Facts About Roofs

Vocabulary

Truss-framework of a roof.

Sheathing-protection

Rafter-one of several internal beams extending from the eaves to the peak of a roof and constituting its framework.

Ice dam- icicles blocking gutters cause water build up on the roof.

Roof Pitch

        Roof pitch- the slope of a roof. In USA it is defined by a ratio of how many inches of rise or fall there are to each 12 inches (one foot) of run. The exact roof slope in degrees is given by the arctangent. For example: arctan(3/12)=14.0°.

Flat, Low, Conventional, and Steep Roof Pitches.
Flat pitch-from ½ : 12 to 2 : 12.

Low pitch- from 1 : 12 to 4 : 12.

Conventional pitch-from 4 : 12 to 9 : 12.

Steep pitch- above 9:12.

The steepest roof is 24 : 12 or 63 degrees.

Why Roof Pitch Matters    

        The pitch of a roof matters because the slope allows for rain and water to run off. Areas with high rainfall/snowfall have steep roofs. Also the pitch of a roof should be proportional with the building. The pitch also depends on the materials used. For example: thatching requires a steep roof for water to drain properly.

Cold Roof and Hot Roof

Cold Roof

        Cold roof is when a flat roof is covered by insulation between rafters.

Hot Roof

        Warm roof is when a flat roof is covered by insulation on top of rafters.

Research was done using wiki.

Cold and warm roof was researched using JJ Roofing Supplies Limited website. (Website uses cookies) and balticexteriors.com
Information about angle pitches can be found on roofing calculator.