Roof Pitch Level

To measure the roof pitch you ll need an 18 or 24 inch level a tape measure and a pencil.

Roof pitch level.

Divide the results by the number of 12 inch segments in your level. Often you express roof pitch as the ratio between the rise and the run in the form of x 12. 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. Pitches above 9 12 are very highly angled and are designated steep slope roofs.

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. You can also estimate a roof pitch by eyeballing it from the ground from the gable side with a level and ruler. A roof surface may be either functionally flat or pitched.

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. The most commonly used roof pitches fall in a range between 4 12 and 9 12. Then in the attic place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level. For example if you used a 24 inch level and your measurement was 12 inches the pitch in your roof is 6 in 12.

Pitches lower than 4 12 have a slight angle and they are defined as low slope roofs. A a roof with a 6 rise for every 12 run has a 6 per foot or 6 in 12 pitch.