A Glossary of Common Roofing Terms

Are you confused or unsure what your roofer is saying? They likely will have used a few roofing terms that you may be unaware of. Before you make any decisions regarding your roof, you’ll likely want to familiarize yourself with some of these terms so you can make an educated choice. Here is a brief glossary of some common roofing terms you may hear.

Asphalt: In roofing terms, asphalt is a waterproofing agent used in various materials. It’s not the same thing as what they build streets out of.

Buckling: This is a type of damage to your roof that occurs when a wrinkle is formed either in the shingles or underlayments that cause the roof to lose waterproof integrity.

Cupping: This is a type of damage that occurs when new shingles are installed over existing ones or are over-exposed, which creates a cup-like curl.

Eaves: This is the area of your roof that extends outward from the edge of your home’s walls.

Flashing: This is the term used to refer to materials that are used to seal and waterproof the area around any vents, chimneys, or other projections from your roof.

Granules: These are small bits of crushed rock that are coated with ceramic and embedded into the exposed top surface of a shingle.

Gutters: The small receptacles which collect water that drips off your roof during a rain storm and carry it safely to a storm drain. They also tend to collect dust, dirt, and other debris which clog them.

Plane: This is an area of your roof defined by four edges.

Slope: This is the angle at which your roof is slanted on the top of your home. Any roof with a slope of less than 4:12 is considered to be a low-slope roof, and anything with a slope more than 4:12 is considered to be a high-slope roof.

Underlayment: This is an asphalt-based roll material installed beneath shingles to add extra protection to your roof.

Valley: This is the area where two planes of your roof intersect, creating a V-shape. These are where a lot of water flows off your roof during rainfall.

At Lyons Roofing, we strive to make you completely satisfied with our services, no matter how large or small your project. Our Phoenix roofers are fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and have been certified as a preferred installer for a number of different products, including GAF®, the largest manufacturer of roofing products in the United States. We are proud of our long record of dedication to customer satisfaction and quality workmanship, including being named a Business Ethics Award winner by the Better Business Bureau and the 2012 ARCA “Contractor of the Year.”

Need a roof repair or inspection? Call Lyons Roofing today to schedule your service by dialing (520) 447-2522.

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