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Accell Advisor
The

Glossary of Building Components

By Bill Butler & Joshua Schultz, PrimeCo Painting and Consruction
Whats in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet or so says Bill Shakespeare. The fact is, words are very important, particularly when trying to explain various building components to a person who has limited or no construction experience. For that reason, we have taken the time to compile a list and define some of the common elements of a typical building structure. That way, when your contractor says soffit, you will know that hes talking about that hangy part of the building that is found frequently over patios or entries. Bollards Usually large metal pipes, filled with concrete and installed to prevent cars from bumping into things like gas meters, posts or other structures. Bondo A polyester resin that when mixed with a hardener becomes a forming putty which when hardened can be sanded to any shape. It is most commonly used to patch minor holes in wood.

A
Address This is a very helpful bit of information to give to your contractor.

B
Balcony Joists Horizontal supporting members that run from wall to wall, wall to beam, or beam to beam to support a ceiling, roof or floor. Typically, a beam is bigger than a joist. Beam A beam is a thicker piece of wood that is used to span longer distances using less supports. Beams are also known as headers, because you can use a beam in a wall to create an opening such as a door or window.

C
CB Strap This is also known as Column Base Strap. This is a metal strap which goes into a footing (a concrete base which is usually 2 in depth and 12 in width depending on the size of post it is supporting.

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THE ACCELL ADVISOR

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Glossary of Common Building Components

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Ceiling Refers to the interior top of a room. It is also commonly referred to as a lid. Column Bases Metal strap that wraps the side of a post giving lateral support. Also see CB Strap. Column Also can be referred to as a post. Usually supports a structure above the ground of which it stands. Columns are structural supports, which support beams or headers, which may bear load to other beams or joists. horizontal surface, which spans across the tops of columns or across the top of a wall. It is used to cap the ends of rafters outside a building and can be used to attach a rain gutter. Flashing Generally refers to a metal strip that is used at transitions between different surfaces or at gaps in the building envelope to keep water from entering buildings or to direct it away from buildings.

G
Galvanized Is a process of dipping metal fasteners and hardware in melted zinc, giving the items stronger defenses against the weather such as rust and corrosion. Garage Trim Stud This is the stud next to the jamb on the garage. This stud supports the header beam, which spans the opening of the garage.

D
Decking Usually refers to an elevated or suspended walking surface of a building. Most decking is attached directly to the building surface, which requires a very waterproof transition. There are multiple-layer deck systems and some are simply coated with a good paint product. Dry Rot Is a fungus that grows in wood and is caused by constant water and negligence in paint maintenance. Can make wood brittle to touch and make wood look as if it is wrinkled. Can spread to other pieces of wood, just like a fungus would. Can also have mushrooms in wood, found where standing water is constant.

H
Hand Rails Rails that run alongside stairs for people to hold onto for support when going up or down the stairs. They are commonly metal or wood. Hardie Board Hardie is actually a brand name of a cementitious siding make to look like lap siding, shingle siding and other common exteriors. The advantage is that it is not susceptible to termites and dry rot.

E
Eaves The end of the roofline, which extends outward over the building structures. Most commonly, eaves are extended two feet beyond the exterior walls. For all practical purposes, eaves are just the underside of the roof.

J
Jamb The vertical portion of the doorframe onto which a door is secured, including entry, garage and utility doors. Joist Wood member that spans over a void and usually has a covering on top or underneath. Floor joists have both flooring on the top of them and drywall on the 2

F
Fascia Board A term that generally describes any

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THE ACCELL ADVISOR

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bottom in second story buildings. Joist Hangers Metal hardware which is used to fasten wood joist members to a ledger board or a header beam. The hanger fits underneath the joist giving it support under the joist, giving it load bearing capabilities.

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appear to be framed. They are often referred to by the number of raised panels, such as a 6-panel raised door. Riser the vertical face of a stair step. Roof Jacks/vents The pipes that are normally found on the roofs of buildings. They are most commonly vents for the plumbing or water heaters. Normally, theyre painted to match the color of the roof.

L
Ledger Board Board, which is most commonly 2x in dimension and is usually the same width as the joist members that are to be attached to it. Lites Refers to the window panes in doors. Doors are sometimes referred to by the number of panes in them, such as a single-light door; usually a single door frame with a large glass panel.

S
Soffit Refers to the material forming a ceiling from the top of an exterior wall to the outer edge of the roof, i.e., bridging the gap between the wall and the roof line. Most often, soffits are flat horizontal sections over entrances, patios, etc. Splice Where two boards are cut and nailed together to continue a run. Usually a splice consists of opposing 22.5 degree miter cuts which can be glued together and when done right can only be slightly noticed when looking at a run. Stair Stringers the sides of the stairway that the treads are attached to. Stair Treads the actual part of a stair that is walked on. Studs Vertical supports in walls, which extend from the sill plate to the top plate. Most generally studs are 2x4 S4S material and generally come in lengths of 92-1/4.

M
Mansard Roof Also called a French Roof is an angled roof at the tops of the exterior walls on four sides but does not connect at the peak. Miter Joints This is the butt joint, which adjoins two separate pieces of wood. When pieces butt together in a corner forming a 90-degree angle a 45 degree angle is cut on each piece of wood to form the 90.

P
Parapet Walls A wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. It may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface. Pop-outs Can be a small section of a building that extend beyond other parts of the building or simply architectural stucco features, like trim around windows. Frequently pop-outs are painted in a different color than the main body to make them stand out. Posts Wood members, which are used to support loads above them. Posts are generally 4x4, 6x6, or 8x8. Posts are fastened to a footing by a CB Strap or column base. Posts can be set directly into a concrete footing like a fence.

T
T-111 is a common style of manufactured siding used on many residential buildings. It is available in different lumber types, some of ,which, outperform others. Threshold The bottom-most part of a doorway that one crosses over to enter a building. Sometimes also called a sill. Trex Is a brand name for a composite that is designed to look like wood. It is often used for decks and railings, but is not available in all wood sizes. Because it is a composite, it is softer than wood and requires additional support for spans. Trim - A very general term to indicate architectural features around windows, doors or other elements of building surfaces. Trim is usually wood but foam, covered in a cement material is also a common trim.

R
Railing a broad term to indicate a fence-like structure. It is often used to describe balcony railing, pool fencing, railing on stairs, etc. Raised Panel Doors Doors that have raised sections that 3

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THE ACCELL ADVISOR

SPRING 2012

Stuck Irrigation Valves

By Vista Del Verde Landscape, Inc.
What is a stuck valve? I am sure you have all managed properties that have had stuck valves, but do you know why they were stuck on in the first place? When a valve gets stuck, it is unable to shutoff automatically and continues to water after the controller has given the signal to close. When valves fail in this fashion they waste water and create safety hazards. Here are three things you need to know about stuck valves and what makes them stick on. Does the solenoid work? Your first question may be, what is a solenoid? The solenoid is an electrically powered plunger that allows water to pass through to open and close the valve diaphragm. If the solenoid is not operating properly, you may only have to replace it instead of the whole valve. This translates into a much less expensive repair. Ask your landscaper if the solenoid is operating correctly before you approve a 2. complete valve change. If the solenoid is operating correctly what else could have gone wrong? The next area that causes valves to stick on would be issues with the valve diaphragm. The diaphragm is a rubber gasket that allows water to pass through the valve and out to the sprinklers. This diaphragm can tear, get worn out, or just get a small piece of debris stuck in it. Some valve manufacturers make replacement valve diaphragms, however the cost for replacing diaphragm is generally similar to replacing the entire valve. If the diaphragm is bad, then the valve should be replaced. The last thing you should ask yourself is what is the age and condition of the valves on your project. If you have an older project with original, or very old irrigation valves, you should start to budget for the upcoming replacement or repair of those valves. Regular irrigation inspections are also vital to any irrigation system, new or old. These inspections should note any areas of concern so that they can be addressed before they turn into bigger problems. Be proactive and address all irrigation valve issues in a timely fashion to help control repair and water costs. 1.

3.

By asking these simple questions you can determine if you need to replace the whole valve or just make a minor repair.

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material or dirt. Wrought Iron Is actually an iron alloy with a very low carbon content. It is easily welded and frequently used for fencing or railings. It is very susceptible to rusting and must be coated well to keep water from getting to the metal surface. The term wrought iron is often used synonymously for any metal fencing.

U
Utility Door any door, of any size and material that is used to conceal electrical utilities and gas meters.

W
Weather Stipping The process of sealing openings in buildings such as doors and windows, or the materials used to carry out the sealing process. The goal to prevent water from entering buildings and to provide a barrier to keep interior (heated or cooled) air in. Weep Screed The metal vent that runs along the bottom of stucco walls that permits water that permeates the stucco to drip out the vent. It is usually about six inches above the foundation and must be kept free of landscape

Z
Z*##@&%! The term most frequently used when a carpenter hits his thumb with a hammer.