W
Wafer board - A manufactured wood panel made
out of 1"- 2" wood chips and glue. Often used
as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and
roof sheathing.
Walk-Through- A final inspection of a home before "Closing"
to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.
Wall
out- When a painter pray paints the interior
of a home.
Warping- Any distortion in a material.
Warranty- In construction there are two general types of warranties.
One is provided by the manufacturer of a product such
as roofing material or an appliance. The second is a
warranty for the labor. For example, a roofing contract
may include a 20 year material warranty and a 5 year
labor warranty. Many new homebuilders provide a one
year warranty. Any major issue found during the first
year should be communicated to the builder immediately.
Small items can be saved up and presented to the builder
for correction periodically through the first year after
closing.
Waste
pipe and vent- Plumbing plastic pipe that carries
waste water to the municipal sewage system.
Water
board- Water resistant drywall to be used in
tub and shower locations. Normally green or blue colored
Water
closet- Another name for toilet.
Water
meter pit (or vault)- The box /cast iron bonnet
and concrete rings that contains the water meter.
Water-repellent
preservative- A liquid applied to wood to give
the wood water repellant properties
Water
table- The location of the underground water,
and the vertical distance from the surface of the earth
to this underground water.
Water
tap- The connection point where the home water
line connects to the main municipal water system.
Watt- A measure of the electrical requirement of an appliance
calculated by multiplying the voltage times the amperage.
For example: a 150 watt light bulb which uses 110 volt
power needs a little less than 1 amp (110 volts X 1
amp= 110 watts).
W
C- An abbreviation for water closet (toilet).
Weatherization- Work on a building exterior in order to reduce energy
consumption for heating or cooling. Work involving adding
insulation, installing storm windows and doors, caulking
cracks and putting on weather-stripping.
Weatherstrip- Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed
to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around
windows and doors.
Weep
holes- Small holes in storm window frames that
allow moisture to escape.
Whole
house fan- A fan designed to move air through
and out of a home and normally installed in the ceiling.
Wind
bracing- Metal straps or wood blocks installed
diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top
plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or
falling over "domino" fashion.
Window
buck- Square or rectangular box that is installed
within a concrete foundation or block wall. A window
will eventually be installed in this "buck"
during the siding stage of construction
Window
frame- The stationary part of a window unit;
window sash fits into the window frame.
Window
sash- The operating or movable part of a window;
the sash is made of window panes and their border.
Wire
nut- A plastic device used to connect bare wires
together.
Wonderboard
™- A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass
usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly
used on bathtub decks.
Wrapped
drywall- Areas that get complete drywall covering,
as in the doorway openings of bifold and bipass closet
doors.