Y– A “Y” shaped plumbing fitting.
Yard of concrete- One cubic yard of concrete is 3′ X 3′ X 3′ in volume, or 27 cubic feet. One cubic yard of concrete will pour 80 square feet of 3 ½” sidewalk or basement/garage floor.
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Wafer board – A manufactured wood panel made out of 1″- 2″ wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing.
Walk-Through– A final inspection of a home before “Closing” to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.
Wall out– When a painter pray paints the interior of a home.
Warping– Any distortion in a material.
Valley– The “V” shaped area of a roof where two sloping roofs meet. Water drains off the roof at the valleys.
Valley flashing– Sheet metal that lays in the “V” area of a roof valley.
Valuation– An inspection carried out for the benefit of the mortgage lender to ascertain if a property is a good security for a loan.
Valuation fee– Th fee paid by the prospective borrower for the lender’s inspection of the property. Normally paid upon loan application.
UL (Underwriters’ Laboratories)– An independent testing agency that checks electrical devices and other components for possible safety hazards.
Undercoat– A coating applied prior to the finishing or top coats of a paint job. It may be the first of two or the second of three coats. Sometimes called the Prime coat.
Underground plumbing– The plumbing drain and waste lines that are installed beneath a basement floor.
T & G, tongue and groove– A joint made by a tongue (a rib on one edge of a board) that fits into a corresponding groove in the edge of another board to make a tight flush joint. Typically, the subfloor plywood is T & G.
Tab – The exposed portion of strip shingles defined by cutouts.
Tail beam– A relatively short beam or joist supported in a wall on one end and by a header at the other.
Take off– The material necessary to complete a job.
Taping– The process of covering drywall joints with paper tape and joint compound.
Saddle– A small second roof built behind the back side of a fireplace chimney to divert water around the chimney. Also, the plate at the bottom of some—usually exterior—door openings. Sometimes called a threshold.
Sack mix– The amount of Portland cement in a cubic yard of concrete mix. Generally, 5 or 6 sack is required in a foundation wall.
Sales contract – A contract between a buyer and seller which should explain: (1) What the purchase includes, (2) What guarantees there are, (3) When the buyer can move in, (4) What the closing costs are, and (5) What recourse the parties have if the contract is not fulfilled or if the buyer cannot get a mortgage commitment at the agreed upon time.
Sand float finish– Lime that is mixed with sand, resulting in a textured finish on a wall.
Sanitary sewer– A sewer system designed for the collection of waste water from the bathroom, kitchen and laundry drains, and is usually not designed to handle storm water.
Rabbet- A rectangular longitudinal groove cut in the corner edge of a board or plank.
Radiant heating– A method of heating, usually consisting of a forced hot water system with pipes placed in the floor, wall, or ceiling. Also electrically heated panels.
Radiation– Energy transmitted from a heat source to the air around it. Radiators actually depend more on convection than radiation.
Radon– A naturally-occurring, heavier than air, radioactive gas common in many parts of the country. Radon gas exposure is associated with lung cancer. Mitigation measures may involve crawl space and basement venting and various forms of vapor barriers.
Radon system– A ventilation system beneath the floor of a basement and/or structural wood floor and designed to fan exhaust radon gas to the outside of the home
Rafter– Lumber used to support the roof sheeting and roof loads. Generally, 2 X 10’s and 2 X 12’s are used. The rafters of a flat roof are sometimes called roof joists.
Rafter, hip– A rafter that forms the intersection of an external roof angle.
Quarry tile– A man-made or machine-made clay tile used to finish a floor or wall. Generally 6″ X 6″ X 1/4″ thick .
Padding– A material installed under carpet to add foot comfort, isolate sound, and to prolong carpet life.
Pad out, pack out– To shim out or add strips of wood to a wall or ceiling in order that the finished ceiling/wall will appear correct.
Paint– A combination of pigments with suitable thinners or oils to provide decorative and protective coatings. Can be oil based or latex water based.
Pallets– Wooden platforms used for storing and shipping material. Forklifts and hand trucks are used to move these wooden platforms around.
Panel– A thin flat piece of wood, plywood, or similar material, framed by stiles and rails as in a door (or cabinet door), or fitted into grooves of thicker material with molded edges for decorative wall treatment.
O C- On Center– The measurement of spacing for studs, rafters, and joists in a building from the center of one member to the center of the next.
Oakum– Loose hemp or jute fiber that’s impregnated with tar or pitch and used to caulk large seams or for packing plumbing pipe joints
Open hole inspection– When an engineer (or municipal inspector) inspects the open excavation and examines the earth to determine the type of foundation (caisson, footer, wall on ground, etc.) that should be installed in the hole.