Understand the Importance of the Roof Pitch

To get a new roof or a replacement roof, it is important to understand the pitch of the roof. In fact, there are many roofing manufacturers that will nullify the warranty in case the roof pitch protocols o slopes are not met. If you are trying to understand why the roof pitch is important, the real reason is that the slope determines the roofing system that will be installed and the materials will be chosen accordingly. Additionally, the roof pitch determines the longevity of the roof and the time taken for the debris, and water to drop off the roof.

Low pitch roofs

In commercial roofing needs, flat roofs or low slopes are commonly applicable. However, these are being incorporated in residential building designs. With the advancement of green and solar roofs, low slope roofing systems are in demand. Basically, the low roofs are categorized as roofs that rise less or about 3 inches per foot (horizontally). Conventional roofing systems that were used in the construction of flat roofs involved layers of cap sheet, hot bitumen which was later coated with gravel. This helped with the UV protection and water evaporation. However, with advanced technology and designs, this method of laying the flat roof is not common anymore.

Materials determined by the roof pitch

The low pitch roofing material includes single ply material which is made with rubber that is waterproof, TPO and PVC. Most of these roofing materials are compliant with cool roof and Energy Star rated. Available in large rolls, you can get them in different colors and are Class A fire safety rated. Installation is done by hot air welding which reduces any hazardous odors. These come with warranties that cover the complete installation of roofing components and workmanship for a minimum of 20-25 years. Thus, it is important for the roofing contractorsin Napa to suggest suitable roofing material according to the roof slope.

The next low slope roofing material is modified bitumen roof. This uses advanced process of hot-mop which integrates the bitumen into polyester and fiberglass mat that is molded directly into the roof deck. It is available in varied colors and is Class A fire rated.

However, not all roofing material is used for low slope roofs. Tile roofs and composition shingles are not right for roofs with pitch below 3:12. Additionally, it requires double underlayment for roof pitches that vary from 3:12 to about 4:12. This is needed because the water might not shed off the roof leading to roof damage over time.

The modified cap sheets and single ply sheets are manufactured by Roofing Companies in Napa to hold-off pooling water to a certain extent. While the shingle and tile roofs are not designed like that but only suitable for roofs with more than 3:12 pitch.