Roof

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A roof is the top part of the building. It keeps out rain and snow and protects people from the sun. Some roofs are sloped, or pitched, so the rain and snow fall off easily. Some roofs are flat, but even flat roofs have a little bit of pitch so the water can flow away towards a drain.

Gable, hip, gambrel, and mansard roofs are types of pitched roofs. Those roofs are usually covered in shingles, but some are covered in metal, slate, or cement. It can be dangerous to walk on a pitched roof. Some pitched roofs have parts that stick out for windows. These are called dormers. The edges of pitched roofs are called eaves. Often there are gutters and leaders at the eaves, which take away water from the roof.

Flat roofs are usually covered in rubber or types of plastic sheeting. You can walk on a flat roof. At the edge of a flat roof there is sometimes a parapet, which prevents people from falling off the roof.