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The most common slope range for roofs on houses in snowy areas is between 4/12 and 6/12, or 50%. A roof with a slope of less than 10%, or roughly a 2/12 pitch, won’t be effective at shedding snow. However, roofs that are too steep can allow large amounts of snow to build up and fall all at once, creating a hazard for those on the ground.

Shingles should overhang the drip edge by no more than 3/4-inch. Longer overhangs will more easily get caught in wind and leave you with an increased risk of roof uplift. You should have an overhang of at least 1/2-inch, though, as anything shorter can increase the risk of moisture getting blown under the shingles and damaging your roof deck or fascia.

Roof blistering and hail damage are different in their physical appearance. Blistering, often caused by inadequate ventilation, low-quality material, and improper installation, looks like large, irregular bubbles popping out of your roof. Meanwhile, hail damage is usually circular or oval dents entering your roof and often follows the same path as the hail storm.

Gaps between tiles are necessary to help with weatherproofing, allow for thermal expansion, and increase wind resistance. In general, a small gap no larger than 3 millimeters wide will encourage proper drainage and limit cracking. Beyond that, tiles should overlap a minimum of 3 inches, except at the eaves where they should extend to the center of the gutter.