Glossary 333
Timely Completion The completion of the work or designated portion thereof on or before the date
required.
Title Insurer The issuer (s), approved by interim lender and permanent lenders, of the title insurance
policy or policies insuring the mortgage.
Title Block A blocked area in the lower right corner of the print. Provides information to identify
the drawing, its subject matter, origins, scale, and other data. Title blocks are unique to each manufac-
turer.
Tolerance The amount that a manufactured part may vary from its specified size.
Tongue and Groove A joint where the edge of one member fits into a groove in the next member.
Top Chord The topmost member of a truss.
Topographic Survey The configuration of a surface including its relief and the locations of its natu-
ral and man-made features, usually recorded on a drawing showing surface variations by means of con-
tour lines indicating height above or below a fixed datum.
Top Plate A horizontal member at the top of an outer building wall; used to support a rafter.
Toxicity A reflection of a material’s ability to release poisonous particulate.
Tracing Paper High-grade, white, transparent paper that takes pencil well; used when reproductions
are to be made of drawings. Also known as tracing vellum.
Transient Lodging A building, facility, or portion thereof, excluding inpatient medical care facilities
and residential facilities, that contains sleeping accommodations. Transient lodging may include, but is not
limited to, resorts, group homes, hotels, motels, and dormitories.
Tread The part of a stair on which people step.
Trap A fitting designed to provide a liquid seal which will prevent the back passage of air without sig-
nificantly affecting the flow of waste water through it.
Triangulation A technique for making developments of complex sheet metal forms using geometri-
cal constructions to translate dimensions from the drawing to the pattern.
Trimmer A piece of lumber, usually a 2 x 4, that is shorter than the stud or rafter but is used to fill in
where the longer piece would have been normally spaced except for the window or door opening or some
other opening in the roof or floor or wall.
Truss A prefabricated sloped roof system incorporating a top chord, bottom chord, and bracing.
Turbulence Any deviation from parallel flow in a pipe due to rough inner wall surfaces, obstructions, etc.
UL Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. A private testing and labeling organization that develops test
standards for product compliance. UL standards appear throughout specifications, often in roofing require-
ments, and always in equipment utilizing or delivering electrical power. http://www.ul.com.
Union Ell An ell with a male or female union at one end.
Unfaced Insulation Insulation that does not have a facing or plastic membrane over one side of it.
Union Joint A pipe coupling, usually threaded, which permits disconnection without disturbing other
sections.
Union Tee A tee with a male or female union at one end of the run.
Utility Plan A floor plan of a structure showing locations of heating, electrical, plumbing and other
service system components.
Vacuum Any pressure less than that exerted by the atmosphere.
Valley The area of a roof where two sections come together and form a depression.
Vapor Barrier The same as a moisture barrier.
Vehicular Way A route intended for vehicular traffic, such as a street, driveway, or parking lot.