Roof Pitch Part 2- How to Figure Out Your Home's Roof Pitch

Continued from Part 1.

One you know what roof pitch is, you're probably wondering: How do I figure out my own home's roof pitch?

At Hawthorne General Construction, when we go out to do an inspection, we typically order a Roofr report before we go out. Using AI and satellite imagery, these reports give us the roof pitch before we even show up. If you'd like to read more about Roofr and how it helps us reduce costs, click here.

Sometimes we can't get a report in time or it doesn't give us the pitch. In that case, during the inspection we use an app on our smart phones and get the pitch. There are a number of options for phones, we use the app named Pitch Gauge. All you need to do is calibrate it and set it on your roof to get the pitch.

If you're dead set against using a smart phone, or just don't have one handy, here are three other nice techniques. One using a tape measure and level, another a speed square, and lastly just a tape measure.

With a Tape Measure and a Level

With a Speed Square

With Just a Tape Measure

By the way, this those last two videos are of the guy who runs Grand Roofing out in Illinois and he's got a bunch of great roofing videos. Bookmark his channel and come back to it!

Concluding Roof Pitch

Ok, that's just about everything you need to know (and maybe a little bit more) for now about roof pitch. To summarize:

• Pitch is calculated as inch rise over a 12 inch run. Generally spoken with two number i.e. "That's a seven twelve roof."

• The steeper the pitch, the better the shedding of water. Some regions have minimum requirements. The Pacific Northwest generally doesn't have any requirements for pitch.

• Pitches 8/12 and above usually cost more money to maintain and replace because of work hazards.

• You can measure the pitch with your smartphone, speed square, or measuring tape.

Lastly, in case you were wondering, the drawing's roof has a 26/12 pitch. Very steep!