Acoustical Tile:

Special tile for walls and ceilings made of mineral, wood, vegetable fibers, cork or metal. Its purpose is to control sound volume, while providing cover. Most often used in remodeling older dwellings to hide or lower height of old ceilings and in commercial work.

Agent:

A person acting on behalf of another, called the principal.

Air Duct:

Pipes that carry warm air and cold air to rooms and back to furnace or air conditioning system.

Appraisal:

An expert judgment or estimate of the quality or value of real estate as of a given date.

Apron:

A paved area, such as the juncture of a driveway with the street or with a garage entrance.

Assessed Value:

The valuation placed upon property by a public tax assessor as the basis for taxes.

Awning:

A roof-like shelter extending over a doorway, window, porch, etc., which provides protection from the sun or rain.

Awning Window:

A window in which the vent or vents pivot outward from the top edge, giving an awning effect.

Balusters:

Upright supports of a balustrade rail.

Balustrade:

A row of balusters topped by a rail, edging a balcony or a staircase.

Baseboard:

A horizontal molding used to cover the joint between a wall and floor.

Base Shoe Molding:

Molding used next to the floor on baseboard. Usually used on vinyl or wood floors.

Batt:

Insulation in the form of a blanket, rather than loose filling.

Batten:

A narrow strip of wood or metal used to cover vertical joints between boards or panels. See Board and Batten.

Beam:

The main horizontal members of a building installed so as to support the load of the structure. They may be made of wood, metal or other materials.

Beam Ceiling:

A type of construction in which the supporting beams of the ceiling are exposed to view.

Bearing Wall:

A wall that supports a floor or roof of a building.

Below Grade:

An area which is located below the ground level.

Bevel Siding:

Finish siding for the exterior of a building. It is cut so that it is wedge-shaped and is installed with the thicker edge at the bottom so as to give a "shadow" effect to the finished wall. See Clapboard.

Bib or Bibcock:

A water faucet to which a hose may be attached also called a hose bib or sill cock.

Bill of Sale:

An instrument which transfers title to personal property (chattels); a "Deed" transfers real property.

Bird Screen:

Wire mesh used to prevent birds or rodents from entering the building through louvers or ventilators.

Blacktop:

A general term referring to asphalt paving.

Board and Batten:

A type of vertical siding constructed of wide boards and narrow battens. The boards are usually about 12 inches wide and the battens, usually about two or three inches wide, are nailed over the joints of the boards.

Brace:

A piece of wood or other material used to form a triangle and stiffen some part of a structure.

Breezeway:

A covered passage way between the house and garage.

Brick Veneer:

Brick used as the decorative outer sur­face of a framed wall.

Built-Up Roof:

A roofing material applied in sealed, water-proof layers, where there is only a slight slope to the roof.

Butt Joint:

Joining point of two pieces of wood or molding with the ends meeting but not overlapping.

Cantilever:

A beam, projecting from a wall and supported at only one end, which is used to support something such as a balcony.

Casement Window:

A window sash that opens on hinges at the vertical edge.

Casing:

The framework around a door or window.

Caulking:

The process of filling and sealing joints to prevent the penetration of moisture.

CC&R's: Covenants, conditions and restrictions:

A document that controls the use, requirements and restrictions of a property.

Certificate of Reasonable Value (CRV):

A document that establishes the maximum value and loan amount for a VA guaranteed mortgage.

Certificate of Title:

A document signed by a title examiner or attorney stating that the seller has a good marketable and insurable title.

Chair Rail:

Wood molding on a wall around a room at the level of a chair back.

Chase:

A groove or tunnel through a wall or floor to accommodate pipes, ducts or wires.

Chimney Cap:

Concrete capping around the top of the chimney bricks to protect the masonry from the elements.

Circuit Breaker:

A safety device which opens (breaks) an electric circuit automatically when it becomes overloaded.

Clapboard:

A board that is thin on one edge and thicker on the other which is installed overlapped to form a weatherproof, exterior wall surface.

Closing Statement (Settlement):

The computation of financial adjustments between buyer and seller as of the day of closing a sale to determine the net amount of money which buyer must pay to seller to complete purchase of the real estate and seller's net proceeds. Also, "settlement sheets," "HUD-1."

Commission:

Payment to a real estate broker for services performed.

Condominium:

A form of real estate ownership where the owner receives title to a particular unit and has a proportionate interest in certain common areas. The unit itself is generally a separately owned space whose interior surfaces (walls, floors and ceilings) serve as its boundaries.

Contingency:

A condition that must be satisfied before a contract is binding. For instance, a sales agreement may be contingent upon the buyer obtaining financing.

Corbel:

A horizontal projection from a wall, for­ming a ledge or supporting a structure above it.

Corner Bead:

A strip of wood or metal for protecting the external corners of plastered walls.

Cornice:

A projection at the top of the wall, under the eaves, or where the roof and side walls meet.

Course:

A horizontal row of bricks, cinder blocks or other masonry materials.

Cove:

A concave (a curved recess, hollowed out like the inner curve of a circle) molding applied at the point where a wall meets the ceiling.

Cove Lighting:

Concealed light sources behind a cor­nice or horizontal recess which direct the light upon a reflecting ceiling.

Crawl Space:

A shallow, unfinished space beneath the first floor of a house which has no basement, used for visual inspection and access to pipes and ducts. Also, a shallow space in the attic, immediately under the roof.

Cripples:

Short framing studs above and below windows.

Damper:

A mechanical device used for regulating the flow of air up a chimney.

Dead Bolt:

A locking bolt that has no spring and must be activated by using a key or thumb latch. Usually installed on exterior doors.

Deed:

A formal written instrument by which title to real property is transferred from one owner to another. Also, "conveyance".

Deed of Trust:

Like a mortgage, a security instrument whereby real property is given as security for a debt. However, in a deed of trust there are three parties to the instrument; the borrower, the trustee, and the lender (or beneficiary).

Distribution Box:

Also called a meter box. A box into which the main electrical feed enters and is then distributed to the individual circuits.

Doorjamb:

The case which surrounds a door into which it opens and closes.

Doorsill:

A horizontal specially shaped piece of wood or metal installed at the base of the frame on an outside door. Also known as a threshold, it is fastened to the floor designed to keep out the rain and drafts.

Door Stop:

A device used to hold a door open at any desired -position. The term is also used to describe the strip of wood or metal against which a door closes.

Dormer:

A projection built out from a sloping roof usually having a window on its front surface.

Double Glazing:

Two sheets of glass bonded together at the edges with an air space in between. Provides insulation against the passage of heat or cold.

Double Hung Windows:

Windows with an upper and lower sash, each supported by cords or weights.

Downspout:

A spout or pipe to carry rain water down from a roof or gutters.

Drip Cap:

A molding placed above the outside of a door window which causes the water to drip either to the sides or beyond the outside of the frame.

Drywall Construction:

A wall surface of plasterboard, sheetrock or material other than plaster.

Duct:

In a house, round or square metal pipe, made of various materials, used for distributing heated air from the heating plant to rooms or cool air from an air conditioning system.

Due-On-Sale Clause:

An acceleration clause that requires full payment of a mortgage or deed of trust when the secured property changes ownership.

Duplex Outlet:

An electrical wall outlet having two plug receptacles.

Earnest Money:

The portion of the down payment delivered to the seller or escrow agent by the purchaser with a written offer as evidence of good faith.

Eaves:

That part of a roof which projects out beyond the side walls.

Ell:

An extension or, wing of a building at right angles to the main section. Also, a pipe shaped as a bent elbow or L.

Equity:

The interest or value which owner has in real estate over and above the debts against it. (Sales Price - Mortgage Balance - Equity).

Escrow:

A procedure in which a third party acts as a stakeholder for both the buyer and the seller, carrying out both parties' instructions and assumes responsibility for handling all of the paperwork and distribution of funds.

Escutcheon:

A shield or decorative plate for door hardware, plumbing fixtures, etc.

Fascia:

A flat horizontal board attached to the ends of the projecting roof beams.

Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA):

Popularly known as Fannie Mae. A privately owned corporation created by Congress to support the secondary mortgage market. It purchases and sells residential mortgages insured by FHA or guaranteed by the VA, as well as conventional home mortgages.

Fee Simple:

An estate in which the owner has unrestricted power to dispose of the property as he wishes, including leaving by will or inheritance. It is the greatest interest a person can have in real estate.

Fill-Type Insulation:

Loose insulating material which is applied by hand or blown into wall spaces mechanically.

Fixture:

What was formerly personal property which is now permanently attached to real property and goes with the property when it is sold.

Flashing:

Non-corrosive sheet metal, such as galvanized steel, aluminum, copper, lead or tin, used around angles or junc­tions in roofs and exterior walls to pre­vent leaks.

Flat Paint:

A type of paint that contains a high proportion of pigment and dries to a flat or lusterless finish.

Flat Roof:

A roof with no peaks or valleys having only sufficient slope for drainage.

Flat Skylight:

Any skylight which has only enough pitch to carry off rain water or water from melting snow.

Flex-Duct:

A flexible rounded duct made of spiral wire covered with plastic or heavy cloth for use in transfer of air in heating, cooling and ventilating systems and available in various diameters.

Flexible Metal Conduit:

Electrical conduit of spirally wound steel strip.

Floor Beam:

A transverse beam or girder placed at the panel points of a span to support the stringers that carry the floor.

Floor Drain:

A plumbing fixture used to drain water from floors into the plumbing system. Such drains are usually located in the laundry and in stall showers.

Floor Joists:

Framing pieces which rest on outer foundation walls and interior beams or girders.

Flooring Tiles:

Concrete or clay tiles set in cement mortar or other adhesive. For a more sound-absorbent heat-insulating, decorative or comfortable walking sur­face, vinyl, cork, rubber, asphalt or plastic tiles are used.

Flute:

An enclosed passageway, such as a pipe or chimney, for carrying off smoke, gases or fumes to the outside air.

Flute Lining:

The tile or pipe inside a chimney.

Flush Door:

A door any size, not paneled, having two flat surfaces; flush doors are fre­quently of various types of hollow core construction.

Flush Tank:

The reservoir from which a toilet is flushed with water.

Footing:

Concrete base on which is positioned the wall of a house.

Forced Air:

Hot or cold air blown from a heating or air-conditioning unit by means of a fan or blower.

Forced Air Furnace:

A heating unit fitted with a fan or blower to circulate the heated air.

Formica:

The trade name for a hard laminated plastic sheeting used for table, sink and counter tops or for wall or cabinet door covering. It is extremely resistant to damage.

Foundation:

The entire masonry substructure below the first floor or frame of a building, including the footing upon which the building rests; also the soil or rock upon which a building or other structure rests.

Frame Construction:

The building of houses, apartments, etc., using wood framing lumber.

Framing:

The frame or skeleton of the house including the beams, studs and rafters.

French Window:

A doorway equipped with two glazed doors hinged at the jambs.

Full Gloss:

A painting term for the highest possible grade of gloss.

Fuse:

A replaceable fusible link in the wiring for an electric circuit to break the cir­cuit by melting in the event of an overload.

Fuse Box:

A term sometimes applied to a distribution fuse board when it is enclosed in a box.

Gable:

The triangular part of a wall under the inverted "V" of the roof line.

Galvanized Iron:

Steel or sheet steel (usually not iron), coated with zinc.

Galvanized Pipe:

Zinc coated pipe for water flow. Gas pipe is black.

Gambrel Roof:

A roof with two pitches, designed to provide more space on upper floors. The roof is steeper on its lower slope and flatter toward the ridge.

Gas Main:

The community pipe line that supplies gas to individual units for heating, air conditioning and cooking.

Gas Meter:

A measuring and recording device for gas used in your home.

Girder:

A main beam in a framed floor suppor­ting the joists which carry the flooring boards. It carries the weight of a floor or partition.

Glazing:

Fitting the glass into windows or doors.

Grade:

The slope of a road, channel or natural ground.

Grading:

Modification of the ground surface by cuts, fills or both.

Grade Line:

The point at which the ground rests against the foundation wall.

Graduated Payment Mortgage:

A residential mortgage with monthly payments that start at a low level and increase at a predetermined rate.

Ground Line:

In building construction, the ground level or natural grade line from which measurements for excavating are taken.

Grout:

A mixture of cement, sand, and water, or cement and water, made so thin that it will run into joints and cavities of masonry; also the hardened equivalent of such mixture.

Grout Joint:

An even spacing between tiles that is filled with grout.

Gutter:

A shallow channel or conduit of metal or wood set below and along the eaves of a house to catch and carry off rain water.

Gypsum Wallboard:

A prefabricated sheet used in drywall construction as a substitute for plaster; made of gypsum covered with paper which can be painted, textured or wall papered.

Hallway:

A corridor; an entry.

Handrail:

A bar or pipe supported on brackets from a wall or partition; as on a stair­way or ramp, to provide a handhold.

Hazard Insurance:

Protects against damages caused to property by fire, windstorms, and other common hazards.

Headers:

Double wood pieces supporting joists in a floor or double wood studs placed on edge over windows and doors to transfer the roof and floor weight to the studs.

Header Joist:

In carpentry, the large beam or timber into which the common joists are fitted when framing around openings for stairs, chimneys or any opening in a floor or roof. It is placed between two long beams and supports the ends of short timbers.

Hearth:

The floor of a fireplace. Also the por­tion of the floor immediately in front of the fireplace usually made of brick, tile or stone.

Heating System, Hot Water:

A system of heating, utilizing hot water circulated through pipes, coils and radiators.

Heating System, Steam:

A steam heating system employing steam at pressures between 0 and 15 pounds pressure.

Heating System, Warm Air:

A warm air heating plant, consisting of a heating unit (fuel-burning furnace) enclosed in a casing, from which the heated air is distributed through ducts to various rooms of the house.

Hip:

The external angle formed by the junc­ture of two slopes of a roof.

Hip Roof:

A roof that slants upward on three or four sides.

Holiday:

A painter's term for a skip in the application of material or paint.

Hollow-Core Door:

A flush door in which plywood or hard wood for both sides is glued to a skeleton framework. It is lighter and less expensive than a solid door.

Home Inspection Report:

A qualified inspector's report on a property's overall condition. The report usually includes an evaluation of both the structure and mechanical systems.

Home Warranty Plan:

Protection against failure of mechanical systems within the property. Usually includes plumbing, electrical, heating systems and installed appliances.

Hood:

Overhead cover of a chimney or a kitchen range; also an Inverted funnel leading into a ventilating flue.

Hot-Air Heater:

A system of heating by driving warm air into a room through vents in the walls or floor.

Humidification:

The process of adding moisture to heated air by means of evaporation.

Humidifier:

A mechanical device which controls the amount of water vapor to be added to the atmosphere.

Indirect Heating:

Heating of rooms by a distant source of heat which is brought to each room by steam, water or hot air; also known as Central Heating.

Indirect Lighting:

A system of artificial lighting in which light from the sources is directed at ceiling or wall to be reflected for general illumination.

Indoor/Outdoor:

Type of carpet, regardless of construction, which is made entirely of components (surface yarns, backing, adhesives or laminating materials) which have been especially designed or treated to withstand moisture, extremes of temperature, ultraviolet rays and other types of exposure.

Insulation:

Any material used in building con­struction for the reduction of fire hazard or for protection from heat or cold.

Joint:

In carpentry, the place where two or more surfaces meet; also, to form or unite, two pieces so that they will fit together properly when joined.

Joint Tenancy:

An equal undivided ownership of property by two or more persons. Upon the death of any owner, the survivors take the decedent's interest in the property.

Joist:

A heavy piece of horizontal timber to which the boards of a floor or the lath of a ceiling are nailed. Joists, laid edgewise to form the floor support, rest on the wall or on girders.

Joist Hanger:

A steel or iron stirrup used to support and align the ends of joists which are to be fastened to the girder.

Jalousie Window:

A window made of horizontal adjustable sections or louvers that control ventilation.

Jamb:

An upright surface that outlines an opening for a door or window.

Key Lot:

A lot in such a position that one side is adjacent to the back of other lots. It is considered to be the least desirable of the lots in a subdivision.

Kickback:

Payment made to someone for referral of a customer or business. Unlike a commission, a kickback is made without the customer's knowledge.

Kicker:

A payment required by a mortgage in addition to normal principal and interest.

Lally Column:

Trade name for a cylindrically-shaped steel column, sometimes filled with concrete, used as a support for girders or other beams.

Laminated Plastic:

Sheets of paper or textile, soaked with a synthetic resin, sandwiched between layers of the resin to make a rigid sheet with glossy-surfaced covering; Formica, for example.

Landing:

A platform in a flight of stairs between two stories; also the terminating or the changing of a stairway.

Latex Paints:

Water-base paints, sometimes called "vinyl" or "acrylic" paints; cleanup and thinning are done with water.

Lintel:

The top framing beam over a door or window which supports the wall above the opening.

Lien:

A legal hold or claim on property as security for a debt or charge.

Listing Contract:

Between a home owner (as principal) and a licensed real estate broker (as agent) by which the broker is employed to market the real estate within a given time for which service the owner agrees to pay a commission. Also, "listing agreement".

Load-Bearing Wall:

A strong wall capable of supporting its own weight as well as other weight and force of wind. Same as a supporting wall. (Partitions and panel walls are usually not load bearing.)

Loan Commitment:

A written promise to make a loan for a specified amount on specified terms.

Loan-To-Value Ratio:

The relationship between the amount of the mortgage and the appraised value of the property, expressed as a percentage of the appraised value.

Louver:

An opening with horizontal slats to permit the ventilation of closed attics, closets or other storage areas and spaces.

Macadam:

A commonly used method of paving with crushed stone, named for John L. Macadam (1756-1836), a Scottish engineer. The road may be water-bound, cement-bound, or coated with asphalt or tar.

Main Beam:

In floor construction, one of the prin­cipal beams which transmit loads directly to the columns, not onto another beam.

Mansard Roof:

A roof with two slopes or pitches on each of the four sides, the lower slopes steeper than the upper.

Market Value:

The highest price which a buyer, ready, willing and able but not compelled to buy, would pay, and the lowest price a seller, ready, willing and able but, not compelled to sell, would accept. Basis for "listing price', or "asking price".

Masonary:

Walls, fireplaces, chimneys and foun­dations constructed of brick, stone, tile or similar materials.

Metal Valley:

A valley type roof joint lined with metal such as lead, copper, zinc or galvan­ized steel.

MIP:

Mortgage Insurance Premium.

Moisture Barrier:

Treated paper, metal or plastic that retards or prevents moisture from seeping into walls or floors.

Molding:

A strip of decorative material having a plane or curved narrow surface and used for ornamental application. These strips are often used to hide gaps at wall junctures.

Mortgage:

A lien or claim against real property given by the buyer to the lender as security for money borrowed.

Mortgage Life Insurance:

A type of term life insurance often bought by mortgagors. The coverage decreases as the mortgage balance declines. If the borrower dies while the policy is in force, the debt is automatically covered by insurance proceeds.

Mortgage Note:

A written agreement to repay a loan. The agreement is secured by a mortgage, serves as proof of an indebtedness, and states the manner in which it shall be paid. Also, "deed of trust note."

Mud:

Slang: concrete or mortar; drywall tap­ing compound.

Mullion:

The thin vertical bars which divide the lights or panes in a window or the panels in a door.

Nail:

A slender piece of metal pointed at one end for driving into wood as a fastener. It is flat or rounded at the other end for striking with a hammer. The size of nails is described by the term "penny," abbreviated "d" which originally indicated the price per hun­dred, but now refers to the length. Although the sizes of nails may vary as much as 1/8 to 1/4 inch from that indicated, the approximate lengths sold are: 4 penny nail = 1 ¼ inches; 6 penny = 2 inches; 8 penny = 2 1/2 inches; 10 penny = 3 inches; 20 penny = 4 inches; 60 penny = 6 inches, etc.

Nail Pop:

An abnormal flaw, where the fastener has moved outward relative to the board, usually because of improper wallboard application or lumber shrinkage.

Negative Amortization:

Negative amortization occurs when monthly payments fail to cover the interest cost. The interest that isn't covered is added to the unpaid principal balance, which means that even after several payments you could owe more than you did at the beginning of the loan. Negative amortization can occur when an ARM has a payment cap that results in monthly payments that aren't high enough to cover the interest.

Newel Cap:

A top or cap for the newel post.

Newel Post:

The upright post supporting the hand­rail at the top and bottom of a stairway or at a landing; also the main post about which a circular staircase winds; a stone column carrying the inner ends of the treads of a spiral stone stair­case.

Nosing:

The rounded half-round, overhanging edge of a stair tread, flat roof, window sill, etc.

Orange Peel:

Term used to describe: poorly applied paint resulting in a pocked effect and resembling the peel of an orange; pinholing; a texture design applied to walls in drywalling.

Origination Fee:

A fee or charge for work involved in evaluating, preparing, and submitting a proposed mortgage loan. The fee is limited to 1 percent of FHA and VA loans.

Outlet:

A distribution source of electrical cur­rent, such as for a lighting fixture, or a socket into which can be plugged lamps or other electrical appliances.

Out-of-Plumb:

A term used when referring to a struc­tural column which is not in alignment; not truly vertical or leaning away from the vertical.

Overhead Door:

A counterbalanced door, used in garages, that opens by following side tracks to a horizontal position above and behind the opening. May be in one or more leaves.

Pane:

A sheet of glass fitted into the opening in a window sash or door.

Panel Box:

A box In -Which electric switches and fuses for branch circuits are located.

Panel Heating:

A method of home heating by means of electric or hot water coils installed in ceilings, wails, floors or baseboards.

Parquet Floor:

A hardwood floor laid in small rec­tangular or square patterns, not in long strips, to form various designs.

Partition:

A dividing wail between rooms or areas, generally non-bearing.

Party Wall:

A wall erected on a line between adjoining properties and used in com­mon. This can be either an interior or exterior wall.

Paving:

Generally a layer of concrete, asphalt or coated macadam. Used on streets, sidewalks and pathways.

Peak:

The uppermost point of a gable.

Peaked Roof:

A roof rising either to a point or a ridge.

Perimeter Heating:

A method of warm air heating whereby the hot air registers are installed near outside walls beneath windows.

Picket:

One of the upright wooden stakes sup­ported by upper and lower rails be­tween posts in a type of fence.

Pilot Light:

A small flame, used in gas-heating devices, which burns constantly.

Pitch:

The angle of slope of a roof.

PITI:

Principal, interest, taxes and insurance.

Planned Unit Development (PUD):

A zoning designation for property developed at the same or slightly greater overall density than conventional development, sometimes with improvements clustered between open, common areas. Uses may be residential, commercial or industrial.

Plaster:

A cementitious material or combina­tion of cementitious material and aggregate that, when mixed with a suitable amount of water, forms a plastic mass or paste which, when applied to a surface, adheres to it and subsequently hardens, preserving in a rigid state the form or texture imposed during the period of plasticity; also the placed and hardened mixture.

Plasterboard:

Gypsum board, used instead of plaster.

Plenum:

An air compartment connected to one or more inlets or outlets.

Plumb:

True according to a plumb line; perpen­dicular; vertical; to true up vertically as a wall by use of a plumb line.

Plywood:

A fabricated wood product con­structed of three or more layers of veneer joined with glue, usually laid with grain of adjoining plies at right angles.

Point:

An amount equal to 1 percent of the principal amount of the investment or note. The lender assesses loan discount points at closing to increase the yield on the mortgage to a position competitive with other types of investments.

Porch:

A roofed structure providing shelter at the entrance of a building; an open or enclosed room on the outside of a building.

Prepayment Penalty:

A fee charged to a mortgagor who pays a loan before it is due. Not allowed for FHA or VA loans.

Primer:

The first coat in a series of applica­tions of two or more coats of paint.

Principal:

This word has several meanings:

1. to denote the most important;
2. a capital sum lent on interest;
3. one who appoints an agent to act on their behalf;
4. either party to a contract.

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI):

Insurance written by a private company protecting the lender against loss if the borrower defaults on the mortgage.

Prorate:

To allocate between seller and buyer their proportionate share of an obligation paid or due. For example a prorate on real property taxes, fire insurance, or condominium fee.

Punch List:

A list, made by the builder near the completion of work listing items still to be furnished or work to be per­formed by the sub-contractors in order to complete the house as specified in the contract documents. (Author's note: If this list is made up carefully, you should not find too many things wrong when you do your walk-through.)

Purchase Agreement:

A written document in which the purchaser agrees to buy certain real estate and the seller agrees to sell under stated terms and conditions. Also called a sales contract, earnest money contract, or agreement for sale.

Putty:

A stiff, dough-like material consisting of pigment and vehicle, used for set­ting window panes and filling imper­fections in wood or metal surfaces.

Quarry Tile:

In masonry, a name given to machine-­made, unglazed tile; also called pro­menade tile.

Quarter-Round:

Molding strips presenting the profile of a quarter circle.

Radiant Heating:

A method of heating, consisting of coils of electrically heated wires, or heated water pipes, embedded in the floor, wall or ceiling of a room.

Radiator:

The room heating unit of a hot water or steam heating system.

Rafter:

One of a series of structural roof beams, spanning from an exterior wall to a center ridge beam or ridge board, designed to support roof loads. The rafters of a flat roof are sometimes called roof joists.

Random Widths:

The term used in describing flooring and wall boards or shingles of varying widths.

Ready-Mixed Concrete:

Concrete manufactured for delivery to this building site in a wet, unhardened state.

Realtor:

A real estate broker or associate active in a local real estate board affiliated with the National Association of Realtors®.

Redwood:

A tree indigenous to California, whose lightweight, reddish wood is decay resistant, used in building for both exterior and interior work, and for structural timber.

Register:

The end of a duct for incoming or escaping air which is usually covered with grillwork.

Regulation Z:

The set of rules governing consumer lending issued by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in accordance with the Consumer Protection act.

Reinforced Concrete:

Concrete strengthened with wire or metal bars.

Return Air Duct:

Ducts through which the cold air or return air passes on its way back to the heating unit.

Ridge:

The top horizontal edge or peak of a roof.

Ridge Pole:

A thick longitudinal plank to which the ridge rafters of a roof are attached.

Riser:

The upright piece or vertical board of a stair step, from tread to tread in a staircase.

Roll Roofing:

A roofing material, supplied in rolls, and made of compressed fibers sat­urated with asphalt.

Roof Overhang:

A roof extension beyond the endwall or sidewall of a building.

Roof Sheathing:

Sheets, usually of plywood, which are nailed to the top edges of trusses or rafters to tie the roof together and support the roofing material.

Rough Floor:

Rough floor boards on which the finished floor is laid. In quality work, a layer of building paper separates these two floors.

Roughing In:

The installation of all concealed plumbing electrical, heating and cooling pipes or wires before the drywall or other finished wall covering is installed over the studs.

"R" Value:

In insulation, a measurement of the resistance to heat flow. The higher the "R" value, the more effective the insulation.

Sash:

The part of the window into which the panes of glass are installed.

Sash and Frame:

A cased frame and a sash window comprising the entire window unit.

Sash Balance:

A spring operated device which counterbalances the weight of the win­dow sash in double hung window units. These balances eliminate the need for sash weights, pulleys and cords.

Saw Horse:

A four-legged bench made primarily for use while hand sawing. The legs are usually an inverted V with the top a 2x4 or 2x6 inch piece of lumber.

Scuttle Hole:

A small access opening either to the attic or basement crawl space.

Septic Tank:

A sewage settling tank in which part of the sewage is converted into gas and sludge before the remaining waste is discharged by gravity into a leaching bed underground. This system is used only when a public sewer system is not available.

Shakes:

A hand-split cedar shingle widely used in the western United States.

Sheathing:

The first layer of exterior wall covering nailed to the studs on an outside wall or roof prior to installing the finished siding or roof covering.

Sheathing Paper:

Water-resistant paper applied between the sheathing and the outer finished siding or shingles.

Shingles:

Wood, asbestos, asphalt, slate or other material, cut into stock lengths, widths and thickness, used as an overlapping outer covering on walls or roofs.

Shiplap:

A type of lumber having a portion of the width cut away on both edges, but on opposite sides, so as to make a flush joint with similar pieces.

Shoe Mold:

The small molding covering the joint between the flooring and the baseboard on the inside of a room.

Siding:

Boards of special design nailed horizontally to the vertical studs to form the exposed surface of the out­side walls of a frame house.

Sill:

A horizontal closure at the bottom of a door frame. (see threshold)

Sill Cock:

A faucet or hose connection, usually on the exterior of a building about sill height. Also called hosebib.

Single-Pole Switch:

An electrical switching device for making or breaking one side of an electric current.

Skylight:

An opening in a roof or ceiling for admitting daylight; also the window fit­ted into such an opening.

Slab:

Concrete floor or platform poured directly on an earth, gravel or sand base.

Soffit:

The underside of any subordinate part of a building, such as the under sur­face of an arch cornice or stairway.

Solar Collector:

Device normally constructed of glass, plastic or metal, which extracts heat from the sun and transfers it to fluid or air.

Solar Energy:

The heat energy derived from the sun's rays is commonly referred to as solar energy. Solar energy is used more in the "sun belt" states for house and water heating.

Solarium:

A room, the walls and sometimes roof of which are glazed to admit an abun­dance of sunlight.

Spark Arrester:

A screen over the top of a chimney to keep embers from falling to the roof.

Steel Casement:

A window frame and sash made of steel or aluminum in which the window sections swing outward vertically from the side frames.

Storm Door:

An additional outside door set in the door frame to provide better insulation against the weather.

Storm Window:

An additional outside window set in the window frame to provide better insulation against the weather.

Stringer:

A horizontal structural timber suppor­ting joists and resting on vertical supports.

Stucco:

A mortar material applied in a soft state and when dry forms a hard covering for the outside walls or other exterior surfaces on any structure.

Studs:

In wall framing, a series of slender wood timbers to which horizontal pieces are nailed, and used to support elements in walls and partitions. Wall studs are usually spaced 16 inches on center. On center means from the center of one to the center of the next one.

Sub-Floor:

Usually plywood sheets that are nailed directly to the floor joists and to which the finished floor is later fastened.

Survey:

A map or plat made by a licensed surveyor showing the results of measuring the land with its elevations, improvements, boundaries, and its relationship to surrounding tracts of land. A survey is often required by the lender to assure a building is actually sited on the land according to its legal description.

Swale:

A wide shallow depression in the ground to form a channel for water drainage.

Tenancy in Common:

A type of joint ownership of property by two or more persons with no right of survivorship.

Terrazzo Flooring:

A term used in the building trades for a type of flooring made of small fragments of colored stone or marble embedded irregularly in cement. The surface is then ground to a high polish.

Title Insurance:

Protects lenders and home owners against loss of their interest in property due to legal defects in title.

Title Search or Examination:

A check of the title records, generally at the local courthouse, to make sure the buyer is purchasing a house from the legal owner and there are no liens, overdue special assessments, or other claims.

Three-Way Switch:

A switch used in wiring when a light, or lights, is to be turned on or off from two places. A three-way switch must be used at each place.

Tongue and Groove:

Sheeting, usually wood, in which one side edge of the board is cut with a projecting tongue that fits into a cor­responding groove or recess cut in the opposite edge of an adjoining board.

Transfer Tax:

State tax, local tax (where applicable) and tax stamps (in some areas) required by law when title passes from one owner to another.

Transom:

An opening over a door or window, usually for ventilation, containing a glazed or solid sash, usually hinged or pivoted.

Trap:

A bend in the water pipe that holds water so sewer gases will not escape into the house.

Tread:

The horizontal part of a stair step.

Under-Layment:

Installed to cover sub-floor irregularities and to absorb the move­ment of wood subfloors prior to the installation of the finish flooring materials.

Valley:

In architecture; the term applies to a depressed angle formed by the meet­ing at the bottom of two inclined slopes of a roof.

Vapor Barrier:

Material such as paper, metal, plastic or paint used to prevent vapor or moisture from passing through a wall, floor or partition into an adjoining area.

Vent Pipe:

A flue or pipe connecting any interior space in a house with the outer air for purposes of ventilation; also any small pipe extending from any of the various plumbing fixtures in the house to the vent stack.

Vent Stack:

A vertical pipe connected with all vent pipes carrying off foul air or gases from the house. It extends through the roof and provides an outlet for gases and contaminated air.

Wainscoting:

The lower three or four feet of an inter­ior wall of a room when lined with paneling, tile or other material dif­ferent from the rest of the wall.

Wall Sheathing:

Sheets of plywood, gypsum board or other material nailed to the outside face of studs as a base for exterior siding.

Warm Air Heating System:

A heating system in which furnace­ heating air moves to living space through a single register or a series of ducts, circulated by natural convection (gravity system) or by a fan or blower in the duct-work (forced system).

Water Meter:

A device for recording the amount of water flowing through a pipe.

Weather Stripping:

Metal, wood, plastic or other material installed around door and window openings to prevent air infiltration.

Weep Hole:

A small hole in retaining walls, founda­tions, etc, which permits drainage and reduces pressure against the structure.

No terms at this time.

Yield:

The return on an investment or the amount of profit, stated as a percentage of the amount invested; the rate of return. In real estate, yield refers to the effective annual amount of income that is being accrued on an investment. The yield on income property is the ratio of the annual net income from the property to the cost or market value of the property. The yield, or profit, to a lender is the spread or differential between the cost of acquiring the funds lent and the interest rate charged.

Zinc:

A metallic element used for galvaniz­ing sheet metal.

Zoning:

Restrictions as to the size or character of buildings permitted within specific government jurisdictions. Also restricts the use of land for specific purposes.