Proper Roof Pitch For Snow

Divide the results by the number of 12 inch segments in your level.

Proper roof pitch for snow.

Pitch is a measure of the steepness of a roof. Once in the attic hold your level against the bottom of a roof rafter ensuring that all bubbles are resting in the center. So in general the shallower pitch can be more dangerous with bigger slides. With regards to the pitch the building standard code bs 5534 recommends a minimum pitch of 200 for slate roofs.

But since there is still a wide variety of slate roofing systems there are occasions when the minimum pitch can go down to as low as 15 0 depending on the uniqueness of the roof. A flat roof would have a 2 12 pitch while the average roof pitch would be between 4 12 and 9 12. 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.

The pitch of your roof also helps determine the type of materials that can be used on your roofing system. The pitch of the roof is determined by the vertical rise in inches for every horizontal twelve inch length. 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 higher the roof pitch the more often the snow slides off.

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. If the design necessitates a roof slope that drains onto a traffic area snow retention devices should be provided to hold the snow in place.