Have you ever been watching Breaking Bad and think: “what part of the roof did Walter just throw that pizza on to? No? Me neither, but it was a good way to transition into describing more interesting roof components you may not know the name of or the purpose they serve:
Ridge – The peak where two opposing roof planes merge. It is a typical location to install a vent to ensure that the attic is adequately ventilated.
Hip – Similar to the ridge, it occurs when all roof sides slope downwards toward the walls.
Gable – Unlike the hip roof, a gable is where only two sides of the roof slope downward towards the walls and the remaining walls extend up to the ridge.
Valley – Where two slopes of a roof meet. It is a point of emphasis for waterproofing as water is diverted to this point from the field of the roof.
Cricket – Also known as a saddle, is a smaller ridge structure meant to divert water around an object (like a chimney) so that the water doesn’t pool behind said object.
Dormer – A roofed structure, typically housing a window, that projects vertically from the sloped roof plane.
(In case you were wondering, Walter, chucked that pizza onto the field, or face, of the roof.)
