How can you tell what pitch your roof is without climbing on it?
Short answer. You can tell your roof pitch from the ground by photographing the gable end straight on and measuring the angle with a phone app, checking house plans or permit records, or ordering an aerial measurement report. As a quick visual guide, 4/12 looks low and gentle, 8/12 looks clearly steep, and 12/12 is a 45 degree angle.
Option 1: a gable photo and an angle app
- Stand far enough back to see a gable end straight on, not at an angle.
- Take a photo, then use a protractor or angle app on the photo along the rake edge.
- Convert the angle: 22.6 degrees is 5/12, 26.6 is 6/12, 30.3 is 7/12, 33.7 is 8/12, 39.8 is 10/12, 45 is 12/12.
Shooting from the side or from below distorts the angle, so this method is good to about one pitch step.
Option 2: a phone level on the trim
If you can reach a gable rake board from a ladder or a second floor window, lay your phone's level along it to read degrees directly.
Option 3: paperwork
Builder plans, truss drawings and permit files often list the pitch. New construction plans in many Georgia subdivisions show it on the elevation drawings, written like 8:12.
Option 4: aerial reports
Roofers order satellite or aerial measurement reports that list each facet's pitch. Ask your roofer for a copy. See how roofers measure a roof.
Visual rules of thumb
- Ranch homes and porches: often 3/12 to 6/12.
- Most two story suburban homes: commonly 6/12 to 10/12.
- Steep front gables on many newer homes: 10/12 to 12/12 or more.
For what the numbers mean in practice, see roof anatomy explained.