What does Roof Pitch Mean? - DCI Products (2024)

FAQs

What does Roof Pitch Mean? - DCI Products? ›

Roof pitch (or slope) tells you how many inches the roof rises for every 12 inches in depth. An Example of a roof pitch would be a “6/12 pitch” which means that the roof rises 6 ” for every 12″ inward towards the peak (or ridge).

Roof pitch is simply the steepness (angle) of your roof.

You might also hear the term “roof slope,” but “pitch” is more commonly used in the roofing industry. A roof's pitch is calculated by the number of inches or feet it rises vertically for every 12 inches or feet it extends horizontally.

Other ways to express a 3/12 pitch is "3 and 12" or "3:12". In this pitch, the three is your roof's rise and the twelve is the roof's run. The roof's incline increases four feet for every 12 feet of horizontal measurement.

For example a 7:12 roof pitch means that for ever 12″ of horizontal distance the roof will increase in height by 7″. The following diagram will let you easily convert roof pitch to degrees; a 7:12 pitch equals 30.26 degrees.

A 4/12 roof pitch rises four inches vertically for every 12 inches horizontally, creating a gentle slope. Roofs with a 4/12 pitch are easier to walk on, and you'll spend less on materials to cover the roof and labor due to ease of installation.

The second number is the horizontal area measured, usually measured as a standard 12 inches (one foot of roof). So a roof pitch of 10:12, as seen below, means for every 12 horizontal inches of roof, the roof rises 10 inches. This is a steep slope roof.

Measure the height from the roof or rafter to the level 12 inches away from where it meets the surface. This measurement will be your rise. Display this measurement as a ratio of rise over run. For example, if your roof rises 4 inches over a run of 12 inches, then it has a roof pitch of 4:12.

Can You Put A Metal Roof On A Low Slope? Just about any type of metal roofing panel will work with a 3:12 roof pitch or greater. However, when the pitch drops to a 2:12 or even a 1:12, you will have to use the right metal roofing panel profile.

Resilience to Wind: Research suggests that a 30 percent roof pitch offers the optimal resistance and durability in high winds.

The minimum roof pitch for shingles is a 2:12 pitch.

Shingles aren't meant to hold or have sitting water on them. Because of this, the shingle manufacturer's installation instructions and building codes state you can't install asphalt shingles on a roof with a pitch below 2:12.

Is it safe to walk on a 7 12 pitch roof? ›

If you are feeling confident and well balanced, then you might try a 7/12 or 8/12 pitch. Anything above an 8/12 should be left up to the professionals. Even experienced roofers often avoid anything over a 9/12 and will usually use an anchor and harness for any roof that is 9/12 and up.

Roofs with a pitch of 6/12 are approximately 26.57 degrees, depending on how exact you'd like to be in your measurement. Check out our roof angle chart for more examples of the exact angles (expressed in degrees) of common roof pitches.

The first row are roofs that have a shallow pitch. These are easily walkable. The middle row (5/12, 6/12, 7/12, 8/12) is still walkable, but can be dangerous if not careful. The last row (9/12 and higher) These are not walkable.

Anything under 3/12 is a low pitch roof. Anything above 6/12 is a steep roof pitch since it becomes harder to walk on the roof. It's pretty easy, to be honest.

The pitch, or steepness, of a roof is often referred to in terms of the amount of vertical rise over a 12” horizontal run. For example, a 5:12 pitch roof will rise vertically 5” for every 12” it goes back horizontally. There are smartphone apps available which can be used to “sight” a roof's pitch from the ground.

A 9/12 roof pitch (36.37 degrees). is the steepest standard slope. Anything above a 9 over 12 is considered steep slope.

Importance of Roof Pitch

A more vertical hillside erodes faster than a low slope, and generally, ro on a high-pitch roof tends to wear out more quickly. High pitch is still an essential factor from another perspective. For example, a steep roof is less likely to allow leaves and debris to collect.

In the roofing industry, we like to use the term “pitch” and it's expressed in terms of 12 inches. How many inches does the roof run vertically for every 12 inches it runs horizontally? If the height rises two inches vertically for every 12 inches of horizontal run, it has a “2-in-12 pitch” or just a “2 pitch.”

The majority of North American residential roofs have historically been constructed with a slope between about 4:12 and 9:12. Roofs at the lower end of the range (about 4:12 to 6:12) are relatively easy to walk and work on. (As always proper safety equipment and precautions must be followed when working on any roof).