Roofing estimates and insurance scopes are written in trade language, which makes it hard to compare two bids or understand what an adjuster wrote. These are the terms that come up most, grouped by where you’ll see them.

Parts of the roof

Decking(sheathing)

The plywood or OSB boards the whole roof is fastened to. Soft or rotted decking has to be replaced before new roofing goes on, and it’s often only found during tear-off.

Eave

The lower edge of the roof that overhangs the outside wall.

Fascia

The vertical board along the eave that the gutter attaches to.

Soffit

The underside of the eave overhang, usually vented to let fresh air into the attic.

Rake

The sloped edge of the roof at a gable end.

Ridge

The horizontal peak where two roof slopes meet.

Hip

The sloped ridge where two roof planes meet on an outside corner, running from the ridge down to the eave.

Valley

Where two roof slopes meet in a V. It carries more water than any other part of the roof, so it’s a high-risk leak area.

Cricket(saddle)

A small peaked section built behind a chimney or wall to split water around it instead of letting it pool.

Pitch(slope)

How steep the roof is, written as inches of rise per 12 inches of run, such as 6/12. Very low pitches need different materials than steep ones.

Materials and systems

Architectural shingle(dimensional)

A laminated, multi-layer asphalt shingle. Thicker and more durable than 3-tab, and the most common residential choice in Central Texas.

3-tab shingle

A flat, single-layer asphalt shingle with three cutouts per strip. Cheaper and less wind- and hail-resistant than architectural shingles.

Class 4

The highest rating in the UL 2218 impact test for roofing. Many Texas insurers offer a premium discount for a Class 4 roof; ask your carrier, in writing, before choosing a product for that reason.

Granules

The mineral surface on asphalt shingles that shields the asphalt from UV. Granule loss is one of the main signs a roof is aging.

Underlayment

The water-resistant layer between the decking and the roof covering. Synthetic underlayment generally outperforms traditional felt. On tile roofs it does most of the waterproofing and usually wears out before the tile.

Ice and water shield

A self-adhering waterproof membrane used in valleys and around penetrations for extra protection at the riskiest points.

Standing seam

A metal roof with raised, interlocking seams and hidden fasteners. Fewer exposed holes than other metal systems. See metal roofing in Pflugerville.

Exposed-fastener metal(R-panel, ag panel)

Metal panels screwed through the face, each screw sealed by a rubber washer. Cheaper than standing seam, but the washers age and the screws need periodic checking.

Oil canning

Visible waviness in the flat areas of metal panels. It’s usually cosmetic, not a defect, and most metal warranties exclude it.

Clay and concrete tile

Heavy, long-lasting roof tiles. The tiles can outlast several underlayments, so tile repair often means lifting tiles to replace what’s underneath.

Battens

Strips of wood or metal fastened over the underlayment that tiles hang on.

On your estimate

Square

The roofing unit of area: 100 square feet. Estimates and insurance scopes are usually priced per square.

Tear-off

Removing the existing roofing down to the decking, as opposed to layering new shingles over old.

Overlay(layover)

New shingles installed over an existing layer. Cheaper up front, shorter-lived, hides the decking, and prohibited by some manufacturers’ warranties.

Course

One horizontal row of shingles.

Starter strip

The first course at the eave, giving a sealed edge that resists wind uplift.

Drip edge

Metal edging at the eaves and rakes that steers water into the gutter and away from the fascia. Often left out of low bids.

Flashing

Metal that seals the roof where it meets chimneys, walls, valleys and vents. The most common leak source on any roof, and reusing old flashing on a new roof is a false economy.

Step flashing

Individual L-shaped flashing pieces woven into each course where a roof slope meets a wall. Done wrong, it’s a frequent leak on additions.

Counterflashing

A second layer of flashing set into the wall or chimney that laps over the step flashing, so water can’t run behind it.

Pipe boot

The rubber collar that seals around a plumbing vent. It cracks under Texas sun and causes a large share of local leaks.

Ridge vent

Exhaust ventilation along the ridge that lets hot attic air escape. It only works with matching intake vents at the soffit.

Ventilation(intake and exhaust)

The balanced airflow through the attic. Poor ventilation traps heat, bakes shingles from below and can void a manufacturer warranty.

Change order

A written, priced addition to your contract for work not in the original scope, such as replacing rotted decking. It should be approved before the work is done.

Damage and inspection

Bruising

Hail impact that fractures the shingle mat under the surface without puncturing it. It doesn’t leak right away but shortens the roof’s life.

Nail pop

A nail that has backed out over time, lifting the shingle above it and opening a small hole.

Blistering

Bubbles in shingle asphalt, usually from trapped moisture or excess attic heat. Popped blisters lose granules and age faster.

Infrared moisture scan

Thermal imaging that shows wet spots in a roof or ceiling by their temperature difference, used to trace leaks that aren’t visible.

Test square

A 10-by-10-foot area marked on each roof slope where an inspector or adjuster counts hail hits to judge damage.

Insurance and warranty

Deductible

The part of a covered loss you pay. Many Texas homeowners policies use a separate wind and hail deductible, often a percentage of the home’s insured value rather than a flat amount. In Texas it’s illegal for a contractor to waive or absorb it.

Replacement cost value(RCV)

What it costs to replace the damaged roof with similar materials today, without subtracting for age.

Actual cash value(ACV)

Replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear. An ACV policy pays this amount, which can be much less than the cost of a new roof.

Recoverable depreciation

On a replacement-cost policy, the part of the payment the insurer holds back until the work is finished and documented.

Scope of loss

The insurer’s itemized list of covered damage and prices. Many insurers build it in estimating software called Xactimate.

Supplement

A documented request to the insurer to add items missed in the original scope or found during the work, such as rotted decking.

Cosmetic damage exclusion

A policy provision that excludes damage that doesn’t affect how the roof works, most often dents in metal. Check your policy before choosing metal.

Proration

A warranty that pays less as the roof ages. Ask how many years of full, non-prorated coverage you get.

Workmanship warranty

Coverage from the contractor for installation errors, separate from the manufacturer’s material warranty. See our warranty information.

The terms that matter most when comparing bids

If you only check a few line items, make them these: tear-off versus overlay, the underlayment type, whether flashing is new or reused, whether drip edge and starter strip are included, and whether ventilation is being corrected. Those items account for most of the price gap between a low bid and a proper one, along with how the bid handles rotted decking found during the job.

Our roofing materials guide covers how those choices affect roof life, the roof insurance claim guide walks through the claim terms in context, and the roof inspection checklist shows what a good inspection covers. Planning a new roof? See roof replacement in Pflugerville.

Roofing terms questions