Here in the U. S. of A., most homes have similar types of roof construction. There are four primary styles, and these styles go a little something like this. Cincinnati roofing companies are familiar with all four designs.
1. The Flat Roof
To be clear, the “flat roof” is almost always non-flat. Almost all of these roofs have at least some pitch so that rain will drain off. That pitch may be a minimal slope, but it is something. More flat-looking roofs are much more common in commercial applications, but we do see it in residential situations sometimes too. Often, these flat roofs are made with PVC, metal sheets, and/or gravel, to help them be seamless and therefore waterproof. Since the roof is closer to flat, it is a smaller roof – the more angle of pitch, the larger the roof’s square footage. For that reason, the flatter roofs require less material to make, simply because they are smaller.
2. The Hip Roof
On a hip roof, each side has a slope. Some are half-hipped, some are “note” style, some are crossed hip, and some are the basic hip. This four-sided roof is more durable than other designs, so it tends to be used in areas with a lot of wind and heavy storms. They are also great with snow, as all those slopes make the snow slide right off (hopefully). Any hip roof can be made with shingles, with metal, or with clay tiles.
3. The Gable Roof
You see gable roofs all across the United States. It is one of the most popular roof designs. This well-known roof style is triangular, and it is great for ventilation. Since it is a relatively simple design, gable roofs tend to be more affordable and quicker to install. Many different types of materials will work on a gable roof, including asphalt, shakes, metal shingles, or tiles made from various substances.
4. The Mansard Roof
This type of roof comes to us from France, and most have two slopes on each of four sides. These sides can be flat or curved. The advantage to a mansard roof is that the design gives you more space inside for the rooms.