Glossary

Tab: The exposed portion of strip shingles defined by cutouts.

Tank: The fixture reservoir for flush water. On a conventional toilet, the ballcock, flush valve and trip lever are installed in the tank. A tank lid closes the top tank opening.

Three-way switch: One of a pair of specialized electrical switches that allows an electrical fixture to be turned on and off from two locations. As opposed to the usual single pole electrical switches that are normally used that only allow a single switch in the circuit.

Tread: The horizontal step surface of a staircase.

Threshold: A strip of wood or other material with a beveled edge applied to the transition area between a floor and the sill plate of a door. Also called a transition.

Time and Materials Contract: A construction contract which specifies a price for different elements of the work such as: cost per hour of labor, overhead, profit etc. Such a contract may not have a maximum price or may state a 'price not to exceed a dollar amount.

Torch Down Roof or Single Ply or Modified Bitumen: A newer roofing material mostly used on flat roofs. This material usually comes in rolls and is applied to the roof with an open flame or 'torch'. Truss - A manufactured wood member often in the form of a large triangle which is used to form the ceiling joists and rafters on the top floor of a home.

Tongue and groove:  Boards or planks that have been finished so that there is a groove on one side of the board and a corresponding tongue on the other edge. When two pieces are placed together the tongue of one fits into the groove of the other forming a natural joint between the two boards. Often used in hardwood flooring and siding.

Trap Seal: The height of water in a toilet bowl "at rest, it provides a water seal which prevents sewer gases from entering the home. Trap seal is measured from the top of the dam, down to the inlet of the trap-way. Also referred to as deep seal.

Treated Lumber: A wood product which has been impregnated with chemicals to reduce damage from wood rot or insects. Often used for the portions of a structure which is likely to be in ongoing contact with soil and water. Wood may also be treated with a fire retardant.

Trip lever: Handle which is rotated to initiate the toilet flush cycle. Kohler factory-installed trip levers have a polished chrome finish; optional trim kits offer trip levers in other finishes. Toilets equipped with Peacekeeper seat-actuated flush do not have a trip lever.

Trim: Finishing materials applied over a surface, such as widows, doors, or baseboard trim.

Tube and Knob Wiring: A common form of electrical wiring used before W.W.II. When in good condition it may still be functional for low amperage use such as smaller light fixture.

Two piece toilet: A toilet with a separate tank and bowl. Also referred to as close-coupled.