Roof Pitch Level

The most commonly used roof pitches fall in a range between 4 12 and 9 12.

Roof pitch level.

You can also estimate a roof pitch by eyeballing it from the ground from the gable side with a level and ruler. Often you express roof pitch as the ratio between the rise and the run in the form of x 12. Roof pitch or slope is a measure of vertical rise to horizontal run expressed in inches per foot. Pitches of less than 2 12 are considered flat roofs even though they may be very slightly angled.

Pitches lower than 4 12 have a slight angle and they are defined as low slope roofs. Roof pitch refers to the slope which the rafter creates. For example if you used a 24 inch level and your measurement was 12 inches the pitch in your roof is 6 in 12. You can assess this in two ways either as the roof pitch angles which the rafters make with the horizontal or the proportion between the run and the rise of the roof.

First measure 12 inches from one end of the level and make a mark. To measure the roof pitch you ll need an 18 or 24 inch level a tape measure and a pencil. Then in the attic place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level. Divide the results by the number of 12 inch segments in your level.

Pitch is thus the ratio of the rise in inches to a 12 inch run and is often expressed using a semicolon for example 6 12. A roof surface may be either functionally flat or pitched.