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Roofs are the coverings on top of a building or a house. Roofs are a very essential part of a
buildings and houses as they protect the inner part of the building from rain, storms, snow and
extreme of temperature. Without a roof, a building is incomplete.
The concept of building a roof or a shelter is not new. The earliest of men constructed a roof
made of straws, leaves and branches to cover their places; in fact man started building roofs
before houses.
As human civilization developed the concept of houses evolved and so did the materials and
styles of roofs in constructions. Today there are many different types of roofs that are found over
houses and buildings. These roofs are built according to their purposes and for the added beauty
they bring to the house. Some of the common types of roofs are mentioned below:
Flat Roofs
Flat roofs are one of the oldest and the simplest type of
roofs. These roofs are easy to recognize and are the most common roofs for buildings. They may
not however be very popular among houses these days. Flat roofs have a shallow pitch which is
around 1-2 degrees.
There are many advantages as well as disadvantages of flat roofs. The main advantage of flat
roofs is that the construction of building becomes easier and the walls do not have to be
perpendicular or parallel to each other. The main disadvantage is that it has no slopes or a tilt
because of which water and debris may accumulate on the top.
They also require a high maintenance. Therefore flat roofs are best suited in areas which are dry
and do not have much rainfall. Many flat roofs although do have a drainage pipe at the end; it is
still not a very preferable roof for houses. It is best suited for tall buildings and warehouses.
Sloping Roofs
Sloping roof is a general term applied to any roof that is either slightly or completely tilted.
These roofs are one of the most common residential roofs. Unlike the flat roofs the major
advantage of sloping roofs is that they do not let the water or debris to accumulate.
Gable Roofs
Gable roofs are one of the most famous types of roofs.
A single gable roof is made up of two rectangular roofs and a bit slanting, meeting at a point to
form a single roof.
The line where they meet is the ridge line. Gable roof can also be called the typical house roof.
Salt Box
Gambrel Roof
Mansard Roof
Mansard roof may resemble to the gable roof but the two
roofs have many differences. The Mansard roof has four slopes.
These slopes are present on the all the four sides of the house.
The lower slope is vertical and steeper than the upper slope and the upper slope may not be very
visible. This style of roofing comes from the French.
Pyramid Roof
Hip Roof