QA

What Are Rakes On A Roof

Instead, the rake refers to the sloped sides of a gable style roof. This type of roof is one of the most common in colder or temperate climates, and consists of two roof sections sloping in opposite directions from the peak to allow for the best flow of precipitation off the roof.

What part of roof is the rake?

Rake—The slanting edge of a gable roof at the end wall of the house. Ridge—The horizontal line at the top edge of two sloping roof planes.

What is a roof rake used for?

The rake of a roof, as explained above, is the exposed portion on the sides of a gable roof that extends from the eave to the ridge of the sloped sides. It covers the top edge of a roof, while a roof rake is used for removing snow from the roof of a house.

What is the difference between gable and rake?

Gable: The A-shaped side wall of the home that forms the peak of the roof is called the Gable. The home above has two gables, one on each end of the home. Rake: The rake of the roof is the part that ends over a gable end.

What is a gable rake?

Also known as rake trim, gable trim is a finishing piece of metal flashing used along the edges of a metal roof line where the edge of the metal roof panel meets the endwall panels.

When should you rake a roof?

If your roof is flat or has a low slope, roof raking is definitely a must once the snow gets to be about 6 inches or more. If your roof has a higher pitch, it’s still something to consider, especially if the snow is wet and heavy and it is building up.

What is rake flashing?

Gibraltar’s Gable Rake Flashing is a professional trim product designed to cover the exposed ends of metal roofing panels. Gable Rake Flashing is applied over metal panels along the rake edge to direct rain water away from the fascia.

Does roof rake damage shingles?

Use a snow rake for pitched roofs (available at most hardware stores) to remove snow from your roof. Start from the edge and work your way into the roof. Try to shave the snow down to a 2 or 3 inches on the roof instead of scraping the roof clean, which will risk damage to your shingles or other roof covering.

Are roof rakes safe for shingles?

Never, never use a roof rake or try to shovel snow off a slanted roof. It will do no good, will not cure ice dams, is extremely hazardous, and can harm asphalt shingles, and in your case, slate shingles. And it will take away snow that is a natural insulator as long as it stays on your house.

Does roof raking prevent ice dams?

Using a long-handled roof rake to removing the snow from at least at lower 4 feet of roof edge can help prevent ice dams from forming. This is the only safe way to remove snow from a roof; never get onto a roof to remove snow in the winter.

Where is the eave on a roof?

An eave is the edge of the roof that overhangs the exterior siding. Parts of an eave include the soffit, which is the underside of your roof’s eaves, and the fascia, the vertical facing board.

What is the overhang on a roof called?

Soffit: The underside of the eaves, or roof overhang, which can be enclosed or exposed.

What is a rake overhang?

The American Wood Council’s 2012 Wood Frame Construction Manual defines rake overhang as “The horizontal projection of the roof measured from the outside face of the gable endwall to the outside edge of the roof.” Section 2.1. 3.4.

What is a roof rake measurement?

Place the end of the level against the bottom edge of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level. Measure from the 12-inch mark on the level vertically to the bottom edge of the rafter. That measurement is the number of inches that the roof rises in 12 inches. Locate a rake board that is readily accessible to you.

What is a house rake?

A roof rake always angles down. Terms are used to break down the various areas of a roof and a “rake” is one of many roof sections. The rake is not exactly on the roof. It is a term that describes the sloped sides of a gable end. The rake can be flat with no overhang, or it can overhang the gable end like an eave.

Where does rake trim go?

Rake trim (also known as gable trim) is a metal flashing finishing piece placed along the roofline at the sloped sides at the end of a residence’s dormer or gable.

Should I worry about snow on my roof?

A final point to remember: It isn’t wise to remove all the snow on your roof as it can cause damage to tiles and start leaks. At least 2 inches of snow should remain on your roof.

Do I need to shovel snow off my roof?

— You may be tempted to climb up on your roof and shovel off all that snow that’s been building up this winter. But don’t. It’s dangerous, and you may cause more damage than the snow will. Clearing snow like this from roofs may actually cause more damage to the roof than the snow will.