Peel-and-stick membrane

More roofing & materials terms

• OSB

  Oriented strand board - an engineered panel of glued wood strands, commonly used as roof decking instead of plywood. It is easy to spot by the flake pattern; it holds fasteners well while dry, but once it gets wet it swells at the edges and loses that grip, so it draws close attention on water and storm claims.

• Parapet wall

  The low wall that extends above the roofline at the edge of a flat or low-slope roof, often on commercial buildings and sometimes on homes. It gets its own flashing, coping, and sealant line items, and those details are commonly missed when a scope is written from photos.

• Pipe boot

  The rubber or metal seal around vent pipes that stick through the roof.

• Pipe collar

  The flashing piece that seals a roof where a plumbing vent pipe passes through it, also called a pipe boot. Collars crack with sun exposure, and a failed collar is a leading source of small roof leaks, so it appears as its own line item on a repair scope.

• Plywood

  The wood sheathing panels nailed to roof framing, sold in thicknesses like 7/16 or 15/32 inch and rated for roof decking. Decks are replaced when they are delaminated, rotted, or too thin for the new covering, and the replacement is priced by the sheet.

• Ponding water

  Standing water that stays on a roof for more than a day or two after rain because the deck does not drain. In a claim, document the depth, the area, and the drain path with photos and a moisture reading, since carriers argue about whether ponding or a storm caused the damage.

Common questions