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Cantilever
An extension of the floor structure which
depends on the strength of the
unsupported portion of the girder or joists to carry the load of the
structure. Can be an
interior balcony or an exterior balcony or deck.
Cantilever
An extension of the floor structure which
depends on the strength of the
unsupported portion of the girder or joists to carry the load of the
structure.
Carbon monoxide
A life-threatening gas and combustion
byproduct. Abbreviation CO.
Casement window
A window hinged at one side to open
outward.
Casement window
A window hinged at the side to open
outward.
Casing
A wood piece covering the edge of a
window or door frame where it meets the wall
cladding.
Casing
The trim pieces used around window and
door frames where they meet the wall.
Caulking
A waterproof material used to seal joints
at interfaces between building
components, used with some wall claddings.
Cavity wall
A masonry wall with a dead air space left
between inner and outer layers of
masonry.
Cavity wall
A masonry wall with a dead air space left
between inner and outer layers of
masonry.
Cellulose insulation
An insulating material made of
shredded recycled newspaper or wood
fibers treated with a fire retardent, used as loose fill.
Centrifugal pump
A motorized pump that lifts water from a
well by means of a paddle
wheel driven by a motor. Used in jet and submersible pumps.
Ceramic tiles
Hard fired clay tiles that can be glazed
or unglazed, used as a floor covering.
Cesspool
A masonry lined hole used to hold and
break down solid materials from the
home's waste system before releasing them into the ground through porous
masonry.
Cesspool
A masonry lined hole used to hold and
break down solid materials from the
home's waste system before releasing them into the ground through porous
masonry.
Chalking
A process in which ultra violet radiation
causes the vehicle in exterior house paint
to break down and pigment particles to be released.
Chase
See Chimney
chase.
Check valve
On a sanitary pump, a valve that prevents
waste from the sewer line from
backing into the crock.
Check valve
On a sanitary pump, a valve that prevents
waste from the sewer line from
backing into the crock.
Checking
In wood plank siding, a crack or split
along the grain as a result of cupping.
Chemical corrosion
Corrosion that occurs when
metals react with oxygen, carbon dioxide,
or salts in water, using metal atoms to form new compounds.
Chemical corrosion
Corrosion that occurs when
metals react with oxygen, carbon dioxide,
or salts in water, using metal atoms to form new compounds.
Chimney cap
A concrete covering for the top of the
chimney chase.
Chimney chase
The outer construction that encloses the
flue.
Chimney flashing
Metal or roll roofing flashings used in
the joint between chimney and roof
to prevent water penetration.
Chimney flue
The channel that carries gases, fumes,
and smoke from heating units and
fireplaces.
Chinking
A mortar made of clay, sand, and other
binders such as animal hair used to fill the
gaps between logs in a log home.
Chord
An outside member of a truss, horizontal
or on an angle.
Cinder block
A block made of slag from steel making or
railroad cinders that were used in
home construction.
Circuit
A complete path of an electric current.
Circuit breaker
An overload protection device that opens
a circuit and stops the flow of
electricity when the circuit overloads.
Circulating pump
The pump that circulates water in a hot
water heating system.
Clapboard
Overlapping, horizontal wood plank siding
made from either rectangular planks
or tapered planks.
Clapboard
Overlapping, horizontal wood plank siding
made from either rectangular planks
or tapered planks.
Cleanout
A plug-sealed extension at the sewer
outlet which is unplugged when work needs
to be performed on the sewer lines.
Cleanout
A plug-sealed extension at the sewer
outlet which is unplugged when work needs
to be performed on the sewer lines.
Clear
In wood shingles or shakes, wood with no
knots or wormholes.
Closed cornice
Trim and moldings at the eave with both a
vertical fascia board and a
horizontal soffit.
Closed cornice
Trim and moldings at the eave with both a
vertical fascia board and a
horizontal soffit.
Closed system
A hot water system with a sealed
expansion tank located just above the
boiler.
Closed valley
A valley where the roof covering
continues over the valley and the flashing is
not visible.
CO/ALRA
rating indicating that breakers, connectors, switches,
and outlets are approved
for use with aluminum branch circuit wiring.
Coated steel
Steel sheeting coated with tin, antimony,
lead, or nickel alloys, used as a roof
covering.
Collar ties
Horizontal structural members of the roof
that connect opposite pairs of rafters
together to prevent rafter sag and rafter spread.
Columns
Vertical supports that carry the weight
of the structure from the girders to the
ground, transmitting weight to the footings.
Combustion air
The air required for mixing with fuel
such as oil or gas before the fuel is
burned.
Combustion chamber
The chamber in a furnace or
boiler in which fuel is burned. Called a
firebox in older oil burners.
Composition board
Planks or sheets of compressed
wood fibers with weather resistant
binders, used as a wall cladding.
Composition board
Planks or sheets of compressed
wood fibers with weather resistant
binders, used as a wall cladding.
Compound wall
A solid masonry wall built of two
different materials.
Compound wall
A solid masonry wall built of two
different materials.
Compound wall
A solid masonry wall built of two
different materials.
Compression
A stress that pushes on a structural
member tending to make that member
reduce its size.
Compressor
The component of a cooling system that
moves refrigerant and pressurizes the
refrigerant gas in order to raise its temperature.
Concrete block
A block made of crushed stone and
builders sand used in construction,
especially foundation walls.
Concrete masonry unit
Various kinds of hollow- core
blocks used in foundation
construction. Abbreviation CMU.
Condensate line
Drain piping from an air conditioning
system to dispose of condensation.
Condensate tray
A tray under an air conditioning unit to
collect condensation.
Condenser
A coil in a cooling system through which
the refrigerant gas flows that removes
heat from the gas, condensing it into liquid form.
Condensing units
See
High-efficiencies.
Conduction
The transfer of heat from a warmer object
to a cooler object by physical
contact.
Conductor
A material that offers a low resistance
to an electric current flowing through it.
Also, the wire used in the home's electrical system as in the grounding
conductor, service
conductor, and so on.
Conduit
A metal cable, rigid or flexible, used in
branch circuit wiring, which can carry two
hot wires, a neutral, and a ground wire.
Convection
The transfer of heat through air, water,
or steam that moves heat from a
warmer location to a cooler location.
Convectors
Heat outlets in the home consisting of
finned plates or pipes that deliver hot
water from a boiler and warm the air passing over them.
Conventional heating systems
Generally refers to
furnaces and boilers manufactured
before the mid 1970's which had low operating efficiencies.
COPALUM
Special crimp connectors that are used in
connecting aluminum branch circuit
wiring to copper at each outlet, switch, and junction.
Copper pigtailing
A wire nut method used in
connecting aluminum branch circuit wiring to
copper at each outlet, switch, and junction.
Cornice molding
A trim piece used at the intersection of
the wall and ceiling.
Cornice
The trim and moldings at the eave line.
Cornice
The trim and moldings at the eave line.
Counter flashing
A second layer of flashing that covers a
bottom layer of flashing where
roof and wall meet.
Course
Each row of roofing material.
Course
Each row of siding material.
Course
Each row of siding material.
CPVC
An abbreviation for chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, a
white or beige plastic piping used
in supply piping. Joints are solvent welded.
CPVC
An abbreviation for chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, a
white or beige plastic piping used
in supply piping. Joints are solvent welded.
Crawl space
The unfinished area between the house
floor and the ground.
Crazing
A condition in a paint surface where the
new layer of paint shrinks while drying
causing a net-like pattern of cross cracking.
Crazing
A condition in a paint surface where the
new layer of paint shrinks while drying
causing a net-like pattern of cross cracking.
Creosote
A byproduct of a wood burning fire.
Cricket
A small peaked roof perpendicular to the
main roof slope constructed at the high
side of a chimney.
Cross bridging
See Bridging.
Cross connection
A condition where water from the DWV
system can be siphoned back
into the supply system.
Crossconnection
A condition where water from the DWV
system can be siphoned back into
the supply system.
Cupping In
wood plank siding, a warp across the grain of the board.
Cupping In
wood plank siding, a warp across the grain of the board.
Current
The flow of electricity that results when
the electromotive force is applied across a
given resistance. Current, also called amperage, is measured in amps |