Posted on 11/22/2014 11:59:51 AM PST by KC Burke
I’m sure the building codes require a minimum, but I have no idea what it might be.
I would think that anyone living in Buffalo would be at the very least a winter prepper.
Stay strong, and my prayers are with you.
Thanks. Things are okay here. Others have faired far worse.
Nice to read about people helping their neighbors like this. It’s what the USA used to be about.
Couple of bums shacking up....
6:12 in Buffalo, according to this wiki article (IOW, FWIW):
In general, the pitch of the roof is proportional to the amount of precipitation. Houses in areas of low rainfall frequently have roofs of low pitch while those in areas of high rainfall and snow, have steep roofs. The longhouses of Papua New Guinea, for example, being roof-dominated architecture, the high roofs sweeping almost to the ground. The high steeply-pitched roofs of Germany and Holland are typical in regions of snowfall. In parts of North America such as Buffalo, USA or Montreal, Canada, there is a required minimum slope of 6 inches in 12 inches, a pitch of 30 degrees.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roof#Drainage
6:12 is more or less builder spec for tract houses. I’d think it’d take 10:12 for the weight of a deep snow to break it loose and slide off. It’s the thought behind those A-frame chalets with the roof running to the ground.
There’s the minimum codes, and then there’s good sense!
I do wonder what a good sense difference would be for asphalt shingles vs. metal. There are some pretty frightening scenarios that create the perfect storms for roof collapse.
Maybe what homeowners need are those recreational cable thingies that are set up at fun parks for people to play Tarzan. Mount ‘em on the trees or poles on each side of the house, and go sliding above the peak, shovel in hand. Weeee....
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