We will try to help you to work out all the main issues dealing with figuring out a roof pitch for your house.
Among the construction works there are no more important or less important processes – if you want to build a strong, high-quality house, it means that everything is important. One of the most important questions appearing during the construction of the roof is – how to figure out a roof pitch. The process of determining the slope of the roof relative to the ground level is one of the most important stages of the construction process. This process is quite complicated, and we will try to help you to understand the mechanism itself and not to make mistakes.
Here are 4 main issues that you have to figure out while measuring a roof pitch:
- pressures,
- prices,
- material,
- methods.
Loads on your future roof
Firstly, your #1 enemy in the construction business is wind. The greater the angle of your roof, the greater, consequently, the impact of resistance force to gusts of wind. But you should also remember, that too large angle of inclination can even be dangerous for the condition of your roof. For example, the loads on the roof with the inclination angle of 45 degrees are five times more than the loads on the roof slope with only 11 degrees. However, the angle should not be too small to do well – in this case there can be a danger that the roof will be picked under a strong gust of wind.
Secondly, you should remember about different types of precipitation. The greater the angle of inclination, the better snow melts and rainwater falls. The angle of inclination of 45 degrees may provide a complete convergence of its precipitation in the form of rain or snow. Moreover, the larger the angle of the roof slope, the better it leaks, because a large slope reduces the probability of hitting the water at the joints of materials covering your roofing.
Checking and analyzing the above factors will help you to understand how to measure a roof pitch properly. For example, for the regions where strong winds and tornados blow often, the professionals recommend doing roof slopes of about 15-20 degrees, but in the regions where the winds are weak or almost absent, it is permissible to build a roof slope of about 35-45 degrees.
Reasonable prices
Another important factor that is undoubtedly worth considering is the fact that with the increasing of your roof slope the area of your roof automatically increases too, so it has a great influence on the cost of roofing coverage. For example, the roof with an angle of 60 degrees will cost you twice more than a relatively flat roof.
If you want to know how to determine a roof pitch with maximum money saving, consider the two following factors:
- The house’s construction mass
- Average snow masses in your region
Choosing material
Choosing material for covering your roof use the following guidelines:
If you calculated that the slope of your roof of about 3-10 degrees, it is more rational to use a coating consisting of gravel or coarse stone crumbs.- If your roof slope is of about 10 degrees and above, it is highly recommended to use bitumen-based waterproofing covering with a top layer of coarse material.
- If you plan to build a hipped roof with a slope angle not exceeding 20 degrees, it is better to use a corrugated or coated covering with adding of asbestos. In this case you should pay a special attention to the joints.
- If the angle of inclination is not above 60 degrees, feel free to use the steel or copper sheet for your roof covering. Just like in the previous case, you should pay a special attention to the joints.
Piece of advice from the professionals
For your work to be made with 100% success, remember the following rules:
- The angle of the roof pitch must be equal to the ratio of the height of the roof ridge and half of its inception.
- The slope of your roof should not be less than 1%. If your roof is made of metal piles or asbestos sheets, which are rather wavy, you should make an additional sealing for the joints.
It is also important to take into account the location of drainage.- The experts recommend to make the angle for a gable roof not less than 20-45 degrees, and for the pent one – of about 20-30 degrees. Admission of roofing material in these calculations has to be 1-1,5 feet.
- Take your time for the proper calculations, do everything carefully, because it will affect the quality of your future life!
Rationally using all of the tips above will help you to build a solid roof that will serve you for decades. Saving money sometimes turn to being greedy, and in this case you shouldn’t be surprised if the raindrops will fall on your face while you are in your bed one night.
We hope this tips will help you to answer the question how to figure out a roof pitch.
