Includes all exterior walls and any interior wall that is aligned above a support beam or girder. Normally, any wall that has a double horizontal top plate.

- The amount to be borrowed.

Force provided by weight, external or environmental sources such as wind, water and temperature, or other sources of energy.

A horizontal structural member that supports the load over an opening such as a door or window. Horizontal member spanning an opening such as a window or door. Also referred to as a Header.

Carpet formed by bonding the pile yarn to a rubber cushion.

Carrying an imposed load.

- The ratio of the loan amount to the property valuation and expressed as a percentage. E.g. if a borrower is seeking a loan of $200,000 on a property worth $400,000 it has a 50% loan to value rate. If the loan were $300,000, the LTV would be 75%. The higher the loan to value, the greater the lender's perceived risk. Loans above normal lending LTV ratios may require additional security.

Part of the total load on structural members that is not a permenant part of the structure. May be variable, as in the case of loads contributed by the occupancy, and wind and snow loads.

Related to soils, the water content expressed as a percentage of dry weight at which the soil will start to flow when tested by the shaking method.

A short wood bracket or cantilever that supports an overhang portion of a roof.

A vented opening into the home that has a series of horizontal slats and arranged to permit ventilation but to exclude rain, snow, light, insects, or other living creatures. Opening with slanted fins (to keep out rain and snow) used to ventilate attics, crawl spaces and wall openings.

Subjective response to sound pressure, but not linearly related thereto. A sound with twice the pressure is not twice as loud. See Decibel.

A tax incentive intended to increase the availability of low-income housing. The program provides an income tax credit to owners of newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated low-income rental housing projects. https://healthymaterialslab.org/tool-guides/hml-resources

The boundary line of a lot.

A low-emissivity glass that has a thin metallic coating that selectively reflects ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths of the energy spectrum.

A product produced by harvesting, sawing, drying, and processing wood.

Roofs that are nearly flat.

A surface coating used on glass that permits the passage of most shortwave electromagnetic radiation (light and heat) but reflects longer-wave radiation (heat).

Total horizontal area within the lot lines of a parcel of land.

A person who inspects each piece of lumber and assigns a grade to it.