How To Check The Pitch Of A Roof

First measure 12 inches from one end of the level and make a mark.

How to check the pitch of a roof. Here s an easy safe way to determine the pitch from inside your attic. Hold the level straight and level bubble centered and then measure the vertical distance down from the your 12 mark on the level down to the roof. To measure the roof pitch you ll need an 18 or 24 inch level a tape measure and a pencil. Most people use it to mean the steepness of the roof.

The example to right shows 2 different ways to determine or calculate roof pitch also called roof slope. 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. Divide the first part of the ratio by 12 to work out the pitch. Check your results with the omni roof pitch calculator.

If you need to find the pitch of an existing roof all you need is a level and a tape measure. Marvel at your mathematical. So if the roof has a 24 foot span and has a 4 foot rise then it has a 1 6 pitch. So a roof that rises six inches for every foot of run has a 6 in 12 slope.

The term pitch has two different meanings when it comes to roofs. Some carpenters consider it more correct to use the term slope for the steepness and use pitch to describe the roof s overall dimensions. Watch more mastered in a minute videos. Find the inverse tangent of the pitch to find the angle in degrees.

To convert between american roofing ratios and pitch degrees follow these steps. The 7 means that the roof rises 7 for every 12 it runs. A 12 12 pitch roof has a pitch angle of 45. It isn t necessarily a 12 inch run but the entire span.

This is the amount your roof inclines in a 1 foot span or the pitch of your roof. Roof pitch refers to the slope which the rafter creates. Example a the measurements are taken from on top of the roof. Place the end of your level the 0 inch point of your 12 marking against the roof surface.

Then in the attic place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level.