Parts of a Roof, Explained by a Maryland Roofer

Labeled diagram of the parts of a roof: shingles, underlayment, roof deck, flashing, ridge vent, pipe boot, ice and water shield, drip edge, soffit, fascia, gutter

A roof is not one thing. It’s a system of a dozen parts stacked and layered so that water always moves down and out, never in. When one part fails, the whole system leaks, and homeowners usually blame the shingles because shingles are the only part they can see. I’ve been putting roofs on Maryland […]