The roof rake is the uncovered outside edge of a gable roof that runs from the eave to the ridge. Along the rake, a drip edge is also put. This prevents water from running off the end of the gable and onto the ground.
The rake may be of any length but it usually ranges from about 4 inches to 12 inches or longer. The purpose of the rake is to allow air flow over the top of the building. With no rake, hot air would build up under the shingles causing them to melt and leak. Rakes are usually made of wood but they can also be made of steel or aluminum.
There are two types of rakes: open and closed. An open rake allows for air flow but does not provide much protection from the elements. A closed rake provides protection from the elements but does not allow for as much air flow as an open one. The type of rake used depends on how you want to balance efficiency with weather protection.
Eaves are the vertical edges of a roof that face inward toward the center of the house. They are often referred to as "rake" or "drip" edges because they prevent water from flowing off the end of the gable and into the house.
The ridge is the highest point on your roof. On a sloping roof, it is the highest point. Eaves: The eaves are the lower borders of the roof that overhang the outer walls of the house. The gable is the A-shaped side wall of a house that creates the roof's apex. It may be flat or have a finial on it. The hipped roof is shaped like a half ball with two slopes coming together at a central point. The gables on this type of roof are usually found on one side only, which makes them asymmetrical.
On houses built before 1978, the roof was made of wood. So it would not have had a peak. Instead, there was a high center in the roof where the living room is today. You went up some stairs to get to it. This picture shows how the roof looked.
Nowadays, most roofs are made of asphalt or concrete. They can be flat or have various shapes including domes and tents. The word "gable" is still used for these types of roofs but it means the opposite of what it used to mean. Now, a gable roof is any kind of roof with two opposite slopes coming together at a central point. The top corner of each slope is called a gable end. These are the parts of the roof people look at when they drive by and say things like "That house has great bones". Or "This house needs some siding".
Roofs with gable ends at or near the horizontal plane are called steep-gabled roofs. Roofs with slopes greater than 30 degrees are called mountain-tops.
Roofs with slopes between 20 and 30 degrees are called valley-tops.
Roofs with slopes between 10 and 20 degrees are called flat roofs.
Slopes of less than 10 degrees are called shallow-sloped roofs.
A roof with a slope of 1 degree is called a level roof.
A house with a steep-gabled roof is also called a scow-house because it looks like the prow of a boat. This type of roof is used because it allows the maximum amount of sunlight into the house while still providing some protection from the weather.
There are several varieties of steep-roofed houses, including L-shaped, T-shaped, and U-shaped buildings. Steep roofs are common in areas where heavy snowfall is expected, such as in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Roof edge (or eaves edge): all the boards that go along the edge of the roof or eaves. Another name for a fascia is a fascia. A gutter is a channel designed to collect water and direct it away from the building. The term "roof gutters" is also used for those channels shaped like half-moons or inverted T's. They collect water and force it over the side walls of the T or half-moon where it can be drained away.
Gutters are usually made of metal or plastic, but sometimes wood is used instead. The end caps on the sides of the gutter where it connects to the house are called spouts. Gutters should be located to direct water away from the structure and into the gutter where they can be disposed of. Some home owners choose to have their own system for disposing of water from roofs which does not involve using upable space under the gutter. These systems include: rain barrels, hose bibs, and aqua dams. Rain barrels are large containers that collect water from the roof and store it until it can be released through an outlet at another location or into a garden bed. Hose bibs are similar to rain barrels but use individual connections mounted on the side of the house for each fixture that requires water.
They provide protection from the weather and help prevent water from running off the roof into adjacent property or down the walls of the house.
The peak of a roof is its highest point. So, the word "peak" can be used as a synonym for "ridge". The term "ridge line" is used to describe the line formed by the intersection of a roof's peaks and valleys. The word "eaves" is used to describe the portion of the roof above the wall surfaces.
A gable is a triangular-shaped roof with two sides equal in length. It is usually found on houses with large windows or doors, because only a gable roof can cover those openings. Gables were commonly used as decorative features on homes built before the advent of air conditioning. They add design appeal and shelter interior spaces from the sun and rain. However, gables are more difficult to repair than flat roofs because any damage must be done while the house is still being built, not after it is completed. Also, if there are any leaks in the structure, they will most likely appear under the gable.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 BindleyHardware & Co Inc.
