Seal Coating: A maintenance practice for asphalt pavement where bituminous-based products or acrylics are applied as a protective layer.

Secondary Drain: Also called an emergency overflow, a scupper or drain on a low-slope roof plumbed independently to limit the accumulation of water if the primary drain is clogged.

Sectional Door: An overhead door made of multiple hinged panels that open vertically and slide into a horizontal position near the ceiling when open.

Sensible Heat: Heat that is measured and not felt.

Service Life: The number of years, as determined by the manufacturer, of service that a system or component is deemed to provide before requiring repair due to wear and tear or replacement.

Shear: The lateral force that makes two sheets or components slide parallel in opposite directions.

Shear Wall: A vertical structural element designed to resist lateral forces, such as wind and seismic loads; connected to the foundation through to the roof level.

Shoring: A temporary prop used to support a structure or trench to prevent collapse.

Short-Circuiting: Situation that occurs when the supply air flows to exhaust registers before entering the breathing zone. To avoid short-circuiting, the supply air must be delivered at a temperature and velocity that results in mixing throughout the space.

Short-Term Cost: Estimated cost of repairs which may not require immediate attention, but which should not be delayed for more than two years.

Shoving: A deformation in asphalt where the asphalt accumulates into ridges or bumps due to moving or sliding. It occurs perpendicular to traffic.

Shrinkage: A term used to describe stretch in a membrane.

Shrinkage Crack: A thin, consistent crack caused by moisture content changes in wall material during mixing and application; may vary in length.

Shut Down: Turned off, unplugged, inactive, not in service, or not operational.

Sick Building Syndrome: Term sometimes used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and/or comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a particular building, but where no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be spread throughout the building.

Side-Step Ladder: A type of fixed ladder that requires the user to step to the side of the ladder’s rail in order to get off and onto a landing or a platform at the top.

Sidewall: The vertical wall running adjacent to a sloping roof. It typically requires step flashing to ensure proper water shedding.

Single-Hung Window: Windows consisting of two sashes, where only the bottom sash is moveable and the upper sash is fixed.

Single-Ply Membrane: A descriptive term for a roof membrane composed of only one layer of material (EPDM, TPO, PVC).

Single-Wall Metal Chimney: A field-constructed chimney not permitted in one- and two-family dwellings.

Slab on Grade: A concrete slab that is directly supported by the grade; a type of construction in which footings are needed, but little or no foundation wall is poured.

Slag: A byproduct of smelting ore, such as iron, lead or copper, and may be used as a surfacing material on bituminous roofing systems.

Sleeping Unit: A room or space in which people sleep.

Slippage: Lateral movement of the roof membrane and layers underneath.

Slope: The incline or pitch of a roof surface, drainage plane, etc.

Smoke Alarm: A single or multiple alarm responsive to smoke and not connected to a sprinkler system.

Smoke Detector: A device that senses particles of combustion.

Soffit: The underside of a building's overhanging roof eaves. It is a flat or horizontal surface that forms the ceiling of eaves and extends from the plane of the building walls.

Soil Gases: Gases that enter a building from the surrounding ground (e.g., radon, volatile organics, pesticides).

Solid Fuel: Wood, coal, pellets, and other materials that can be burned for heat.

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