Roof slope is a very important aspect of a roof and is also considered one of the the primary factors in roof design. In this post, we focus on roof slopes and what they might mean for your home.

Why is roof slope important?

The slope of a roof has an effect on the interior volume of a building, the drainage, the style, and the material you use for your covering. For example, if you noticed water collecting on your roof the problem is probably related to the slope. The style is affected too because the framing of the roof changes the slope.

Roof slope also affects roof life (steeper roofs drain better so may be more leak resistant), as well as roof installation cost (steeper roofs are harder or even impossible to walk-on without using roof jacks or scaffolding, increasing labour costs to install roofing).

Types of slope

Flat roof: most flat roofs aren’t completely flat, and in good design they include a slight slope towards their drains. They are flatter than low sloped roofs and pitch just enough to drain water.

Low slope: are any roofs that are pitched at a 25% slope or lower.

Conventional slope roof: in between a low and steep slope, these roof slopes are usually the most commonly seen in rural neighbourhoods.

Steep slope: any roof pitched greater than 25%.

Why a certain slope

Steeper sloped roofs are generally more visually pleasing and tend to last longer as well. However, they cost more. The steeper the roof the more difficult it is to install roofing. Many roofing materials also require different methods of application on steeper pitches.

Generally, roofing types and roofing products are typically divided up into two primary categories, steep slope roofing and low slope roofing. ‘Steep slope’ roofing is often referred to as residential roofing, while the term ‘low slope’ roofing is oftentimes synonymous with commercial roofing.  This is due to the fact that, predominantly, commercial buildings have “flat” roof designs.

Metal Roofing

Colorbond roofs are one the most popular roofing materials in Australia. The aluminum found in this product helps make it a top choice because it does not rust and it muffles the sound of rainfall.  Metal can be used as a roofing material on any roof slope. Metal roofs can provide easy installation, a long service life, low maintenance requirements, light weight, and meet sustainability and recyclability concerns.

Most people don’t really think about slope when they go roof shopping. They’re thinking about how elegant the steep sloped roof will look, and that means that they don’t think about the maintenance needs years later. Your roof forms a major part of your home’s structure. Knowing the slope will help you contract repair jobs better.