Shed Roof Pitch For Snow

Begin by measuring 12 inches on your level and marking it with a pencil.

Shed roof pitch for snow.

This range makes up the bulk of new roofs being built on homes and outbuildings in the u s. Once in the attic hold your level against the bottom of a roof rafter ensuring that all bubbles are resting in the center. The gable style pitched roof is not only one of the most common styles of shed roof but it is also one of the easiest to build. So in general the shallower pitch can be more dangerous with bigger slides.

They also plan to use the snow as an insulation blanket and design a cold roof system to stop ice dam concerns at the eave. Having a steeper pitched roof allows for more space in a shed loft. Basically the steeper the pitch the better it can shed snow and rain. Personally unless you live in an area of extreme snow load i would recommend you incorporate a shed roof pitch of between 4 12 and 6 12 for optimum results.

Pitched roofs are attractive and also can be used for additional space for a shed loft. Steeper roof pitches are better at shedding rain and snow and are used more frequently in wetter colder areas. This is based on how much rain and snow you are likely to get in an average year. A medium pitched roof is one that has a pitch of between 3 12 and 7 12.

The flip side to this is that it also becomes more expensive to build both in materials and logistical difficulty. Snow tends to accumulate more on roofs with pitches of 14 degrees or less 3 12 or less because it cannot easily slide off. Designers there want the architectural freedom to have access around the building. The slope that works best seems to be 5 12.

The higher the roof pitch the more often the snow slides off. Therefore if your roof rises 4 inches over the course of 12 inches of horizontal run then your roof pitch is 4 12. 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. Slopes greater than 6 12 will tend to shed snow regardless of the texture of the material on them so roof slopes should be configured to avoid shedding anywhere people might be walking or exiting.

This allows the snow to stay on while venting the roof system. There are advantages and disadvantages to having a steep pitch versus a shallow or low pitch the most obvious of which is the roof s ability to shed or withstand heavy snow rain or wind. Remember that pitch is calculated as the height or rise of a roof pitch over 12 inches of horizontal run. The first thing you need to do is determine the correct pitch for your area.