Roof Rafter Raised Heel

If stick framing is the plan you can still raise the heel.

Roof rafter raised heel.

Simply it is the thickness of the truss or rafter measured from the outside of the wall from the top of the top plate to the underside of the sheathing. Better roof framing is not confined to engineered trusses. Standard heel typical truss heel height is about 4. Raised energy heel typical truss heel height is about 12 but may be designed to most any height per the building designer specification.

The heel of a conventional plated roof truss where the bottom chord intersects with and bears on the perimeter wall plate and is fitted with a vertical member that literally raises the top chord of the truss. Raised heel trusses provide a cost effective way to meet more stringent energy efficiency codes. Instead of running ceiling joists next to rafters build the ceiling frame as if it were a floor and set a plate along the outer edge. A more uniform pitch and size increased spans mean fewer internal load bearing walls and they can be installed quickly with less labor.

Just as there are many types of roofs with many roof parts there are many different types of roof trusses this extensive article explains through a series of custom truss diagrams the different truss configurations you can use for various roofs. Raised heel trusses 9 1 4 to 15 1 4 inches in depth. Raised heel trusses are installed the same as conventional trusses. We installed raised heel trusses with bottom chord overhangs on our house.

Builders don t need special tools or know how to build with them. It s not surprising that four out of five modern homes are built with pre fabricated trusses as they offer a lot of advantages. Truss heel height the vertical depth of the truss at the outside face of the bearing. Easy to build with.

The top of the top chord is 20 above our top plate. Because they can span wide rooms t. A raised heel truss is much like it sounds. Building is designed in accordance with the irc.

Ventilation eave baffles if needed for air flow. Now you can set rafters atop the plate for a solid roof with plenty of room for insulation. According to the 2012 international residential code for seismic zones or zones designated for winds of 100 mph raised heel trusses more than 15 25 have to be blocked and braced. Framing with raised heel trusses and continuously sheathing exterior walls improves structural and energy performance and offers many savings that benefit both the builder and the homeowner.

While this article focuses on configurations we also have a very cool set of illustrations showcasing the different parts anatomy of roof trusses.