All You Need to Know About Roof Pitch: Roof Pitch Chart

Roof pitch is a term that’s thrown around a lot in the construction industry, but for many people, it can still be confusing. If you’re not familiar with roof pitch, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered! In this blog post, we’ll break down what roof pitch is and why it matters.

What Is Roof Pitch?

Simply put, roof pitch is the measurement of the angle of your roof. It’s usually expressed as a ratio or fraction such as 4/12 or 6/12. This means that for every foot of horizontal distance (the 12 in both fractions), your roof rises 4 or 6 feet vertically (the first number in each fraction). So if your roof pitch is 4/12, that means that for every 12 inches of horizontal distance, the roof rises 4 inches vertically. A larger top number will mean a steeper roof. For example, a roof with a pitch of 3:12 will appear very flat, whereas a roof with a 20/12 pitch is extremely steep.

Roof Pitch Chart

Here is a helpful roof pitch chart that makes it easy to find the roof slope in degrees and the slope factor for a particular pitch.

Roof Pitch	Roof Slope	Roof Slope Factor
1:12	4.76°	1.003
2:12	9.46°	1.014
3:12	14.04°	1.031
4:12	18.43°	1.054
5:12	22.62°	1.083
6:12	26.57°	1.118
7:12	30.26°	1.158
8:12	33.69°	1.202
9:12	36.87°	1.250
10:12	39.81°	1.302
11:12	42.51°	1.357
12:12	45°	1.414
13:12	47.29°	1.474
14:12	49.4°	1.537
15:12	51.34°	1.601
16:12	53.13°	1.667
17:12	54.78°	1.734
18:12	56.31°	1.803

Why Does Roof Pitch Matter?

The main reason why roof pitch matters is because it affects how much runoff water your roof can handle. The steeper the angle of your roof, the more runoff water it will be able to handle. This is important information to know if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain or snow. A steeper pitched roof will prevent leakage and water damage better than a lower pitched one. Additionally, steeply pitched roofs are better at shedding snow and ice buildup than low pitched roofs.

Another reason why roof pitch matters is because it affects ventilation in your attic space and other areas beneath your roofing system. Proper ventilation helps keep temperatures regulated inside your home while also preventing moisture buildup which can cause mold growth and structural damage over time. This is why most building codes require at least some level of slope on residential roofs – they need to be able to ventilate properly so the structure remains safe and healthy over time.

Having a steeper roof pitch will also create more space on the second floor of a house. On a renovation project of ours, we increased the roof pitch from 4/12 to 10/12. This allowed us to add additional finished square footage above the garage and create a more timeless style to the exterior of the home.

How Does Roof Pitch Affect Cost?

The steepness of your roof affects cost because it impacts labor costs and materials needed for the project. Generally speaking, steeper roofs are more costly to install than flatter roofs because they require more labor-intensive work such as installing extra support beams or using specialized tools or scaffolding. On top of that, pitches greater than 8/12 often necessitate additional materials like larger shingles and underlayment in order to protect against water damage caused by increased rainfall runoff.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re building a new home or renovating an existing one, understanding what “roof pitch” means and why it matters is essential to making sure you get the best possible results from your project. Now that you understand what it means, you can make informed decisions about what type of slope you want for your own home and ensure that proper ventilation happens for optimal performance over time!