When speaking with a contractor regarding your roof, here are a few of the terms you may hear and their meanings:

• Roof Covering
  Shingles, tile, slate, or metal underlayment protects the sheathing from weather
• Sheathing
  Boards or sheet material fastened to rafters to cover a house
• Flashing
  Sheet metal installed into the joints and valleys to prevent water seepage.
• Drainage
  A roof system's design features, such as shape, slope and layout that affect its ability to shed water