- Back Draft
- The reverse flow of chimney gases (blowing back down the chimney) because of poor chimney design or weather conditions.
- Back-up Sump Pump
- A battery operated sump pump that operates if the main sump pump fails because of a malfunction or a power outage.
- Band Board
- board attached to the ends of the floor joists around the outside of the structure.
- Base Flashing
- A portion of the flashing attached to or resting on the deck, to direct the flow of water onto the roof covering.
- Beam
- Any structural member can be wood or steel.
- Back Fill
- Soil that is used to fill in between the foundation wall and the side of the trench that was dug to lay the foundation.
- Balloon Framing
- Method of wood frame construction used in older homes in which the studs extend as one-piece from the foundation to the roof.
- Baseboard
- A decorative molded board placed against the wall at floor level to cover the joint between the floor and the wall.
- Baseboard Heater
- A radiator mounted along the baseboard with openings at the top and bottom through which the air circulates. May be electric, or heated by hot water.
- Base Course
- The first row of bricks or blocks laid.
- Basement
- Lower store of a building below or party below ground.
- Batten
- Narrow strip of wood used to cover joints between boards or paneling.
- Bay Window
- A window that extends outside the main line or frame of the building.
- Beam
- Wood, steel or concrete member used to support a great weight.
- Bearing Wall
- Wall that supports the area above it. This type of wall cannot be removed without restructuring the areas above it.
- Bevel Siding
- Boards where one edge is tapered, slots under the board above it. Used for exterior siding.
- Blind Nailing
- Method of nailing so than nail heads are not visible on the face of the work.
- Blisters
- Bubbles that may appear on the surface of asphalt roofing after installation.
- Board
- Any finished lumber less than two inches thick and wider than four inches.
- Brace
- A diagonal framing member used in framing to stiffen the structure.
- Branch Circuit
- Is a circuit that comes off the main circuit.
- Brands
- Marks on a roof from airborne burning embers released from a fire.
- Brick Molding
- Wood trim piece used to cover the gap between window frames and the masonry.
- Brick Veneer
- Brick facing used as a covering, not load bearing. Attaches decoratively to the load bearing structure.
- Bundle
- A package of shingles. There are three, four or five bundles per square.
- Building Paper
- A felt or similar material usually used over the roof decking and under the shingles.
- Built-up Roof
- Roof covering composed of 3 or more layers of roofing felt and asphalt. Used on flat or low-pitched roofs.
- Butt Edge
- Lower edge of the tabs, on a shingle.
- Butt-joint
- Joint fastening two members together without any overlapping.
- BX Wiring
- Also called armored cable, the wiring is enclosed in flexible metal conduit type sheathing.