Copy of `Rook Home Inspections LLC - Glossary of domestic engineering`
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Rook Home Inspections LLC - Glossary of domestic engineering
Category: Architecture and Buildings > Home inspection
Date & country: 16/01/2008, UK
Words: 1346
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Thermal Insulation Any material high in resistance to heat transmission that, when placed in the walls, ceiling, or floors of a structure, will reduce the rate of heat flow.
Thermal Movement The measured amount of dimensional change that a material exhibits as it is warmed or cooled.
Thermal Shock The stress built up by sudden and appreciable changes in temperature.
Thermopane Window Compased of a double layer of glass positioned side by side with a thin strip of foam material bonding the two layers of window glass together to form the storm window design.
Thermoplastic Material Solid material which is softened by increasing temperatures and hardened by decreasing temperatures.
Thermoply Exterior laminated sheathing nailed to the exterior side of the exterior walls. Normally ¼' thick, 4x8 or 4x10 sheets with an aluminumized surface.
Thermostat A device which relegates the temperature of a room or building by switching heating or cooling equipment on or off.
Thermostatic Valve A mixing valve that automatically maintains the temperature setting by regulating fluctuations in water temperature at the water inlets and immediately adjusting the ratio of hot and cold water that is discharged by the valve.
Three-Dimensional Shingles See Laminated Shingles.
Three-Phase In electrical contracting, a wiring system consisting of 4 wires and used in industrial and commercial applications. This system is suitable for installations requiring large motors. It consists of three hot wires and one ground wire. The voltage in each hot wire is out of phase with the others by 1/3 of a cycle, as if produced by 3 different gene …
Threshold A strip of wood or metal with beveled edges used over the finish floor and the sill of exterior doors.
Thru-Wall Flashing Flashing extended completely through a masonry wall. Designed and applied in combination with counter-flashings, to prevent water which may enter the wall above from proceeding downward in the wall or into the roof deck or roofing system.
THW Moisture and heat resistant thermoplastic conductor. It is flame retardant, moisture and heat resistant and can be used in dry or wet locations.
Tie-In In roofing, a term used to describe the joining of a new roof with the old.
Tilt-Up Wall Cast concrete units which are preformed which, when cured, are tilted to their vertical position and secured by mechanical fasteners to prior erected structural steel. May be pre-cast.
Timbers Yard lumber 5 or more inches in least dimension. Includes beams, stringers, posts, caps, sills, girders, and purlins.
Time and Materials Contract A contract which specifies a price for different elements of the work such as: cost per hour of labor, overhead, profit etc. Such a contract may not have a maximum price or may state a 'price not to exceed.'
Tinner Another name for the heating contractor.
Tinted Glass Glass with colorants added to the basic glass batch that give the glass color as well as light and heat-reducing capabilities. The color extends throughout the thickness of the glass.
Tip Up The downspout extension that directs water (from the home's gutter system) away from the home. They typically swing up when mowing the lawn, etc.
Title Evidence (usually in the form of a certificate or deed) of a person's legal right to ownership of a property.
Title 24 A set of federal laws that mandates the construction industry to conserve energy.
TJI or TJ Manufactured structural building component resembling the letter 'I.' Used as floor joists and rafters. I-joists include two key parts: flanges and webs. The flange may be made of laminated veneer lumber or dimensional lumber, usually formed into a 1½' width. The web is commonly made of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Large holes can be cu …
Toe Bead Sealant applied at the intersection of the outboard glazing stop and the bottom of the glazing channel. It must be sized to provide a seal to the edge of the glass.
Toe-Nailing To drive a nail at a slant to the initial surface in order to permit it to penetrate into a second member.
Tongue and Groove A type of flooring where the tongue of one board is joined to the groove of another board.
Tooling The operation of pressing in and striking a sealant in a joint to press the sealant against the sides of a joint and secure good adhesion; the finishing off of the surface of a sealant in a joint so that it is flush with the surface.
Top Chord The upper or top member of a truss.
Top Mopping The finished mopping of hot bitumen on a built-up roof.
Top Mount Faucet See Centerset.
Top Plate Top horizontal member of a frame wall.
Torching Applying direct flame to a membrane for the purpose of melting, heating or adhering.
Transit A surveyor`s instrument used by builders to establish points and elevations both vertically and horizontally. It can be used to line up stakes or to plumb walls or to measure the angle of elevation from a horizontal plane.
Transmitter (Garage Door) The small push-button device that causes the garage door to open or close.
Trap A plumbing fitting that holds water to prevent air, gas, and vermin from backing up into a fixture.
Tread The horizontal board in a stairway on which the foot is placed.
Treated Lumber A wood product which has been impregnated with chemicals to reduce damage from wood rot or insects. Often used for the portions of a structure which is likely to be in ongoing contact with soil and water. Wood may also be treated with a fire retardant.
Tremie A tube with removable sections and a funnel at the top used in concrete application. The bottom is kept beneath the surface of the concrete and raised as the form is filled and is used to pour concrete underwater.
Trim The finish materials in a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings).
Trim (Exterior) The finish materials on the exterior of a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim), siding, windows, exterior doors, attic vents, crawl space vents, shutters, etc. Also, the physical work of installing these materials.
Trim (Interior) The finish materials in a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings). Also, the physical work of installing interior doors and interior woodwork, to include all handrails, guardrails, stairway balustrades, mantles, light boxes, base, door …
Trim Kit Refers to the outside decorative parts that conceal a faucet rough-in.
Trimmer A beam or joist to which a header is nailed in framing for a chimney, stairway, or other opening.
Triple-Glazed Window The most energy efficient window. Gases are sealed between three panes of glass and Low E coatings are applied on two of the panes. This can bring the energy efficiency up to a value of R10 at the center point of the glass.
Truss A frame or jointed structure designed to act as a beam of long span, while each member is usually subjected to longitudinal stress only—either tension or compression.
Tub Trap A curved, 'U' shaped section of a bath tub drain pipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses from entering the home through tubs water drain.
Tube and Knob Wiring A common form of electrical wiring used before World War II. When in good condition it may still be functional for low amperage use such as smaller light fixture.
Tuck-Pointing The re-grouting of defective mortar joints in a masonry or brick wall.
Turnkey A term used when the subcontractor provides all materials (and labor) for a job.
Turpentine A volatile oil used as a thinner in paints and as a solvent in varnishes. Chemically, it is a mixture of terpenes.
TW A moisture-resistant thermoplastic conductor that can be used in dry or wet locations, has no outer covering and is not heat-resistant.
Two-Part Sealant A product composed of a base and curing agent or accelerator, necessarily packaged in two separate containers which are uniformly mixed just prior to use.
Ultraviolet The invisible rays of the spectrum of light which are at its violet end. Sometimes abbreviated U.V.
Ultraviolet Degradation A reduction in certain performance limits caused by exposure to ultraviolet light.
Undercoat A coating applied prior to the finishing or top coats of a paint job. It may be the first of two of three coats. In some usage of the word it may become synonymous with priming coat.
Undercounter A style of lavatory which is positioned under the cutout of the countertop.
Underground Plumbing The plumbing drain and waste lines that are installed beneath a basement floor.
Underlayment A material placed under finish coverings, such as flooring, or shingles, to provide a smooth, even surface for applying the finish.
Union A plumbing fitting that joins pipes end-to-end so they can be dismantled.
Union Nut A fitting that joins two sections of pipe.
Uprights Vertical members supporting the sides of a trench.
Utility Easement The area of the earth that has electric, gas, or telephone lines. These areas may be owned by the homeowner, but the utility company has the legal right to enter the area as necessary to repair or service the lines.
UV Rays Ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Valley The internal angle formed by the junction of two sloping sides of a roof.
Valley Rafter A rafter that forms the intersection of an internal roof angle. The valley rafter is normally made of double 2-inch-thick members.
Valley Shield A quality underlayment for added protection in the heavy water flow areas of a roof. This self adhering product has a waterproof asphalt coating which offers excellent elongation and recovery properties for accommodating roof expansion and contraction and structural movement.
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 The fee paid by the prospective borrower for the lender's inspection of the property. Normally paid upon loan application.
Valve A device to stop, start or regulate the flow of liquid or gas through or from piping.
Vapor The gaseous form of any substance.
Vapor Barrier A membrane which is placed between the insulation and the roof deck to retard water vapor in the building from entering the insulation and condensing into liquid water.
Vapor Retarder Any substance that prevents the transmission of water vapor.
Variable Rate An interest rate that will vary over the term of the loan.
Varnish A thickened preparation of drying oil, or drying oil and resin suitable for spreading on surfaces to form continuous, transparent coatings, or for mixing with pigments to make enamels.
Vehicle The liquid portion of a finishing material; it consists of the binder (non-volatile) and volatile thinners.
Veining In roofing, the characteristic lines or 'stretch marks' which develop during the aging process of soft bitumens.
Veneer Thin sheets of wood made by rotary cutting or slicing a log.
Vent A pipe or duct which allows flow of air as an inlet or outlet.
Vent Pipe A vertical pipe of relatively small dimensions which protrudes through a roof to provide for the ventilation of gasses.
Vent Stack A vertical vent pipe installed for the purpose of providing circulation of air to and from any part of a drainage system.
Vent System In plumbing, a system to provide a flow of air to or from a drainage system or to provide circulation of air within such system to protect traps seals from siphonage and back pressure.
Ventilator Device installed on the roof for the purpose of ventilating the interior of the building.
Venting The process of installing roof vents in a roof assembly to relieve vapor pressure. The process of water in the insulation course of the roof assembly evaporating and exiting via the roof vents.
Vermiculite An aggregate somewhat similar to perlite that is used as an aggregate in lightweight roof decks and deck fills. It is formed from mica, a hydrous silicate with the ability of expanding on heating to form lightweight material with insulation quality. Used as bulk insulation and also as aggregate in insulating and acoustical plaster and in insulatin …
Vertical Being or situated at right angles to the horizon; upright.
Veterans Administration (VA) A federal agency that insures mortgage loans with very liberal down payment requirements for honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses.
Viscosity The internal frictional resistance offered by a fluid to change of shape or to the relative motion or flow of its parts.
Visible Light Transmittance The percentage of visible light (390 to 770 nanometers) within the solar spectrum that is transmitted through glass.
Visqueen A 4 mil or 6 mil plastic sheeting.
Visual Mock-Up Small scale demonstration of a finished construction product.
Vitreous China A non-porous ceramic that is coated with a ceramic glaze to form toilets and lavatories.
Void A cardboard rectangular box that is installed between the earth (between caissons) and the concrete foundation wall. Used when expansive soils are present.
Volatile Thinner A liquid that evaporates readily and is used to thin or reduce the consistency of finishes without altering the relative volumes of pigment and non-volatile vehicles.
Voltage The driving force behind the flow of electricity somewhat like pressure is in a water pipe. Most homes are wired with '110' and '220' volt lines. The '110' volt power is used for lighting and most of the other circuits. The '220' volt power is usually used for the kitchen stove, water heater and dryer. (The terms '110' and '220' volts are a short …
Voltmeter Measures the voltage flowing through a circuit.
Walk-Through A final inspection of a home before 'closing' to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.
Walkways Designated areas for foot traffic.
Wall Out When a painter spray paints the interior of a home.
Wane Bark, or lack of wood from any cause, on edge or corner of a piece of wood.
Warping Any distortion in a material.
