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R
R-Value:
The thermal resistance of a glazing system. The
R-value is the reciprocal of the U-value. The higher the
R value, the less
heat is transmitted
throughout the glazing material.
Rabbet:
A rectangular, longitudinal groove cut in the
corner edge of a board or plank.
Radial
Saw: A circular saw which hangs from a horizontal
arm or beam and slides back and forth. The arm pivots from
side to
side to allow for
angle cuts and bevels. When sawing finish plywood, the good
side should face up as the saw cuts on the down
stroke.
Radiant
Heating: A method of heating, usually consisting
of a forced hot water system with pipes placed in the floor,
wall, or
ceiling, or with
electrically heated panels.
Radiation:
Any heated surface loses heat to cooler surrounding
space or surfaces through radiation. The earth receives
its heat
from the sun by
radiation. The heat rays are turned into heat as they strike
an object which will absorb some or all of the heat
transmitted.
Radiator:
A heating unit which is supplied heat through
a hot water system.
Radon:
A naturally-occurring, radioactive gas which is
heavier than air and is common in many parts of the country.
Radon gas
exposure is associated
with lung cancer. Mitigation measures may involve crawl
space and basement venting and various forms
of vapor barriers.
Radon System:
A ventilation system beneath the floor of a basement
and/or structural wood floor and designed to fan exhaust
radon gas to the
outside of the home.
Rafter:
A sloping roof member that supports the roof covering
which extends from the ridge or the hip of the roof to the
eaves. A
common rafter is
one which runs square with the plate and extends to the
ridge. A hip rafter extends from the outside angle of the
plate towards the
apex of the roof. They are 2" deeper or wider than
common rafters. A valley rafter extends from an inside angle
of
the plates toward
the ridge of the house.
Rafter
Tail: The portion of a rafter that extends past
the building to form the eaves.
Rafter,
Hip: A rafter that forms the intersection of an
external roof angle.
Rafter,
Valley: A rafter that forms the intersection of
an internal roof angle. The valley rafter is normally made
of double 2-inch-thick
members.
Raggle
Block: A specially designed masonry block having
a slot or opening into which the top edge of the roof flashing
is inserted
and anchored.
Rail:
Cross members of panel doors or of a sash. Also the upper
and lower members of a balustrade or staircase extending
from
one vertical support,
such as a post, to another.
Railroad
Tie: Black, tar and preservative impregnated,
6"x8" and 6'-8' long wooden timber that was used
to hold railroad track in
place. Normally
used as a member of a retaining wall.
Rake:
Trim members that run parallel to the roof slope and form
the finish between the wall and a gable roof extension.
The angle
of slope of a roof
rafter, or the inclined portion of a cornice.
Rake Edge:
The overhang of an inclined roof plane beyond
the vertical wall below it.
Rake Fascia:
The vertical face of the sloping end of a roof
eave.
Rake Siding:
The practice of installing lap siding diagonally.
Ranch:
A single story, one level home.
Random-Tab
Shingles: Shingles on which tabs vary in size
and exposure.
Rankin:
Thermometer scale on which unit of measurement
equals the Fahrenheit degree.
Raw Linseed
Oil: The crude product processed from flaxseed
and usually without much subsequent treatment.
Ready Mixed
Concrete: Concrete mixed at a plant or in trucks
en route to a job and delivered ready for placement.
Rebar:
Reinforcing bar used to increase the tensile strength
of concrete.
Receptacle:
An electrical outlet. A typical household will
have many 120 volt receptacles for plugging in lams and
appliances and
240 volt receptacles
for the range, clothes dryer, air conditioners, etc.
Recording
Fee: A charge for recording the transfer of a
property, paid to a city, county, or other appropriate branch
of government.
Redline,
Red Lined Prints: Blueprints that reflect changes
and that are marked with red pencil.
Reducer:
See bushing.
Reflective
Glass: Glass with a metallic coating to reduce
solar heat gain.
Reflective
Insulation: Sheet material with one or both sun
faces of comparatively low heat emissivity, such as aluminum
foil.
When used in building
construction the surfaces face air spaces, reducing the
radiation across the air space.
Refrigerant:
A substance that remains a gas at low temperatures
and pressure and can be used to transfer heat. Freon is
an
example and is
used in air conditioning systems.
Register:
A fixture through which conditioned air flows.
In a gravity heating system, it is located near the baseboard.
In an air
conditioning system,
it is located close to the thermostat.
Reglaze:
To replace a broken window.
Reglet:
A horizontal slot, formed or cut in a parapet
or other masonry wall, into which the top edge of counter-flashing
can be
inserted and anchored.
In glazing, a reglet is typically a pocket or keyway extruded
into the framing for installing the glazing
gaskets.
Reinforced
Concrete: A combination of steel and concrete
using the best properties of each. The steel consists of
rebar or
reinforcing bars
varying from 3/8 " to 2 1/4 " in diameter and
is placed before concrete is poured.
Reinforced
Masonry: Masonry units, reinforcing steel, grout
and/or mortar combined to act together to strengthen the
masonry
structure.
Reinforcing:
Steel rods or metal fabric placed in concrete
slabs, beams, or columns to increase their strength.
Relative
Heat Gain: The amount of heat gain through a glass
product taking into consideration the effects of solar heat
gain
(shading coefficient)
and conductive heat gain (U-value).
Relative
Humidity: The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere,
expressed as a percentage of the maximum quantity that could
be present at a
given temperature. (The actual amount of water vapor that
can be held in space increases with the temperature.)
Release
Tape: A plastic or paper strip that is applied
to the back of self-sealing shingles. This strip prevents
the shingles from
sticking together
in the bundles, and need not be removed for application.
Remote:
Remote electrical, gas, or water meter digital
readouts that are installed near the front of the home in
order for utility
companies to easily
read the home owners usage of the service.
Resilient
Flooring: A durable floor cover that has the ability
to resume its original shape.
Resistance:
The internal structure of wires even in the best
conductors opposes the flow of electric current and converts
some
current into heat.
This internal friction-like effect is called resistance
and is measured in ohms. Resistance equals Voltage
divided by Amperage.
Resorcinol
Glue: A glue that is high in both wet and dry
strength and resistant to high temperatures. It is used
for gluing lumber or
assembly joints
that must withstand severe service conditions.
Retaining
Wall: A structure that holds back a slope and
prevents erosion.
Retentions:
Amounts withheld from progress billings until
final and satisfactory project completion.
Return:
In heating and cooling systems, a vent that returns
cold air to be warmed. In a hot air furnace system, it is
located near an
inside wall.
Ribbon
(or Girt): Normally a 1"x4" board let
into the studs horizontally to support ceiling or second-floor
joists.
Ridge:
The horizontal line at the junction of the top
edges of two sloping roof surfaces.
Ridge Board:
The board placed on edge at the ridge of the roof
into which the upper ends of the rafters are fastened.
Ridge Cut:
The end cut on a rafter that fits to the ridgeboard.
Ridgeboards:
Horizontal support at the ridge of a roof to which
opposing rafters are attached.
Rigid Metal
Conduit: This conduit resembles plumbing pipe,
protecting wires from damage.
Rise:
In stairs, the vertical height of a step or flight of stairs.
Riser:
Each of the vertical boards closing the spaces
between the treads of stairways.
Road Base:
An aggregate mixture of sand and stone.
Rock 1,
2, 3: When referring to drywall, this means to
install drywall to the walls and ceilings (with nails and
screws), and before
taping is performed.
Roll Roofing:
Roofing material, composed of fiber and satin
rated with asphalt, that is supplied in 36-inch wide rolls
with 108
square feet of
material. Weights are generally 45 to 90 pounds per roll.
Roll, Rolling:
To install the floor joists or trusses in their
correct place. (To "roll the floor" means to install
the floor joists).
Romex:
A non-metallic sheathed cable consisting of two
or more insulated conductors having an outer sheath of moisture
resistant, non-metallic
material. The conductor insulation is rubber, neoprene,
thermoplastic or a moisture resistant flame
retardant fibrous
material. There are two types: NM and NMC - described earlier.
Roof Deck:
See deck.
Roof Sheathing:
The boards or sheet material fastened to the roof
rafters on which the shingle or other roof covering is laid.
Roof System:
General term referring to the waterproof covering,
roof insulation, vapor barrier, if used and roof deck as
an entity.
Roofing
Tape: An asphalt-saturated tape used with asphalt
cements for flashing and patching asphalt roofing.
Root Cellar:
Food storage area with a dirt floor.
Rough:
In hardware, metal fastenings on cabinets which
are usually concealed, like staples.
Rough Flooring:
Materials used to form an unfinished floor. Floor
sheathing.
Rough Opening:
The opening in a wall into which a door or window
is to be installed.
Rough Plumbing:
All plumbing that should be done before the finish
trades (sheetrock, painting, etc), including all waste lines
and
supply water lines
that are in the walls or framing of the building. See also:
Plumbing, Sub Rough, and Finish Plumbing.
RPM:
Revolutions per Minute.
Rubber
Emulsion Paint: Paint, the vehicle of which consists
of rubber or synthetic rubber dispersed in fine droplets
in water.
Rubber-Tired
Roller: A roller with rubber tires commonly used
for compacting trimmed subgrade or aggregate base or clay
type
soils.
Run (Roofing):
The horizontal distance between the eaves and
the ridge of the roof, being half the span for a symmetrical
gable
roof. Also, the
net width of a step or the horizontal distance covered by
a flight of stairs.
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