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.

Wainscot - A paneling applied to the lower portion of a wall.

Walk-Through - A final inspection of a home before "Closing" to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.

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 home builders 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 Arm - Drain extension pipe, usually to extend a sink drain into a wall.

Waste & Overflow - Drain assembly for a bathtub. The outlet at the top removes the overflow water during tub filling and the drain at the bottom removes wastewater when the tub is drained.

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 - 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 repellent 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 unit that measures the amount of electrical power.

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.

Weather Shield Insulation - Contains 100% recycled paper. Besides imparting fire resistant properties, the fire retardant also imparts anti-mold, mildew and rot wood rotting properties, as well as providing resistance to insects, mice and other vermin. The organic, short and hollow fibre nature of the product provides superior thermal and acoustical properties over rock wool and fibre glass products and is non-irritable and safe to handle.

Weatherstrip - Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors.

Weep Holes (Windows) - Small holes in storm window frames that allow moisture to escape.

Weep Holes (Masonry) - Small openings left in the outer walls of masonry construction as an outlet for water inside a building to move outside the wall and evaporate.

Weeping Tile - A porous pipe used for underground drainage.

Whole House Fan - A fan designed to move air through and out of a home and normally installed in the ceiling.

Wicking - The process of moisture movement by capillary action, as contrasted to movement of water vapor.

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.

Winder - A step, generally triangular, used to change the direction of stairs.

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.

Window Types:

* Double Hung - Two sash, vertical sliding

* Casement - Side hinged

* Awning - Top hinged

* Hopper - Bottom hinged

* Oriel - Windows that generally project from an upper story, supported by a bracket.

* Picture Window - Fixed sash

* Jalousie - Glass slats, Venetian blind principle

* Horizontal Sliding - two or more sash designed to slide over one another

* Bay - Extends beyond the exterior face of the wall

* Bow - Projected window with a curved surface often in the glass itself.

* Combination - The integration of two or more of the above into one unit

Window Well - A curved, corrugated steel insert used to isolate basement windows from moisture if they're below the soil line and drain to the weeping tile.

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 and in shower stalls.

Wrapped Drywall - Areas that get complete drywall covering, as in the doorway openings of bi-fold and bi pass closet doors.

Wythe - Single vertical masonry wall one unit thick. A double wythe wall is two units thick.