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Roof Truss Raised-Heel Height Calculator

Calculate the raised heel height needed on a roof truss to fit full-depth insulation at the eave.

Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Figures are presented for United States against IRC 2024, and every formula is cited under regulatory standards below.

Last verified 2026-08-26 · v1.0.0

Market
Imperial · sales tax

Recommended raised-heel height

15.5 in

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A simplified stack-up estimate — confirm the exact raised-heel height with your truss manufacturer's engineering, which also accounts for ventilation baffle clearance.

For the dimensions entered, expect a recommended raised-heel height of 15.5 in. Moderate confidence — sound arithmetic, but allow for the variation any real site introduces. Set for United States against IRC 2024. The market selector changes both the units and the code cited.

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This result is a specification — 15.5 in — not a quantity. Put the thing it sizes into your project: how many, what you call it, and your supplier’s price.

Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — confirmed fixes become pinned regression tests.

[Schema Verified] Computed in alignment with American Concrete Institute (ACI 318-19) formulas and International Residential Code (IRC 2024) spatial boundaries.

Regulatory standards & verification citations

  • Energy-heel (raised-heel) truss design: heel height = desired insulation depth at the eave + bottom chord depth, so full R-value insulation is maintained out to the wall line

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Frequently asked questions

Why does a standard (non-raised-heel) truss compress insulation at the eave?
On a standard truss, the bottom chord meets the top chord right at the wall plate, leaving very little vertical space at the eave — insulation gets compressed or thinned out right where the roof meets the wall, which is exactly where you want full depth to avoid a cold spot.
How does a raised heel fix this?
A raised-heel (energy-heel) truss adds vertical framing at the heel joint, lifting the top chord above the bottom chord by an extra amount — this stack-up adds the desired full insulation depth on top of the bottom chord's own depth, keeping the insulation from being squeezed out near the wall.
Does this include ventilation baffle clearance above the insulation?
No — this is a simplified insulation-plus-bottom-chord stack-up only. Your truss manufacturer's engineering should add clearance for a ventilation baffle/chute above the insulation to maintain soffit-to-ridge airflow.