How Do I Figure Out Roof Pitch

For a roof with the ridge above one wall the span is the same as the run.

How do i figure out roof pitch.

One method to find the pitch is to climb on the roof and measure the rise for a 12 run. A 12 in 12 pitch is a steep 45 degree angle roof. Position your level against the roof until the bubble of the vial sits between two lines. Before taking any measurements you must first confirm that it s safe to walk on your roof.

The slope is the same as the pitch. Thus a moderate 6 in 12 roof pitch means that the roof rises 6 inches vertically for every 12 horizontal inches it runs. Pitch is the incline of the roof represented as the ratio of rise to the span twice the run. Then in the attic place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level.

A roof s pitch is determined by how much it rises vertically for every foot it runs horizontally. See the image below for more explanation on rise run and pitch. How to measure roof pitch to measure the roof pitch you ll need an 18 or 24 inch level a tape measure and a pencil. For example if the roof rises 4 feet and the span is 16 feet twice the run then the pitch is 4 16 or 1 4.

On the roof hold the level perfectly level and measure the height from the roof to the level 12 inches away from where the level touches the surface this will be the rise. Take a measurement of 12 inches using a level. For a simple gable roof the span wall to wall will be twice the size of the run wall to ridge horizontally. Rise run pitch where pitch is expressed in percent.

Check the surface of the. How to calculate roof pitch. Rafter rise run from the pythagorean theorem. Pitch tan angle where angle is the roof pitch expressed in degrees.

You ll need a level that is 12 or longer and a tape measure.