protection against ice-damming.

3. Ice & Water Underlayment: Self-adhering rubber membrane used in place of felt paper to prevent water from seeping to the roof deck. Primarily used in low slope applications.

5. Vent: Any outlet for air that protrudes through the roof deck such as a pipe or stack. Any device installed on the roof, gable or soffit is used for the purpose of ventilating the underside of the roof deck.

6. Asphalt plastic roofing cement: An asphalt-based cement used to bond roofing materials.

7. 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.

8. Drip edge: A non-corrosive, non-staining material used along the eaves and rakes to allow water run-off to drip clear of underlying construction.

Base flashing: The portion of flashing attached to or resting on the roof deck. Base flashing is used to direct the flow of water onto the roof covering.

Backpan flashing:  The portion of flashing attached to the higher end of a chimney or skylight.  Backpan is used to protect the roof deck if water were to back up under the shingles.

Closed cut valley: A method of valley treatment in which shingles from one side of the valley extend across the valley while shingles from the other side are trimmed two inches from the valley centerline. The valley flashing is not exposed.

Condensation: The change of water from vapor to liquid when warm and moisture-laden air comes in contact with a cold surface.

Counter flashing: The portion of flashing attached to a vertical surface to prevent water from migrating behind the base flashing; commonly used for Skylight installations.

Deck: The surface installed over the supporting framing members to which the roofing is applied.

Dormer: A framed window unit projecting through the sloping plane of a roof.

Felt: Fibrous material saturated with asphalt and used as an underlayment or sheathing paper.

Gable: The upper portion of a sidewall that comes to a triangular point at the ridge of a sloping roof.

Gable roof: A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each side of the ridge. A gable roof contains a gable at each end.

Hip: The inclined external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes. Hips run from the ridge to the eaves.

Hip roof: A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each of four sides. Hip roofs do not contain any gables.

Ice dam: Condition formed at the lower roof edge by the thawing and re-freezing of melted snow on the overhang. Ice damming can force water up and under shingles, which causes leaks.

Laminated shingles: Strip shingles containing more than one layer of tabs to create extra thickness. Also called three-dimensional shingles.

Open valley: Method of valley construction in which shingles on both sides of the valley are trimmed along a chalk line snapped on each side of the valley. Shingles do not extend across the valley and valley flashing is exposed.

Overhang: The portion of roof structure that extends beyond the exterior walls of a building.

Pitch: The degree of roof incline expressed as the ratio of the rise.

Ridge shingles: Shingles used to cover the horizontal external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Step flashing: Flashing application method used where a vertical surface meets a sloping roof plane.

Three-tab shingle: The most popular type of asphalt shingle usually 12" x 36" in size with three tabs.

Valley: The internal angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes to provide water runoff.

Valley flashing:  Protects the valleys between two meeting roof planes placed in the valley prior to the roof being finished.