How fast can you respond to an active leak?

If you call during business hours, we typically have someone on-site within 24 hours. For after-hours emergencies (storms, sudden major leaks), we have a 24/7 response line.

Will you match my existing shingles?

We'll match as closely as the manufacturer allows. Asphalt shingles do age and fade, so a new patch on a 10-year-old roof will be visible up close — but from the street, the match is usually very good.

Do you guarantee your repairs?

Yes — every repair gets a written 1–5 year warranty depending on the scope. If the same area leaks again within the warranty period, we come back at no charge.

Can you do roof repairs while I'm at work?

Absolutely. Most repairs don't require you to be home. We just need access to the roof and, occasionally, the attic. We'll send before-and-after photos.

Roofing Terms Glossary | Plain-English Definitions

Architectural shingle · 3-tab shingle · Decking · Underlayment · Ice-and-water shield · Flashing · Step flashing · Drip edge · Valley · Ridge · Ridge vent · Soffit vent · Balanced ventilation · Pipe boot · Nail pop · Granules · Blistering · Creased shingle · Seal strip · Hail bruising · Square · Pitch · Tear-off · Layover · Standing seam · Exposed fastener panel · Class 4 impact rating · Kynar finish · TPO · EPDM · Modified bitumen · Ponding · ACV — Actual Cash Value · RCV — Replacement Cost Value · Recoverable depreciation · Supplement · Deductible · Ordinance or law coverage · Workmanship warranty · Manufacturer warranty · Certified installer · Roof-to-wall transition · Kick-out flashing · Fascia · Soffit · Radiant barrier

Definitions

Architectural shingle

A laminated asphalt shingle built from multiple bonded layers, giving it a dimensional look and a longer service life than a flat 3-tab shingle. This is the standard residential shingle in the Hill Country today.

3-tab shingle

A flat, single-layer asphalt shingle with cutouts that create three tabs. Cheaper and thinner than architectural shingle, with a shorter life and lower wind rating. Rarely specified on new work here anymore.

Decking

The structural wood surface — usually OSB or plywood, and plank on older homes — that the roof system is fastened to. Decking condition can only be assessed once the old roof is torn off.

Underlayment

The water-resistant layer installed over the decking and beneath the shingles. Synthetic underlayment has largely replaced felt on quality installs.

Ice-and-water shield

A self-adhering waterproof membrane applied in valleys, around penetrations and along eaves. It seals around fasteners, which ordinary underlayment does not.

Flashing

Sheet metal installed at transitions — chimneys, walls, valleys, skylights — to direct water back onto the roof surface. Most roofs leak at flashing, not in the open field.

Step flashing

Individual L-shaped metal pieces woven into each shingle course where a roof meets a vertical wall. Caulk is not a substitute for step flashing.

Drip edge

Metal installed along eaves and rakes that directs water into the gutter and prevents it from wicking back under the roof edge into the fascia.

Valley

The internal angle where two roof planes meet. Valleys carry concentrated water volume, which makes them a common leak origin and a priority for debris clearing.

Ridge

The horizontal peak where two roof planes meet at the top. Ridge vent and ridge cap shingles finish this line.

Ridge vent

Exhaust ventilation installed along the ridge, allowing hot attic air to escape. It only works when paired with adequate soffit intake.

Soffit vent

Intake ventilation in the underside of the roof overhang. Blocked soffit vents are the single most common ventilation defect we find in Hill Country attics.

Balanced ventilation

Roughly equal intake at the soffits and exhaust at or near the ridge, so air actually moves through the attic. Exhaust without intake does not ventilate.

Pipe boot

The rubber or lead collar sealing around a plumbing vent pipe. The rubber type typically fails at 8–12 years under Texas UV and is a leading non-storm leak source.

Nail pop

A fastener that has backed partially out of the decking, usually from thermal expansion and contraction cycling. It lifts the shingle above it and creates an entry point.

Granules

The mineral surface embedded in asphalt shingle that shields the asphalt from UV. Heavy granule loss in gutters means the shingle's protective layer is wearing through.

Blistering

Small raised bubbles in a shingle surface caused by trapped moisture expanding under heat. Common on Texas roofs with poor attic ventilation.

Creased shingle

A shingle that was lifted by wind and folded back on itself. It looks normal from the ground, but the factory seal strip is broken — which makes it the next one to blow off.

Seal strip

The heat-activated adhesive line that bonds each shingle course to the one below. Wind damage frequently breaks the seal without visibly damaging the shingle.

Hail bruising

Impact damage that fractures the shingle mat without puncturing the surface. Effectively invisible from the ground, and a common point of dispute on insurance claims.

Square

Roofing's unit of measure: 100 square feet. A typical Hill Country home is 20–35 squares.

Pitch

The steepness of a roof, expressed as vertical rise over 12 inches of horizontal run. A 12/12 pitch rises 12 inches per foot. Steeper pitches cost more to install safely.

Tear-off

Complete removal of the existing roofing down to the decking. The alternative — a layover — traps heat, hides deck damage and shortens the new roof's life.

Layover

Installing new shingles over an existing layer. Cheaper up front, but it conceals decking condition, adds weight and typically costs several years of roof life.

Standing seam

A metal roofing system with continuous panels running ridge to eave and concealed fasteners locked into raised seams. No exposed screws to back out or leak.

Exposed fastener panel

Metal roofing screwed through the face of the panel. Economical and common on barns and shops; the neoprene washers degrade and require periodic re-screwing.

Class 4 impact rating

The highest UL 2218 impact resistance tier. Class 4 products frequently qualify for insurance premium discounts in hail-prone Texas counties.

Kynar finish

A PVDF coating used on quality metal panels that holds color and reflects solar heat far better than standard paint systems.

TPO

Thermoplastic polyolefin — a single-ply reflective membrane widely used on commercial flat and low-slope roofs.

EPDM

A synthetic rubber single-ply membrane used on commercial low-slope roofs, typically black, known for durability and long service life.

Modified bitumen

An asphalt-based multi-ply commercial roofing system, applied in rolls, common on low-slope buildings.

Ponding

Standing water remaining on a flat roof more than 48 hours after rain. It indicates a drainage or slope problem and accelerates membrane failure.

ACV — Actual Cash Value

An insurance settlement basis that pays replacement cost minus depreciation. On an older roof, an ACV policy can leave a large out-of-pocket gap.

RCV — Replacement Cost Value

An insurance settlement basis that pays the full current cost to replace, typically in two payments — an initial ACV check, then recoverable depreciation after the work is completed.

Recoverable depreciation

The withheld portion of an RCV claim, released after you prove the work was completed. If you never do the work, you never collect it.

Supplement

A formal request to an insurance carrier for additional covered line items discovered after the initial estimate — extra layers, decking, code upgrades or ventilation.

Deductible

The amount you pay on a claim before coverage applies. Texas wind/hail deductibles are often a percentage of dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar figure. It is illegal in Texas for a contractor to waive, absorb or rebate it.

Ordinance or law coverage

Policy coverage for the additional cost of rebuilding to current building code, which may exceed like-for-like replacement cost.

Workmanship warranty

The contractor's own written warranty covering installation quality, as distinct from the manufacturer's warranty covering the materials themselves.

Manufacturer warranty

Coverage from the shingle or panel maker against material defects. Enhanced system warranties generally require a certified installer and registration in the homeowner's name.

Certified installer

A contractor credentialed by a manufacturer — Atlas, IKO or CertainTeed in our case — which is what allows enhanced system warranties to be registered.

Roof-to-wall transition

Any point where a roof plane meets a vertical wall. Needs step flashing and, where siding meets roofing, kick-out flashing to prevent water entering the wall cavity.

Kick-out flashing

A small diverter at the bottom of a roof-to-wall transition that kicks water into the gutter instead of behind the siding. Frequently omitted, and a common cause of hidden wall rot.

Fascia

The horizontal board along the roof edge that the gutter attaches to. Overflowing gutters rot fascia from behind.

Soffit

The underside of the roof overhang. Houses the intake vents that make attic ventilation work.

Radiant barrier

A reflective foil layer, installed against the rafters or integrated into decking, that reflects radiant heat rather than absorbing it. Works best in a properly ventilated, well-insulated attic.

Still unclear on something?

If a line item on your estimate doesn't make sense, call us and ask. We'll explain it whether or not the estimate is ours — get in touch or call (210) 245-4125. You may also want our roof cost guide or the Ask a Roofer answers.

Roofing terms,in plain English.