Metal Roof Pitch For Snow

Most metal roofs will have minimum pitches of three in twelve but this might sometimes go down depending on whether there are special installation procedures issued by the manufacturer regarding that particular roofing material.

Metal roof pitch for snow.

The minimum slope for lapped non soldered seam metal roofs without applied lap sealant shall be three units vertical in 12 units horizontal 25 percent slope. There are some opinions that standing seam metal roof minimum slope is 12 but it increases the possibility of leaking on the few first days of snow arrival. Minimum pitch for metal roof for the most part the minimum pitch for metal roof installations depends on what kind of material you are installing and the method in which the material is being fastened. Lap sealants shall be applied in accordance with the approved manufacturer s installation instructions.

Go up the roof 8 feet and repeat the staggered pattern of guards in the center of every valley. To get the minimum pitch for a metal roof the vertical rise per foot is divided by the horizontal slope. When the snow piled up on the roof melting occurred and ice dams resulted in water ponding 3 inches deep. Anything less than 1 12 pitch is a huge mistake in snow prone climates.

Some metal building manufacturers will not warranty a roof with a 1 4 inch slope. You can safely measure the roof pitch from inside your attic with a level that is either 18 or 24 inches a tape measure and a pencil. Begin by measuring 12 inches on your level and marking it with a pencil. The minimum slope for lapped non soldered seam metal roofs with applied lap sealant shall be one half unit vertical in 12 units horizontal 4 percent slope.

The minimum pitch for metal roof shingles and lapped non soldered panels is 3 12. Anything over a 6 12 pitch tends to make massive amounts of snow slide off the roof without warning. Starting at 6 inches from the bottom edge place a snow guard in the center of each valley in a staggered pattern across the entire roof area. A pvc roof is a lot more durable and longer lasting that a conventional epdm rubber roofing system.

If you are adding an addition to your home or installing skylights knowing the existing pitch is important. So you would need to pick the right option as most regular standing seam metal roofs will require a roof pitch of 2 12 or even 3 12 at a minimum. You could also opt for a pvc flat roofing membrane. Metal roofs leak under these circumstances.

Roof pitches of 3 12 4 12 5 12 or 6 12 work best for metal buildings in snow country. In country with heavy snow and tough winter days the metal roof minimum slope is recommended to be 1 12.