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What to Know About Roof Types

YP Editors

The type of roof on a home can impact the way you experience your dwelling. Your home's roof can blaze a stylish path, establishing a singular look for your residence. The roof that you choose can also intersect with local climate and weather in ways that affects roofing maintenance and upkeep.

Below are some popular roofing types, along with each one’s strengths and weaknesses.

Gable Roof


A gable roof is notable for its triangular shape, and it's a commonly seen roof type throughout the country. Gable roofs have relatively low construction costs. They're excellent choices in areas with high precipitation, since their steeply angled surfaces support the runoff of rain and snow.

This roof type is subject to collapse in high wind. If you live in a windy environment, it's essential to make sure your gable roof is properly braced.

Hip Roof


A hip roof slopes on all four sides, and the sides join at the top to create a ridge. Hip roofing is durable enough to handle high wind, and its pitched surfaces allow it to shed rain and snow. This roof's design accommodates attics and vaulted ceilings, and it facilitates optimum ventilation in your home.

When compared to a gable roof, a hip roof comes with higher construction costs. Expert installation is crucial, since the seams present on this type of roofing can create leaks if the roofing is shoddily assembled.

Mansard Roof


A mansard roof has four tall, steeply pitched sides and a broad, gently pitched top, and this type of roof is also referred to as a French roof. In some versions of this roof, the sides are flat, and in others, the sides are curved. Its tall design means that this roof works quite well to add extra living space to your home, and mansard roofs are a natural fit for attics and garrets. If you plan to expand your home in the future, a mansard roof is a compatible choice, since its design naturally accommodates this type of renovation.

If you live in an area that gets heavy snowfall, a mansard roof is a poor fit, since the top portion of the roof does not support easy runoff. Mansard roofs also tend to be more costly to construct than other choices.

Gambrel Roof


A gambrel roof has two sides. The lower portion of each side is almost vertical, while the upper portion features a much gentler slope. This type of roof is also known as a barn roof, and it's found on Dutch Colonial homes, farm houses, and barns. Like a mansard roof, a gambrel roof offers lots of room for attics and lofts.

Its design makes a gambrel roof subject to collapse, and it's not recommended in areas that experience lots of snow. Heavy wind may also cause this roof to fail. Many gambrel roofs feature integrated windows. This can brighten the home's interior and boost its aesthetic appeal, but it also increases the likelihood of water leaks.

Flat Roof


A flat roof is most commonly seen in commercial buildings, but this type of roof is also used in some homes. A flat roof appears to have a completely flat surface, but these roofs are actually designed with a very slight pitch to allow for some water runoff. A flat roof can provide you with extra outdoor living space for a rooftop patio or garden], and they easily accommodate the placement of heating units, cooling units, and solar installations. This type of roof is also simple and inexpensive to build.

The big drawback regarding a flat roof concerns its poor runoff. This roofing choice is prone to damage and leaking if it's subjected to heavy rains or snow. Flat roofs often bring steep maintenance costs.

Skillion Roof


A skillion roof has a flat surface that is sharply angled. In profile, it looks like one half of a gable roof. This type of roof is also known as a shed roof, and it's quite popular with homes that have a modern design aesthetic. The steep pitch of a skillion roof facilitates runoff of rain and snow. This type of roof is also simple and inexpensive to assemble.

If you live in a high-wind area, it could pose problems for a skillion roof, since this type of roof is prone to damage in gusty conditions. Also, if the pitch of a skillion roof is extremely steep, it could leave you with low ceiling height in certain parts of your home.

Butterfly Roof


A butterfly roof consists of two flat pieces that join to form a shallow V. This type of roof is often seen in homes with modern or eco-friendly design. This roof style facilitates the use of tall windows, and this can bring more natural light into your home and reduce your heating bills in winter months. With a butterfly roof, there is a valley at the center of the roof that supports the collection of rainwater. The valley features a downspout that leads the water to a rain barrel. This is an especially useful feature in desert areas that are prone to drought. Also, a butterfly roof's flat surfaces support the easy installation of solar panels that can reduce your home's energy bill.

Butterfly roofs are trickier to install than other roof types, and they are more expensive. Maintenance with this type of roof also tends to be costlier. If the roof's drainage system is compromised, the roof will experience pooling and leaking. The tall windows that often come with this type of roofing can also make it challenging to maintain consistent temperatures throughout your home.

Saltbox Roof


Like a gable roof, a saltbox roof has a triangular design. However, saltbox roofs are asymmetrical, with one side being more steeply pitched than the other. This type of roof is often seen in homes with Cape Cod and Colonial design motifs. The pitch of a saltbox roof accommodates runoff of rain and snow, and its tall design can increase living space within the home. This type of roof can also be quite sturdy.

With a saltbox roof, your home may have slanted ceilings in certain rooms. Also, the complicated nature of this roof's design can heighten building costs.

Sawtooth Roof


With a sawtooth roof, two or more pitched roofs are arranged in parallel configuration. This type of the roof looks like the profile of a saw's blade, and it's often seen in modern homes. Like a butterfly roof, a sawtooth roof accommodates tall windows that can usher in lots of natural light. This type of roof also facilitates the addition of lofts. Eco-friendly amenities such as solar installations and radiant heating systems can easily be placed on a sawtooth roof.

A sawtooth roof is more complicated to build than most other roof types, and this makes it an expensive choice. The tall windows that it brings can make it hard to maintain steady temperatures throughout your home. Also, a sawtooth roof is a subpar choice if you face lots of rain or snow. Its angles and valleys support the pooling of precipitation, and this can lead to leaking. Relative to other roof types, a sawtooth roof can be costly to maintain.
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