CO |
An abbreviation for "Certificate
of Occupancy". This certificate is issued by the local
municipality and is required before anyone can occupy and live
within the home. It is issued only after the local municipality
has made all inspections and all monies and fees have been paid. |
Caisson |
A 10" or 12" diameter hole
drilled into the earth and embedded into bedrock 3 - 4 feet.
The structural support for a type of foundation wall, porch,
patio, monopost, or other structure. Two or more "sticks"
of reinforcing bars (rebar) are inserted into and run the full
length of the hole and concrete is poured into the caisson hole |
Cantilever |
An overhang. Where one floor extends
beyond and over a foundation wall. For example at a fireplace
location or bay window cantilever. Normally, not extending over
2 feet. |
Cantilevered
void |
Foundation void material used in
unusually expansive soils conditions. This void is "trapezoid"
shaped and has vertical sides of 6" and 4" respectively. |
Cap |
The upper member of a column, pilaster,
door cornice, molding, or fireplace. |
Cap
flashing |
The portion of the flashing attached
to a vertical surface to prevent water from migrating behind
the base flashing. |
Capital |
The principal part of a loan, i.e.
the original amount borrowed. |
Capital
and interest |
A repayment loan and the most conventional
form of home loan. The borrower pays an amount each month to
cover the amount borrowed (or capital or principal) plus the
interest charged on capital. |
Capped
rate |
The mortgage interest rate will
not exceed a specified value during a certain period of time,
but it will fluctuate up and down below that level. |
Casement |
Frames of wood or metal enclosing
part (or all) of a window sash. May beopened by means of hinges
affixed to the vertical edges. |
Casement
Window |
A window with hinges on one of the
vertical sides and swings open like a normal door |
Casing |
Wood trim molding installed around
a door or window opening. |
Caulking |
(1) A flexible material used to seal
a gap between two surfaces e.g. between pieces of siding or
the corners in tub walls. (2) To fill a joint with mastic or
asphalt plastic cement to prevent leaks. |
CCA
(Chromated Copper Arsenate) |
A pesticide that is forced into wood
under high pressure to protect it from termites, other wood
boring insects, and decay caused by fungus |
Celotex™ |
Black fibrous board that is used
as exterior sheething. |
Ceiling
joist |
One of a series of parallel framing
members used to support ceiling loads and supported in turn
by larger beams, girders or bearing walls. Also called roof
joists. |
Cement |
The gray powder that is the "glue"
in concrete. Portland cement. Also, any adhesive. |
Ceramic
tile |
A man-made or machine-made clay tile
used to finish a floor or wall. Generally used in bathtub and
shower enclosures and on counter tops. |
CFM
(cubic feet per minute) |
A rating that expresses the amount of air a blower
or fan can move. The volume of air (measured in cubic feet)
that can pass through an opening in one minute. |
Chair
rail |
Interior trim material installed about 3-4 feet
up the wall, horizontally. |
Chalk
line |
A line made by snapping a taut string or cord
dusted with chalk. Used for alignment purposes. |
Change
order |
A written document which modifies the plans and
specifications and/or the price of the construction Contract. |
Chase |
A framed enclosed space around a flue pipe
or a channel in a wall, or through a ceiling for something
to lie in or pass through. |
Chink |
To install fiberglass insulation around all exterior
door and window frames, wall corners, and small gaps in the
exterior wall. |
Chip
Board |
A manufactured wood panel made out of 1"-
2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for
plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing. Also called
OSB (Oriented Strand Board) or wafer board. |
Circuit |
The path of electrical flow from a power source
through an outlet and back to ground. |
Circuit
Breaker |
A device which looks like a switch and is usually
located inside the electrical breaker panel or circuit breaker
box. It is designed to (1) shut of the power to portions or
all of the house and (2) to limit the amount of power flowing
through a circuit (measured in amperes). 110 volt household
circuits require a fuse or circuit breaker with a rating of
15 or a maximum of 20 amps. 220 volt circuits may be designed
for higher amperage loads e.g. a hot water heater may be designed
for a 30 amp load and would therefore need a 30 amp fuse or
breaker. |
Class
"A" |
Optimum fire rating issued by Underwriter's Laboratories
on roofing. The building codes in some areas require this type
of roofing for fire safety. |
Class
"C" |
Minimum fire rating issued by the Underwriters'
Laboratories for roofing materials. |
Clean
out |
An opening providing access to a drain line.
Closed with a threaded plug. |
Clip
ties |
Sharp, cut metal wires that protrude out of a
concrete foundation wall (that at one time held the foundation
form panels in place). |
Cold
air return |
The ductwork (and related grills) that carries
room air back to the furnace for re-heating. |
Collar |
Preformed flange placed over a vent pipe to seal
the roofing above the vent pipe opening. Also called a vent
sleeve. |
Collar
beam |
Nominal 1- or 2-inch-thick members connecting
opposite roof rafters. They serve to stiffen the roof structure. |
Column |
A vertical structural compression member which
supports loads. |
Combustion
air |
The duct work installed to bring fresh, outside
air to the furnace and/or hot water heater. Normally 2 separate
supplies of air are brought in: One high and One low. |
Combustion
chamber |
The part of a boiler, furnace or woodstove where
the burn occurs; normally lined with firebrick or molded or
sprayed insulation. |
Compression
web |
A member of a truss system which connects the
bottom and top chords and which provides downward support. |
Compressor |
A mechanical device that pressurizes a gas in
order to turn it into a liquid, thereby allowing heat to be
removed or added. A compressor is the main component of conventional
heat pumps and air conditioners. In an air conditioning system,
the compressor normally sits outside and has a large fan (to
remove heat). |
Concrete |
The mixture of Portland cement, sand, gravel,
and water. Used to make garage and basement floors, sidewalks,
patios, foundation walls, etc. It is commonly reinforced with
steel rods (rebar) or wire screening (mesh). |
Concrete
block |
A hollow concrete 'brick' often 8" x 8"
x 16" in size.
Concrete board - A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass
usually used as a tile backing material. |
Condensate
line |
The copper pipe that runs from the outside air
conditioning condenser to the inside furnace ( where the a/c
coil is located). |
Condensation |
Beads or drops of water (and frequently frost
in extremely cold weather) that accumulate on the inside of
the exterior covering of a building. Use of louvers or attic
ventilators will reduce moisture condensation in attics. A vapor
barrier under the gypsum lath or dry wall on exposed walls will
reduce condensation. |
Condensing
unit |
The outdoor component of a cooling system. It
includes a compressor and condensing coil designed to give off
heat. |
Conditions,
Convenants, and Restrictions
(CC and Rs) |
The standards that define how a property may
be used and the protections the developer makes for the benefit
of all owners in a subdivision. |
Conduction |
The direct transfer of heat energy through a
material. |
Conductivity |
The rate at which heat is transmitted through
a material. |
Conduit,
electrical |
A pipe, usually metal, in which wire is installed. |
Construction
Contract |
A legal document which specifies the what-when-where-how-how
much and by whom in a construction project. A good construction
contract will include:
- The contractors registration number.
- A statement of work quality such as 'Standard Practices
of the Trades' or 'according to Manufacturers Specifications'.
- A set of Blue Prints or Plans
- A construction timetable including starting and completion
dates.
- A set of Specifications
- A Fixed Price for the work, or a Time and Materials formula.
- A Payment Schedule.
- Any Allowances.
- A clause which outlines how any disputes will be resolved.
- A written Warrantee.
|
Construction
drywall |
A type of construction in which the interior
wall finish is applied in a dry condition, generally in the
form of sheet materials or wood paneling as contrasted to
plaster. |
Construction,
frame |
A type of construction in which the structural
components are wood or depend upon a wood frame for support. |
Continuity
tester |
A device that tells whether a circuit is capable
of carrying electricity. |
Contractor |
A company licensed to perform certain types
of construction activities. In most states, the generals contractor's
license and some specialty contractor's licenses don't require
of compliance with bonding, workmen's compensation and similar
regulations. Some of the specialty contractor licenses involve
extensive training, testing and/or insurance requirements.
There are various types of contractors:
- General contractor - responsible for the execution, supervision
and overall coordination of a project and may also perform
some of the individual construction tasks. Most general
contractors are not licensed to perform all specialty trades
and must hire specialty contractors for such tasks, e.g.
electrical, plumbing.
- Remodeling contractor - a general contractor who specializes
in remodeling work.
- Specialty contractor - licensed to perform a specialty
task e.g. electrical, side sewer, asbestos abatement.
- Sub contractor - a general or specialty contractor who
works for another general contractor.
|
Control
joint |
Tooled, straight grooves made on concrete floors
to "control" where the concrete should crack |
Convection |
Currents created by heating air, which then rises
and pulls cooler air behind it. Also see radiation. |
Conventional
loan |
A mortgage loan not insured by a government
agency (such as FHA or VA) |
Convertibility |
The ability to change a loan from an adjustable
rate schedule to a fixed rate schedule. |
Cooling
load |
The amount of cooling required to keep a building
at a specified temperature during the summer, usually 78°
F, regardless of outside temperature. |
Coped |
Removing the top and bottom flange of the end(s)
of a metal I-beam. This is done to permit it to fit within,
and bolted to, the web of another I-beam in a "T"
arrangement |
Coped joint |
Cutting and fitting woodwork to an irregular
surface. |
Corbel |
The triangular, decorative and supporting member
that holds a mantel or horizontal shelf. |
Corner bead |
A strip of formed sheet metal placed on outside
corners of drywall before applying drywall 'mud'. |
Corner boards |
Used as trim for the external corners of a house
or other frame structure against which the ends of the siding
are finished. |
Corner braces |
Diagonal braces at the corners of the framed
structure designed to stiffen and strengthen the wall. |
Cornice |
Overhang of a pitched roof , usually consisting
of a fascia board, a soffit and appropriate trim moldings. |
Counter
flashing |
A metal flashing usually used on chimneys
at the roofline to cover shingle flashing and used to prevent
moisture entry. |
Counterfort |
A foundation wall section that strengthens (and
generally perpendicular to) a long section of foundation wall |
Course |
A row of shingles or roll roofing running the
length of the roof. Parallel layers of building materials such
as bricks, or siding laid up horizontally. |
Cove molding |
A molding with a concave face used as trim or
to finish interior corners. |
Crawl space |
A shallow space below the living quarters of
a house, normally enclosed by the foundation wall and having
a dirt floor. |
Credit rating |
A report ordered by a lender from a credit agency
to determine a borrower's credit habits. |
Cricket |
A second roof built on top of the primary
roof to increase the slope of the roof or valley. A saddle-shaped,
peaked construction connecting a sloping roof with a chimney.
Designed to encourage water drainage away from the chimney
joint. |
Cripple |
Short vertical "2 by 4's or 6's" frame
lumber installed above a window or door. |
Cross bridging |
Diagonal bracing between adjacent floor joists,
placed near the center of the joist span to prevent joists from
twisting. |
Cross Tee |
Short metal "T" beam used in suspended
ceiling systems to bridge the spaces between the main beams. |
Crown molding |
A molding used on cornice or wherever an interior
angle is to be covered, especially at the roof and wall corner. |
Culvert |
Round, corrugated drain pipe (normally 15"
or 18" in diameter) that is installed beneath a driveway
and parallel to and near the street. |
Cupping |
A type of warping that causes boards to curl
up at their edges. |
Curb |
The short elevation of an exterior wall above
the deck of a roof. Normally a 2 by 6 box (on the roof) on which
a skylight is attached. |
Curb stop |
Normally a cast iron pipe with a lid (@ 5"
in diameter) that is placed vertically into the ground, situated
near the water tap in the yard, and where a water cut-off valve
to the home is located (underground). A long pole with a special
end is inserted into the curb stop to turn off/on the water. |
Cut-in brace |
Nominal 2-inch-thick members, usually 2 by 4's,
cut in between each stud diagonally. |
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