If you have never had to repair or replace your home’s roof before, you may never have thought about the way your roof is built. In order to communicate effectively with the roofing company you choose for the service your roof needs, you need to be able to use basic roofing terminology. The video posted below can give you a great introduction to the fundamentals of roofing systems and how to talk about them.
To start with, you should be able to talk about the slope of your roof. Roof slopes are described in terms of their pitch or steepness. For example, you may learn that you have a 10-12 pitch or an 18-12 pitch. In general, higher numbers refer to steeper roofs.
You should also know how to talk about various roofing components, including drip edges, eaves, gable vents, fascia, and soffits. These roof features are all visible from the outside of your home and are located below the shingles themselves. Other roofing components, like the deck, moisture barrier, and flashing, aren’t visible from the ground and are usually hidden beneath other roofing materials. They work together to keep moisture out of your attic.
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