Ideal Roof Pitch For Snow

These factors include the pitch of the roof the type of slate being used the size of the lap the size of the slate as well as the site s exposure rating.

Ideal roof pitch for snow.

A flat or low pitch roof might be just what you need. Divide the results by the number of 12 inch segments in your level. Shallow roofs don t really like moisture. One can use shingles and tiles for steep roofs.

You can also estimate a roof pitch by eyeballing it from the ground from the gable side with a level and ruler. For example if you used a 24 inch level and your measurement was 12 inches the pitch in your roof is 6 in 12. You can safely measure the roof pitch from inside your attic with a level that is either 18 or 24 inches a tape measure and a pencil. The primary reason roof pitch exists in the first place is to redirect water.

The flip side to this is that it also becomes more expensive to build both in. Common roof slopes include standard designs based on residential or commercial applications. The final point influencing the roof slope is the preferred choice of roofing material. The pitch of your roof also helps determine the type of materials that can be used on your roofing system.

Basically the steeper the pitch the better it can shed snow and rain. The graphic below helps flesh this out. Begin by measuring 12 inches on your level and marking it with a pencil. The roof pitch would be described as a 6 12 pitch.

If you are adding an addition to your home or installing skylights knowing the existing pitch is important. Or is your climate more tropical. In this case you ll probably want a traditional 4 12 or so pitched roof. Some conventional slopes are preferred for residential constructions with pitch size of 4 12 or 9 12 whereas for commercial applications low slope type roofs are a good option.

Traditional roofing materials such as traditional clay tiles and timber shakes shingles need a relatively steep pitch in excess of 40 degrees to be waterproof. According to the conventional rule of thumb this would require roof glazing to be about 60 degrees off the horizon 40 20 60. There are advantages and disadvantages to having a steep pitch versus a shallow or low pitch the most obvious of which is the roof s ability to shed or withstand heavy snow rain or wind. It is an essential element to ensure water drains properly off of your roof.

Better raise that roof pitch a bit more to account for the buckets of snow you get every winter.