You don’t need to be a professional roofer to understand the reason the roofs on most houses slant the way they do. It’s to allow rain and snow to roll off of the roof, preventing it from getting into the home, right? Well, yes, that’s certainly part of it. But as you’ll learn from reading this article, there’s actually a good deal more behind what’s known as roof pitch.
What
Is Roof Pitch?
In the world of
roofing, the word pitch refers to the
slope of a roof, and it’s simply defined by how many inches the roof rises for
every 12 inches of depth. For example, a roof pitch of 5/12 would rise 5 inches
in height for every 12 inches of length, inwards towards the peak of the roof.
Most home roofs have a standard pitch of 4/12 to 9/12. Out loud, a 4/12 pitch
is usually said as, “Four to twelve pitch,” “Four over twelve pitch,” or just
“Four twelve pitch.”
Of course, 4/12 to 9/12
is quite a large amount of variation, and some roofs have an even greater pitch
than that.
Measuring
Your Roof Pitch
There are several ways
that you can measure the roof pitch on your home. It can be done both outdoors,
from the top of the roof, and indoors, from within the attic. In either case,
you’ll need a few tools: an 18-inch (or longer) level, a heavy-duty tape
measure, and a pencil. All you have to do is mark your level at 12 inches.
You’ll then hold it at the very bottom of your roof rafter and keep the bubble
right in the center of the level’s liquid vial. From that 12-inch mark, use
your tape measure to measure upward until you touch the roof itself. That
measurement is your roof pitch: if it’s 5 inches, for example, you have a roof
pitch of 5/12. If it’s 6 inches, your roof pitch will then be 6/12.
This method will work
equally well on top of the roof. Simply measure downward from the level instead
of upward. Of course, if you intend to go climbing around on a rooftop, always
ensure that safety is your top priority. Wear long pants and close-toed shoes,
use a roofing harness, and watch out for any tripping hazards or other risky areas.
Do not climb on the roof on a very hot or very cold day, and especially do not
climb on the roof if it has been raining or snowing. As with any hazardous job,
always have a spotter: a second person who can serve as an extra set of eyes
while you go about the job.
Why
Your Roof Pitch Is What It Is
As we mentioned above,
the standard roof pitch is 4/12 to 9/12. This, of course, means that the
average home roof can have only a slight slant or a much more extreme one. How
is the roof pitch chosen when buildings are designed? There are several factors
that builders take into consideration when creating a house.
Weather
The first, of course,
is the weather. You’ll notice that the rooftops in regions with more extreme
weather conditions—ones that are prone to a lot of rain and snow—tend to have a
lot more slant than the ones in drier and more temperate areas. That’s a big
part of the reason why Colonial-style New England homes
have the famously steep pitches that they do. In drier areas, such as Arizona,
you’ll notice that the roofs are a lot less steep because they have a greatly
reduced need to deflect rain and snow.
Material
Weather isn’t the only
factor in play when choosing a roof pitch. A roof slant on the lower end—such
as a 4/12 pitch—may also be that way due to the materials being used. Tar and
gravel roofs, commonly used on apartment buildings, don’t lend themselves to
highly slanted rooftops. By the same token, a roof with a narrow pitch won’t
make use of decorative shingles since there would be no particular benefit to
having them. Essentially, the steeper the angle of the roof, the more visible
the roofing material. A roof with a steep pitch will require fancier—and
potentially more expensive—materials in its construction.
Space
The other consideration
with regards to roof pitches is space. If a home has a relatively flat roof,
there won’t really be any room for an attic or much of anything else in the
upper part of the home. On the other hand, if the roof has a steeper pitch,
that leaves you plenty of room for an attic you can store things in. You can
even turn it into a loft space that serves as an extra room for your home.
How
Your Roof Pitch Affects Maintenance
Caring for your roof is
a critical part of the regular maintenance of your home. After all, it’s the
roof that is responsible for keeping rain and damaging ultraviolet radiation
out of your home. Over time, your roof will take a beating from rain, snow, and
the sun’s rays. If it develops any damage, this can quickly balloon into a
catastrophic failure that can potentially cost you many thousands of dollars.
The pitch of your roof
has a major effect on how maintenance is done. The steeper the pitch, the more
difficult it is for a roofer to walk around performing basic repair work. A
steeper pitch also means that the roof most likely makes use of shingles or
other complex materials.
In any case, it’s
important that you find a reputable roofing professional who has experience
with roofs that have the same pitch as the one on your home. A company like Interstate Roofing
employs professionals who are experienced with all types of roofs. They can
maintain and repair your roof so that, regardless of the angle of your roof, it
remains in great condition for many years to come.
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