subject: Vancouver Gutter Cleaning - Determine Roof Slope [print this page] If you want to figure out roof slope, it is not as hard as you may think. Actually, it is quite simple and could be done in a very short amount of time with minimal inconvenience. This isn't a project that ought to be intimidating. The slope of a roof is measured as the length that a roof rises vertically over a 12' horizontal distance. You can do this job yourself, ask a friend to help or call a roofing professional if you are not comfortable doing the work your self.
Determine Roof Slope, But Maintain Ladder Safety
To figure out roof slope, place a ladder at the side of your house to ensure that you might very easily access the down slope edge of the roof. At this point, you ought to be in line with the roof's peak, which indicates the roof ought to slope up from left to right or from right to left, but not away from you. Before you begin, make sure that your ladder is secured. You'll need to use both hands to determine roof slope. When working on a ladder, make certain that it's completely safe.
How To Determine Roof Slope Accurately
Now that you're ready to get started, it is essential to know that you will not need to be on the roof to do this, which is ideal because walking directly on the roof can be dangerous. Begin by holding a framing square onto the roofline whilst making sure that the long end of the "L" is pointing toward the roof's center and the short end is directed down toward the ground. The long end of the framing square should meet the edge of the roof at the 12' line. Level the square horizontally and read the measurement on the short end.
To figure out roof slope, keep in mind that rise is the measurement on the vertical leg while run is the 12' measurement on the horizontal line. If you are using a framing square, keep in mind that some have measurements on both edges. If that may be the case with your framing square, refer to the measurements on the inside edges for an accurate number.
A Few Choices
Should you don't have a framing square to measure roof slope, a ruler or tape measure will also work simply because the slope is measured based on a 12' horizontal distance. If you're utilizing a tape measure, look for one that has a push lock. This will assist prevent unnecessary problems with constantly having to pull the tape measure back out to double check the slope measurements.