A
A/C CIRCUIT - Current flow through a conductor.
AGGREGATE - Crushed stone or gravel used to surface built-up roofs.
AIR DUCT - Ducts that carry air to rooms in your home.
AIR INFILTRATION - Amount of air infiltrating and escaping through cracks
in walls, windows and doors.
AIR FILTERS - Filters that clean the air by capturing particles of lint and
dust.
ANCHOR BOLTS - Bolts designed to fasten columns or girders to concrete or
masonry.
ANGLE IRON - Used to span openings and support masonry at openings.
APPROACH - Transition area from the street to the driveway.
ARCHITECT - Professional who designs buildings and oversees the building
process.
B
BACKFILL - Process of filling in a previously excavated area.
BATT INSULATION - Insulation that fits between framing and studs.
BEAD - A strip of material, usually wood, with one molded edge placed flush
against the inner part of a door or window frame.
BEAM - Structural support element that transfers weight from one location
to another.
BED OR BEDDING - The process of utlizing compound to smooth, fill, or attach
building materials.
BLEEDING - Migration of excess liquid.
BLOCKING - Fastening boards by gluing blocks of wood in the interior angle.
BLUE PRINTS - Professional plans for a building or construction project.
BOW (AND WARP) - Curve or bend in materials.
BRACING - Rods and ties used for supporting parts of a building.
BUILDING PERMIT - Written authorization to construct or renovate a building.
C
CANTILEVER - Projecting beam supported only at one end.
CAULK - (v) Application of sealant to a joint or (n) Compound used for sealing.
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY - Document stating a building is approved for occupancy.
CHAIR RAIL - Horizontal wall molding, usually about 3 feet from the ground.
COLLAR - Metal cap flashing used in roofing to shed water away from base
of vent.
CIRCUIT BREAKER - Opens a circuit when rated current is exceeded as in the
case of a short circuit.
COLLAR TIE - Tie that keeps roof from spreading; connects rafters on opposite
sides of roof.
CONDENSATION - Appearance of moisture on the surface of an object.
CONDUIT - Tube for protecting wires.
CONTROL JOINT - Accommodates movement in the surface component of a roof.
CONVECTION - Method of transferring heat, usually by a furnace.
CORNICE - Horizontal projecting course on exterior of building.
COUPLING - Short collar used in plumbing for receiving the ends of two pipes.
COURSE - Single layer of a building material like brick or stone.
COVENANTS - Rules developed by developer regarding appearance of buildings.
CURING - Process in which mortar and concrete harden.
CURING AGENT - Part of a sealant; causes a base to change its physical state
by chemical reaction.
D
DAMPER - Valve for controlling airflow.
DEAD LOAD - Constant weight (of the roof) and any fixtures above or below.
DEFLECTION - Bending movement of structural member, perpendicular to the axis
of the member, under an applied load.
DEW POINT - Temperature at which vapor condenses and forms water.
DORMER - House-like structure which projects from a sloping roof.
DOUBLE-GLAZING - Two panes of glass separated by an air space to improve
insulation and/or sound transmission.
DOUBLE PLATE - Two layers of 2 x 4's placed on top of studs in framing a
wall.
DOWNSPOUT - Metal pipe used to drain water from a roof.
DRIP EDGE - Device to prevent water from running back or under an overhang.
DRY IN - To make a building waterproof.
DRYWALL - Sheetrock on interior walls and ceilings of a building.
DUCT - Tube used to move air from exhaust or intake.
E
EAVE - Lower edge of the part of a roof that overhangs a wall.
EER - (Energy Efficiency Ratio) Calculated by dividing BTU hours by watts.
EFFLORESCENCE - Process by which water leeches soluble salts out of concrete
or mortar.
ELEVATION - A scale drawing of the side, front, or rear of a structure.
EXCAVATE - Process of digging basement or areas needing foundations below
ground.
EXPANSION JOINT - Device that permits a structure to expand/contract without
breakage.
EYEBROW - Flat projection that protrudes horizontally from wall; usually
above windows.
F
FACADE - Front of a building; frequently an artificial or decorative effort.
FACE BRICK - Brick created for exterior; facing on a building.
FASCIA - Cover board or framed metal used to protect the edge of the roof
assembly.
FELT - Roofing ply sheets comprised of asphalt or coal tar pitch.
FINISH CARPENTRY - Process of installing interior doors, base molding, chair
rails, built-in shelves, etc.
FINISH COAT - Last coat applied in plastering.
FINISH GRADE - Surface cut to or built to the elevation indicated for that
point.
FLASHING - Weatherproof material between roof sheathing and finish materials
to help keep moisture away.
FLASHING, STEP - Small pieces of metal used to flash around chimneys, dormers,
and such projections along the slope of a roof.
FLOOR PLAN - Basic layout of building; includes placement of walls, windows
and doors, as well as dimensions.
FOOTINGS - Wide pours of cement that support foundation walls, pillars, or
posts.
FOOT PRINT - See Floor Plan.
FULLY TEMPERED GLASS - Flat or bent glass that will fracture into many small
pieces if broken.
FURNACE - Common heating system in homes.
G
GABLE - Triangular end of exterior wall from eaves to ridge of a double-sloped
roof.
GAMBREL ROOF - Double-sloped roof with two pitches.
GFI/GFCI - (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) Devices capable of opening
a circuit when even a small amount of current is flowing through the grounding system.
GLAZING - Process of installing an infill material into a prepared opening
in windows, door panels, partitions, etc.
GROUNDING ROD - Used to ground an electrical panel.
GROUT OR GROUTING - Cement-mortar mixture used to fill joints of masonry.
GUTTER - Metal trough designed to carry rainwater from the roof to the downspout.
H
HARDWARE - Metal accessories such as knobs, towel bars, toilet paper holders,
etc.
HEADER - Framing members over windows, doors, or other openings.
HERMETIC SEAL - Vacuum seal between panes of a double-paned window.
HIP ROOF - Roof that rises by inclining planes from all four sides of a building.
HONEYCOMB - Areas in a foundation wall where the aggregate (gravel) is visible.
HVAC - Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.
I
INSULATION - Material that slows down or retards the flow or transfer of
heat.
J
JAMB - Frame of a door or window.
JOINT - Space or opening between two or more adjoining surfaces.
JOIST - Horizontal framing members that support the floors.
K
L
LINTEL - Horizontal piece of wood/steel over an opening such as a window
or door.
LIVE LOAD - Loads produced by use and occupancy of the building.
LOT - Parcel of ground with boundaries.
M
MASTIC - Waterproof compound applied to exterior walls and roof surfaces.
METAL EDGE - Metal extrusions secured at perimeter of the roof to form a
weather-tight seal.
N
NAILER - Lumber secured by bolts or other means to decks and walls that are
unable to be nailed.
O
OVERHANG - Roof structure that extends horizontally beyond the vertical plane
of the exterior walls of a building.
P
PAVER STONES - Pre-cast concrete slabs used to create a traffic surface.
PLANS - See Blue Prints.
PLAT - Map of geographical area as recorded by the county.
PLATE LINE - Top horizontal line of a building wall upon which the roof rests.
PLOT PLAN - Bird's eye view showing how a building sits on the building lot.
PLYWOOD - Wooden panels formed by gluing thin sheets of wood together.
PONDING - Condition where water stands due to poor drainage.
POST - Unit of building material (usually made of lumber) that transfers
weight from the top of post to whatever the post is resting on.
POST AND BEAM CONSTRUCTION - Common type of wall framing.
PROJECTION - Object or equipment that pierces the roof.
PURLINS - Horizontal structure spanning between beams to support a roof deck.
Q
QUOINS - Decorative brick elements on the corners of a house.
R
RAFTER - Roof support that extends from ridge or hip of the roof to eaves.
RAKE - Angle of slope of roof rafter; inclined portion of cornice.
RE-BAR - Reinforcing bar used to increase strength of concrete.
REGISTER - Fixture through which conditioned air flows.
RETURN - Vent that returns air to be warmed or cooled.
ROMEX - Non-metallic sheathed cable consisting of two or more insulated conductors.
ROUGH OPENING - Opening in a wall into which a door or window is to be installed.
ROUGH PLUMBING - Plumbing completed at slab stage.
R-VALUE - Thermal resistance of a glazing system.
S
SADDLE - Ridge in roof deck that allows water to be diverted to roof drains.
SASH - Window frame.
SEALANT - Adhesive material that creates a barrier.
SELF-LEVELING - Term used to describe material applied by pouring.
SFD or Single Family Dwelling - House built for a single family to reside
in.
SHED ROOF - Roof having only one slope or pitch.
SHEATHING - First layer of outer wall covering encasing walls, ceilings,
floors and roofs of framed buildings.
SHEETROCK - Panels installed over framing to form the interior walls and
ceilings.
SHINGLES - Material laid in overlapping rows as a roof covering.
SHORING - Temporary support erected in excavation to keep walls from caving
in.
SILICONE SEALANT - Sealant containing silicon.
SILL PLATE - Bottom plate of exterior walls.
SKYLIGHT - Structure on a roof designed to admit light.
SLAB ON GRADE - Type of construction using footings; little or no foundation
wall is poured.
SLOPE - Incline or pitch of roof surface.
SOFFIT - Underside of a part of a building extending from plane of the building
walls.
SOFFIT VENT - Eave vent to provide ventilation to attic.
SOLE PLATE - Bottom horizontal member of frame wall.
SPALLING - Chipping or flaking of concrete, bricks, or other masonry.
SPAN - Horizontal distance between supporting structures such as beams, trusses
or columns.
SPECIFICATION - Detailed instructions explaining each phase of work to be
done.
STACK - Vertical pipe of a system of, waste or vent piping.
STUCCO - Type of exterior finish.
STUD - Evenly spaced vertical framing members of wall.
SUB-CONTRACTOR - Contractor specializing in a particular trade.
SUB-FLOOR - Material installed before finish flooring materials.
T
TAPING - Applying joint tape over embedding compound in joint treatment of
drywall.
TEXTURE PAINT - Paint manipulated to create various patterns.
THERMAL MOVEMENT - Measured amount of dimensional change a material exhibits
as it is warmed or cooled.
TINTED GLASS/ LOW E GLASS - Glass with a tinted color.
TOP PLATE - Top horizontal member of a frame wall.
TRANSIT - Surveyors instrument used to line up stakes.
TRUSS - Major supporting structure; usually made of timber.
U
ULTRAVIOLET - (U.V.) Invisible rays of the spectrum of light.
V
VENT PIPE - Vertical pipe that protrudes through a roof to provide ventilation.
VENTING - Process of installing roof vents to relieve vapor pressure.
VENT STACK - Provides circulation of air to and from drainage system.
W
WEEP HOLE - Allows for drainage of entrapped water from masonry or glazing
structures.
WIND UPLIFT - Upward force exerted by wind traveling across a roof.
X
Y
Z