CRICKETS, SADDLES & PANS
A cricket, sometimes called a saddle, is a v-shaped ridge structure that helps make a smooth transition between roofing areas. Functionally, they help divert water. Aesthetically they create a smooth visual appearance.
Crickets are most often seen on the backs of chimneys, but they are also present in transitions from different pitches or from building to building. Smaller roof crickets are typically made of metal flashing material and larger ones can be covered in the same surface as the rest of the roof.
Deciding if You Need a Cricket
Since crickets provide both a practical and architectural function, there are many situations that could require a roof cricket. A cricket can be installed over an existing section of roof, but the best scenario for larger crickets is to be framed and installed as part of a major renovation or new construction project. This procedure helps ensure that the cricket will be secure and functional as opposed to creating additional problems instead of solving them.
Common scenarios where roof crickets are used include:
Behind chimneys to prevent a buildup of leaves or water
Non-sloped roof valleys or valleys that see concentrated runoff
Transitions from outlying roof structures like an addition, garage or deck gable
Commercial flat roofs often use roof crickets around the inner edges to prevent buildup of
debris or runoff
Anywhere there is an abrupt visual transition between roof angles or pitches that you
want to make more aesthetically smooth-looking
Specifically, crickets are pyramidal forms that divert water around the upside of chimneys and other roof penetrations. They can be used where mechanical units protrude from roofs, at wide decks and other locations. Or maybe [roofing contractors are] directing [water] to different drains or sections of gutter. Any wide penetration, not just a chimney, that gets in the way of runoff is where you would put a
cricket.”The NRCA goes a step further.Rupar says, “In our manual, we say that if you have a penetration that’s 2 feet or wider across, and it’s on a roof on a curb that’s going to get in the way of water draining, you should probably put a cricket behind it. 2018 International Building Code (IBC) and 2018 International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (IRC) specifies crickets for protrusions 30 or more inches wide, parallel to a ridge. The NRCA Roofing Manual.” “A cricket is basically two sloping planes joined at a ridge,” he says. “And a saddle is just two crickets put back to back, or a pyramid-looking structure.”
