Roofing 101

There’s more to a roof than meets the eye. Unless you own a building or you work in the construction field, chances are that the only time you give your roof a second thought is when it’s leaking. When that happens, you’ll need to call a professional. Wouldn’t it be great if you could speak their language, understand their lingo and be able to confidently make a decision based on your knowledge? In this post we’ve listed some of the most common roofing terms and definitions used in the commercial roofing industry. Trust us, they’ll come in handy when the need arises.
TPO Membrane (Thermoplastic Polyolefin): A single ply roof membrane, constructed from thermoplastic materials, primarily used in commercial applications on flat and low sloped roofs.
EPDM Membrane (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer): A single ply synthetic elastomer roof membrane, constructed from thermoplastic materials, primarily used in commercial applications on flat and low sloped roofs.
Decking: The bottom layer of the roof that supports the weight of the roof system. The five types of decking are plywood, wood plank, gypsum, concrete and corrugated metal.
Isocyanurate: A foam based thermal insulation that is placed between the decking and membrane.
Cricket: This is a peaked water diverter that's placed between the chimney and large roof projections. It basically helps to move the course of the water around the chimney and projections.
Scupper: Basically, it's a drain that allows water to run out of the side of a building.
Ballast: When the roof membrane is not screwed or glued down, ballast is placed on top of the membrane to hold it in place. The most common forms of ballast are river rocks or crushed stone.
Flashing: "Components used to weatherproof or seal roof system edges at perimeters, penetrations, walls, expansion joints, valleys, drains and other places where the roof covering is interrupted or terminated." (Definition gathered from: http://www.nrca.net/Technical/Search/Glossary?GlossaryTerm=flashing&GlossaryAlpha=&btnSearchGlossary=Search)

Remember, these are just a sampling of the terms you can expect to hear when you’re having roof work done. Visit our blog often to learn the ins and outs of roofs, and how you can keep your buildings in great shape.

Interested in commercial roofing, Montgomery County PA? Please call Matrix Roofing Systems today at (267) 327-4680. We’d be happy to answer any questions you might have, and schedule an appointment to inspect your roof.

Resources: http://www.gaf.com and http://www.nrca.net