What Is a Roof Pitch and Why Is It Important To Know?

Did you know a lot of calculations and math go into building a roof? If you look closely at the homes in your neighborhood (or in other states), you might notice that the slope of everyone’s roof may vary from the next.

So what is roof pitch, and why is it important to know? Gain insights into it so that you can determine the best construction for your roof.

What Is Roof Pitch?

Roof pitch describes the steepness or the angle at which the roof lies. Someone might also refer to this term as the roof “slope.” A contractor expresses roof pitch in a ratio: the roof’s vertical rise to its horizontal run.

Why Is Roof Pitch Important?

Roof pitch is important because it determines how easily water, snow, and debris can slide off the roof. A roof with a too-low pitch might accumulate water, which wreaks havoc on it. Debris also can’t properly slide off and will weigh down the roof. Therefore, determining the appropriate pitch for a roof is highly important.

For instance, when you live in a climate that frequents rain, your roof pitch should be steeper to ensure the water slides off the roof instead of pooling on it. The steepness of a roof can also determine the materials needed to construct it.

How To Determine a Roof’s Pitch

Image Credit: Austin Walker/ Unsplash

To determine the roof’s pitch, a contractor will bring a measurement tool up to the roof to take measurements. They’ll measure the distance from one side of the roof to the other. Also, they’ll measure the roof’s height from the peak to the very edge. The contractor will then turn these measurements into a ratio or fraction.

For example, if your roof is 20 feet high with a 60-foot width, the roof pitch is 4/12. Aside from physical tools, you may also use digital tools to help determine a roof’s pitch.

Now that you know what a roof pitch is and why it’s important, you can better understand which roofs are better for you between flat and pitched styles. While flat roofs have their advantages, having some pitch to your roof allows water and debris to slide off easily. Ultimately, the builder will help the homeowner determine the materials and pitch that are most suitable for their roof.