In metric systems either the angle in degrees or rise per unit of run, expressed as a '1 in _' slope (where a '1 in 1' equals 45°) is used.
Considerations involved in selecting a roof pitch include availability and cost of materials, aesthetics, ease or difficulty of construction, climatic factors such as wind and potential snow load,[2] and local building codes.
The primary purpose of pitching a roof is to redirect wind and precipitation, whether in the form of rain or snow.
The high, steeply-pitched gabled roofs of Northern Europe are typical in regions of heavy snowfall.
[3] A flat roof includes pitches as low as 1⁄2:12 to 2:12 (1 in 24 to 1 in 6), which are barely capable of properly shedding water.