When having a home built, one of the most important aspects that will have to be considered is the pitch of its roof. While there are several benefits associated with having a pitched roof versus a flat roof, your architect and roofing specialist will need to determine the pitch of the roof that will best for your specific property. One of the main things to consider when determining the pitch of the roof to build is the climate.
Protect against Heavy Rain and Snow
One of the main advantages of having a pitched roof placed on your home is that it will not allow rain or snow to accumulate on its surface – unlike a flat roof. This goes a long way in helping to prevent the premature development of leaks and any damage associated with standing water, ice, or snow.
Another distinct advantage of having a pitched roof on your property is that it will not usually require as much maintenance as a flat roof over time. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that the correct pitch angle will need to be used during the building process – roofing that is too steep or not steep enough could present other problems of their own along the way.
Roofing with a steeper pitch can also be beneficial in areas where the hotter weather is experienced – the steeper pitch allows for more air to flow through the roof, thus keeping your home cooler than if the roof has less of a pitch or if it was flat.
When deciding on the pitch of the roof to build, you’ll need to remember that the higher the pitch, the costlier the project will usually be. As such, it’s essential to ensure that the correct pitch is chosen before any type of construction work begins. In cases where your home has a number of pitches because of the design you want, this will also result in the cost going up by a fair amount.
Various Roof Pitches
Roof pitch is measured from 1/12 through to and including 12/12 angles, with each of them varying by a predetermined number of degrees:
- A 1/12 roof pitch will have an angle of 4.76 degrees
- A 2/12 roof pitch has an angle of 9.46 degrees
- A 3/12 roof pitch will rise at an angle of 14.04 degrees
- A 4/12 roof pitch has an angle of 18.43 degrees
- A 5/12 roof pitch rises by 22.62 degrees
- A 6/12 roof pitch has an angle of 26.57 degrees
- A 7/12 pitch will rise by 30.26 degrees
- A 8/12 roof pitch rises by 33.69 degrees
- A 9/12 roof pitch rises by 36.37 degrees
- A 10/12 pitch will rise by 39.81 degrees
- A 11/12 roof pitch rises by 42.51 degrees
- A 12/12 roof pitch will rise by precisely 45 degrees
Although it is possible for you to sit and calculate the roof pitch you’d like to have placed on your home, this is a job that is best left to experienced roofing professionals. They will take the climate in your area, your budget, and anything else relevant into consideration to ensure that you’re provided with the most practical and affordable roof for your home.
Finding a Reliable Roofing Contractor
As any property owner knows, having a home built from the bottom up will be an expensive project. This can make it tempting to try and cut corners on the budget wherever possible. However, it’s never recommended that you try to cut costs on your home’s roofing – you will end up paying dearly for doing so at a later stage.
When searching for roofing contractors, online reviews are extremely important. If a specific company has several negative reviews, you’ll be better off searching for an alternative. It’s also not recommended that you base your choice of contractor solely on pricing. Contractors that charge a bit more will normally provide you with a better level of client service and higher quality roofing supplies.
Another way to find good roofing companies is to ask friends and family for referrals if they’ve recently had work done on their properties. Most individuals will be more than willing to let you know whether they received good service from a particular company or not.