Frequently Asked Questions: What does roof pitch mean?

Customers ask this question quite frequently, it can get a bit confusing trying to describe it. Especially when Robert is trying to show you with his wild hand gestures. The pitch of the roof is referring to the steepness of the roof. Pitch is associated many times when people are talking about snow. If you live in an area with a lot of snow, you might think about getting a structure with a steeper sloping pitch. The steeper the pitch the more likely the snow will slide off the roof. Here is our answer to this Frequently Asked Question: What does roof pitch mean?

 

 

 

 

To find the pitch of a roof or slope you will need to know how many inches the roof line rises every 12 inches. If you have a rise of 12 inches that would make your roof a 12 pitch. If you have a rise of 6 inches that would be a 6 pitch roof, making the 6 pitch less steep than the 12 pitch. The image below shows how this works.

 

Having a steeper pitch in a colder climate really helps with snow shed. A steeper roof pitch also allows more headroom, if you are looking to put a loft in your building this is a great way to go without having to do a full upstairs. A lower pitch is wonderful if you are looking to keep the cost of the building down. With lower pitched roofs we may add to the support for a higher snow load rating depending on the building. It is important to have your building built to the recommended snow load requirements in your area. Any pitch roof can be engineered for proper snow loads.