test link to about

A

Abs — A type of black plastic pipe commonly used for waste water lines.
Aggregate — Crushed rock or stone.
Air chamber — A vertical, air filled pipe that prevents water hammer by absorbing pressure when water is shut off at a faucet or valve.
Air-conditioner condenser — The outside fan unit of the air conditioning system. The condenser discharges heat to the building exterior.
Alligatoring — Coarse checking pattern on the surface of a material. Typically caused by ageing, exposure to sun and/or loss of volatiles.
Ampacity — Refers to the how much current a wire can safely carry. For example, a 12-gauge electrical copper wire can safely carry up to 20 amps.
Asphalt — A bituminous material employed in roofing and road paving materials because of its waterproofing ability.

B

Backfill — The replacement of excavated earth into a trench or pit.
Backflow — A reverse flow of water or other liquids into the water supply pipes, caused by negative pressure in the pipes.
Ballast — A transformer that steps up the voltage in a florescent lamp.
Balusters — Vertical members in a railing used between a top rail and bottom rail or the stair treads. Sometimes referred to as pickets or spindles.
Base sheet — Bottom layer of built-up roofing.
Batt — A section of fiberglass or rock-wool insulation.
Bay window — Any window space projecting outward from the walls of a building, either square or polygonal in plan.
Beam — A structural member transversely supporting a load. A structural member carrying building loads (weight) from one support to another. Sometimes called a girder.
Bearing wall — A wall that supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight.
Bird’s-mouth cut — A cutout in a rafter where it crosses the top plate of the wall providing a bearing surface for nailing. Also called a heel cut.
Bitumen — Term commonly applied to various mixtures of naturally occurring solid or liquid hydrocarbons, excluding coal. These substances are described as bituminous. Asphalt is a bitumen. See Asphalt.
Blocking — Small wood pieces to brace framing members or to provide a nailing base for gypsum board or paneling.
Board and batten — A method of siding in which the joints between vertically placed boards or plywood are covered by narrow strips of wood.
Bottom chord — The lower or bottom horizontal member of a truss.
Brick tie — Metal strips or wires that are inserted into the mortar joints of the brick veneer. Ties hold the veneer wall to the backer wall behind it.
Brick veneer — A vertical facing of brick used to clad a building. Brick veneer is not a load-bearing component. Read More on page 116 of Brick Veneer.
Building paper — A general term for papers, felts and similar sheet materials used in buildings without reference to their properties or uses. Generally comes in long rolls.
Built-up roof — A roofing composed of three to five layers of asphalt felt laminated with coal tar, pitch or asphalt. The top is finished with crushed slag or gravel. Generally used on flat or low-pitched roofs.
Butt joint — The junction where the ends of building materials meet. To place materials end-to-end or end-to-edge without overlapping.

C

Cant strip — A triangular shaped piece of lumber used at the junction of a flat deck and a wall to prevent cracking of the roofing which is applied over it.
Cantilever — Any part of a structure that projects beyond its main support and is balanced on it.
Cap flashing — The flashing covering over a horizontal surface to prevent water from migrating behind the base flashing.
Cap sheet — The top layer in modified bitumen roofing.
Casement window — A window with hinges on one of the vertical sides and swings open like a door.
Ceiling joist — One of a series of parallel framing members used to support ceiling loads and supported in turn by larger beams, girders or bearing walls. Can also be roof joists.
Cement — The grey powder that is the “glue” in concrete. Portland cement. Also, any adhesive.
Certificate of Occupancy — Certificate is issued by the local municipality and is required before anyone can occupy and live within the building. It is issued only after the local municipality has made all inspections and all monies and fees have been paid.
Cfm (cubic feet per minute) — A rating that expresses the amount of air a blower or fan can move. The volume of air (measured in cubic feet) that can pass through an opening in one minute.
Chase — A framed enclosed space around a flue pipe or a channel in a wall, or through a ceiling for something to lie in or pass through.
Checking — Cracks that appear with age in many large timber members. The cracks run parallel to the grain of the wood. At first superficial, but in time may penetrate entirely through the member and compromise its integrity.
Cleanout — An opening providing access to a drain line. Closed with a threaded plug.
Closed-cut valley — A method of valley treatment in which shingles from one side of the valley extend across the valley, while shingles from the other side are trimmed 2 inches from the valley centerline. The valley flashing is not exposed.
Collar tie — Nominal one- or two-inch-thick members connecting opposite roof rafters. They serve to stiffen the roof structure.