Word | Definition |
Dado | A groove cut into a board or panel intended to receive the edge of a connecting board or panel. |
Damper | A metal "door" placed within the fireplace chimney. Normally closed when the fireplace is not in use. |
Dampproofing | The black, tar like waterproofing material applied to the exterior of a foundation wall. |
Daylight | The end of a pipe (the terminal end) that is not attached to anything. |
De-humidistat | A control mechanism used to operate a mechanical ventilation system based upon the relative humidity in the home. |
Dead bolt | An exterior security lock installed on exterior entry doors that can be activated only with a key or thumb-turn. Unlike a latch, which has a beveled tongue, dead bolts have square ends. |
Dead light | The fixed, non-operable window section of a window unit. |
Dead Load | The constant, design-weight (of the roof) and any permanent fixtures attached above or below |
Deck, decked | To install the plywood or wafer board sheeting on the floor joists, rafters, or trusses. |
Dedicated circuit | An electrical circuit that serves only one appliance (ie, dishwasher) or a series of electric heaters or smoke detectors. |
Default | Breach of a mortgage contract (not making the required payments). |
Deflect | To bend or deform under weight. |
Deflection | The amount of bending movement of any part of a structural member perpendicular to the axis of the member under an applied load. |
Delamination | Separation of the plies in a panel due to failure of the adhesive. Usually caused by excessive moisture. |
Design Pressure | Specified pressure a product is designed to withstand. |
Dew Point | The critical temperature at which vapor condenses from the atmosphere and forms water. |
Disconnect | A large (generally 20 Amp) electrical ON-OFF switch |
Discount rate | A mortgage interest rate that is lower than the current rate for a certain period of time, e.g. 2.00% below variable rate for 2 years. |
Door operator | An automatic garage door opener |
Door stop | The wooden style that the door slab will rest upon when it's in a closed position. |
Doorjamb, interior | The surrounding case into which and out of which a door closes and opens. It consists of two upright pieces, called side jambs, and a horizontal head jamb. These 3 jambs have the "door stop" installed on them. |
Dormer | An opening in a sloping roof, the framing of which projects out to form a vertical wall suitable for windows or other openings |
Double glass | Window or door in which two panes of glass are used with a sealed air space between. Also known as Insulating Glass. |
Double hung window | A window with two vertically sliding sashes, both of which can move up and down. |
Double Plate | when two layers of 2 x 4's are placed on top of studs in framing a wall. |
Double Strength | In float glass, approximately 1/8" (3 mm.) thick. |
Double Tee | Refers usually to a precast roof deck panel poured with two fins in its underside to impart flexural rigidity. |
Double-Glazing | In general, any use of two lites of glass, separated by an air space, within an opening, to improve insulation against heat transfer and/or sound transmission. In insulating glass units the air between the glass sheets is thoroughly dried and the space is sealed, eliminating possible condensation and providing superior insulating properties. |
Down payment | The difference between the sales price and the mortgage amount. A downpayment is usually paid at closing. |
Downspout | A pipe, usually of metal, for carrying rainwater down from the roof's horizontal gutters. |
Drain tile | A perforated, corrugated plastic pipe laid at the bottom of the foundation wall and used to drain excess water away from the foundation. It prevents ground water from seeping through the foundation wall. Sometimes called perimeter drain. |
Draw | The amount of progress billings on a contract that is currently available to a contractor under a contract with a fixed payment schedule. |
Drawing Detail | A top view drawing of a building or roof showing the roof perimeter and indicating the projections and roof mounted equipment, drawn to scale. |
Drawing Outline | A top view drawing of a building or roof showing only the perimeter drawn to scale. |
Drip | (a) A member of a cornice or other horizontal exterior finish course that has a projection beyond the other parts for throwing off water.(b) A groove in the underside of a sill or drip cap to cause water to drop off on the outer edge instead of drawing back and running down the face of the building. |
Drip cap | A molding or metal flashing placed on the exterior topside of a door or window frame to cause water to drip beyond the outside of the frame. |
Drip Edge | A device designed to prevent water from running back or under an overhang. |
Drippage | Bitumen material that drips through roof deck joints, or over the edge of a roof deck. |
Dry in | To install the black roofing felt (tar paper) on the roof. |
Dry Seal | Accomplishment of weather seal between glass and sash by use of strips or gaskets of Neoprene, EPDM, silicone or other flexible material. A dry seal may not be completely watertight. |
Dry Sheet | A ply mechanically attached to wood or gypsum decks to prevent asphalt or pitch from penetrating the deck and leaking into the building below. |
Drywall (or Gypsum Wallboard (GWB), Sheet rock or | Wall board or gypsum- A manufactured panel made out of gypsum plaster and encased in a thin cardboard. Usually 1/2" thick and 4' x 8' or 4' x 12' in size. The panels are nailed or screwed onto the framing and the joints are taped and covered with a 'joint compound'. 'Green board' type drywall has a greater resistance to moisture than regular (white) plasterboard and is used in bathrooms and other "wet areas". |
Drywall Hammer | A special hammer used for nailing up gypsum board. It is also known as an ax or hatchet. Edges should be smooth and the corners rounded off. The head has a convex round & checkered head |
Drywall Nail | Nails used for hanging regular drywall that is to be taped and finished later must have adequate holding power and a head design that does not cut the face paper. They must also be of the proper depth to provide exactly 1 inch penetration into the framing member. Nails commonly used are chemically-etched and are designed with a cupped head. |
Ducts | The heating system. Usually round or rectangular metal pipes installed for distributing warm (or cold) air from the furnace to rooms in the home. Also a tunnel made of galvanized metal or rigid fiberglass, which carries air from the heater or ventilation opening to the rooms in a building. |
Due-on-sale | A clause in a mortgage contract requiring the borrower to pay the entire outstanding balance upon sale or transfer of the property. |
Dura board, dura rock | A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks. Sometimes called Wonder board |
DWV (drain-waste-vent) | The section of a plumbing system that carries water and sewer gases out of a home. |
