The Basics of Roofing Components

When it comes to learning about the materials that go into constructing a house, there’s a lot of information and vocabulary to cover. Here are a few definitions that will help you understand the basics of your roofing components.

  1. Underlayment – black paper that’s laid over the plywood sheeting in order to seal the roof from such damaging elements as snow, rain and ice.
  2. Flashing – metal pieces that are used to divert water from places where it might collect, such as hips and valleys. Can be constructed from a variety of materials including galvanized alloy, copper, lead coated copper or stainless steel.
  3. Shingles or Tile – the outermost part of the roof. Sitting atop the underlayment, they form the outermost barrier that is aimed to protect against the elements.
  4. Trim – protects the seams anywhere there is a roof, such as a hip or a ridge.

The 7 Roofing Design Elements

Ridge – Highest point or peak of the roof

Hip – High point where two adjoining roof sections meet

Valley – When two sections of the roof slope downward and meet

Pitch – Slope or steepness of the roof

Eaves – The part of the roof that hangs over the rest of the home

Gables – Triangular portions of the ends of the home, which extend from the eaves to the peak

Dormer – Sections of the home that extrude from the roof

Contact Titan’s today at (716) 848-2671 and let us carry the weight.