Roofing Jargon: 10 Terms Explained

Like any industry, roofing has its own collection of jargon terms that we in the trade will happily throw around, forgetting that not everybody is as familiar with these words as we are. If you have forgotten (or never knew) the difference between a bargeboard and a fascia, here’s our guide to roofing jargon.

• Roof: We’ll start with a simple one. A roof comprises everything structural above the walls of the house.
  
• Roofline: The structures, vents and guttering systems that run horizontally along the top of your walls.
• Rafter: The timber struts that form the shape of the roof. 
• Fascia: The perpendicular board that shields the lower end of the rafters at the roofline.
• Soffit: The horizontal board that lies under the facia.
• Gable: The pointed part of the wall that encloses the end of a pitched roof. 
• Bargeboard: The boards that sit under the roof at the gable end of your house.
• Gutter: The pipe attached to the fascia or soffit that carries rainwater away from the house.
• Eaves: The bottom end of a pitched roof that sticks out over the walls.
• Vents: Essentially gaps to allow airflow through your roof, these prevent moisture buildup.

As part of our comprehensive roofing services we offer a free full inspection of your roof and roofline.  It is worth having your roofline inspected regularly as fixing a few minor repairs will cost you a lot less than repairing the structural damage that might be caused by ignoring them. Call us on 01603 418818 or book a survey on our website.

Like us on Facebook for more fun blogs and all of our latest company news.