Every profession has specialized terms that might be confusing or hard to understand to people outside of those professions. But, you need to know terms that relate to your own home so you can understand what your roofing contractor is saying. Here are ten terms that you should know if you are going to talk “roofer.”
1. Flashing: A metal material used to waterproof a roof around projections like a chimney or skylight. There are different names used to indicate where and how the flashing is laid. For example “Apron flashing” is the flashing used at the front of a chimney.
2. Valley: The area where two adjoining sloped roof sections intersect on a roof. This creates a “V” shaped depression.
3. Tab: The bottom part of a traditional asphalt shingle that is separated by cut-outs.
4. Fiberglass Mat: Fibers that are condensed into strong mats that are often used as a base layer in roofing – below the shingle.
5. Gable Roof: A traditional roof style that is characterized by two peaked roof planes meeting at a ridge line of equal size. 
6. Dormer: A small structure that projects from a sloped roof. It usually has a built-in window. 
7. Drip Edge: A strip – usually of metal – installed at the roof edge to allow water to run off and drip clear of the deck, eaves, and siding.
8. Fascia: A flat, horizontal band or board located at the outer edge of a cornice. (A cornice is any continuous, horizontally projecting feature at the top of a wall or other construction.)
9. Rafters: The supporting frame to which a roof deck is attached. 
10. Blistering: Bubbles in roofing material. Often shingle blisters come from moisture that has gotten beneath the material or moisture that is trapped inside the material.