Flat Roof To Pitched Roof Construction

Visually this roof appears flat.

Flat roof to pitched roof construction.

On a ladder beside the roof place the level a foot or so up the roof hold it level and measure from the 12 inch mark on the level s bottom straight down to the roof. Flat roofs are usually made of variations of bitumen felt and function as durable long lasting roofs that are perfect for water run off in wet weather and protect wood and cement from potential build ups of damp and dry rot. Since 2005 if you replace 25 or more of your roof covering felt then you need to ensure that the entire flat roof has enough insulation to satisfy current building regulations. This is one of the rare pitches where the numerator is greater than the denominator with a slope as high as 18 12.

Pitched or sloping roof. Flat roofs are typically found on garages extensions dormers and outbuildings and are a cheaper method of roofing typical constructed from timber and covered with a waterproof coating such as bitumen based felt asphalt or epdm. A 900 square foot flat roof in the san francisco area made of concrete tiles costs. 8 inches and you have an 8 in 12 pitch.

This only applies to flat roofs over habitable parts of your home so it excludes garages sheds some porches and most door canopies. According to improve net s online roofing calculator a flat roof is significantly cheaper than a pitched roof. This may make it less ideal for rainy or snowy climates. Roofs on victorian era houses were often sharply angled with a steep pitch.

In the usa the range of standard pitches is anywhere between 4 12 and 9 12. They are constructed with a slight pitch to allow water to run off. In the uk the typical house has a pitch between 40 50 although 45 should be avoided. The low pitch makes flat roofs more susceptible to water leakage.

Think of a classic addams family haunted house with its soaring peaks and you have a picture of a high pitched roof. Flat roofing is both economical and efficient which saves the owner energy and money. Also known as low slope roofs flat roofs are less common in north american residential construction because the low slope of a flat roof has an increased tendency to collect water rather than shed like its more steeply pitched alternative. Roof pitch varies depending on culture climate style and available materials.

This pitch might be as low as 1 12. If this distance measures 4 inches you have a 4 in 12 pitch. To enable rainwater to drain from the roof a flat roof is slightly pitched by just a couple of degrees. Flat roofs are easier to construct than pitched roofs and require fewer building materials keeping costs down.

A pitched or slanted roof has a terrain of at least 15 but it is often much more. They are not advised for high rainfall or high snowfall areas.