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T
T Bar:
A ribbed "T" shaped bar with a flat metal plate
at the bottom that is driven into the earth. Normally used
with chain link fence
poles, and to mark
locations of a water meter pit.
Tab:
The exposed portion of strip shingles defined by cutouts.
Tail Beam:
A relatively short beam or joist supported in
a wall on one end and by a header at the other.
Tailpiece:
The tubular part of a lavatory drain that runs
from the drain flange to the trap.
Take Off:
The material necessary to complete a job.
Taping:
Applying joint tape over embedding compound in
the process of joint treatment of drywall.
Tear-Off:
In roofing, a term used to describe the complete
removal of the built up roof membrane and insulation down
to and
exposing the roof
deck.
Teco:
Metal straps that are nailed to secure the roof rafters
and trusses to the top horizontal wall plate. Sometimes
called a
Hurricane Clip.
Tee:
A T-shaped fitting with three openings.
Tempered:
Strengthened. Tempered glass will not shatter
nor create shards, but will "pelletize" like an
automobile window.
Required in tub
and shower enclosures, entry door glass, sidelight glass
and in windows where the window sill is less than 16"
to the floor.
Termite
Shield: A shield, usually of non-corrodible metal,
placed in or on a foundation wall or other mass of masonry
or around
pipes to prevent
passage of termites.
Termites:
Insects that superficially resemble ants in size,
general appearance, and habit of living in colonies; hence,
they are
frequently called
"white ants." Subterranean termites establish
themselves in buildings not by being carried in with lumber,
but by
entering from ground
nests after the building has been constructed. If unmolested,
they eat the woodwork, leaving a shell of
sound wood to conceal
their activities, and damage may proceed so far as to cause
collapse of parts of a structure before
discovery. There
are about 56 species of termites known in the United States
but the two major ones, classified by the manner in
which they attack
wood, are ground inhabiting or subterranean termites (the
most common) and dry wood termites, which are
found almost exclusively
along the extreme southern border and the Gulf of Mexico
in the United States.
Terneplate:
Sheet iron or steel coated with an alloy of lead
and tin.
Terracotta:
A ceramic material molded into masonry units.
Texture
Paint: Paint which may be manipulated by brush,
trowel or other to give various patterns.
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 generators.
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 cut in the web to
accommodate duct
work and plumbing waste lines. I-joists are available in
lengths up to 60'' long.
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.
Torch Down
Roof (Single Ply or Modified Bitumen): A newer
roofing material mostly used on flat roofs. This material
usually
comes in rolls
and is applied to the roof with an open flame or 'torch.'
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 casings, cabinets,
countertops, shelves,
window sills and aprons, etc.
Trim (Plumbing,
Heating, Electrical): The work that the "mechanical"
contractors perform to finish their respective aspects of
work
when the home is
nearing completion and occupancy.
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.
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