Ridge cap

More roofing & materials terms

• Re-roof

  Installing a new roof covering over an existing one, or tearing the old covering off first, without changing the roof structure. It matters in a claim because the scope and price differ sharply between an overlay and a full tear-off, so confirm which one the carrier approved.

• Reglet

  A groove cut into masonry or concrete that a counterflashing edge is inserted into, so water running down the wall cannot get behind the roof flashing. It is frequently missed in a scope, so measure and photograph it before tear-off, especially on brick or block walls.

• Ridge vent

  Ventilation installed along the roof peak to let hot air escape, cut to length and fastened along the ridge line.

• Roof cement

  A thick, trowel-grade adhesive used to seal flashings, patches, and small repairs where caulk alone will not hold. In estimates it is a line item and a material, so where it is used belongs in the scope notes. Whether it is owed as a separate item depends on the carrier, so document it.

• Roof penetration

  Any object passing through the roof plane, vent stacks, pipes, skylights, chimneys. IRC R903.2 requires all penetrations to be flashed. Boots and flashings around penetrations are frequent storm-damage items.

• Roof square

  100 square feet of roof surface, the standard unit for measuring and pricing roofs.

Common questions