Welcome to our two-part series on the S-5! Snow Guard Calculator. In this blog, we will cover exactly why it is so important to engineer your snow guard system. In part two, we'll explain how to log on and get started with your calculation!
Snow retention systems go by many names in the industry. Roof snow fences, snow rails, snow stops, snow stopper, snow guards, snow clips, snow bar, snow breaks and more. Regardless of the phrase, the intended purpose is the same: to reduce the risks associated with rooftop avalanches. By holding back the snow and encouraging it to leave the roof slowly through small amounts of melting, damage to people and property below can be reduced.
Your roof has been developing a perfectly rounded overhang of migrating snow right over your door. It glistens beautifully in the sun and defies gravity. But when is it going to fall? Snow avalanches can be unpredictable and catastrophic events. And the snow will fall wherever and whenever it wants to – on you, a loved one, your car or sidewalk.
La nieve natural se derretirá de la forma más antinatural posible
La nieve no suele deslizarse ni fundirse de manera uniforme. Se forma una unión entre la nieve y el tejado metálico. A medida que el tejado se calienta, una fina capa de agua comienza a derretirse separando la nieve del tejado. El resultado es cuándo caerá la nieve, no si caerá.
Not Convinced? Take Our Snow Guard Q&A
1. La nieve del tejado aún no me ha caído encima. ¿Por qué gastar el coste ahora?
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Prevent damage to the roof, gutters and landscape by encouraging snow/melt to evacuate in a predictable and controlled fashion (through thaw and evaporation) rather than by a sudden and dangerous rooftop avalanche. The cost of prevention is often much lower than repairs and maintenance.
2. Ya tengo unas cuantas paradas de nieve ahí arriba. ¿No es suficiente?
Improper placement of a few snow guards can can cause uneven snow distribution, leading to unpredictable roof snow melt. It can also cause overload and failure of the snow guards. You must consider snow load, roof pitch, panel rib or seam spacing, as well as eave to-ridge distance to properly determine snow guard design and placement.
The Metal Construction Association's Qualifying Snow Retention Systems for Metal Roofing guide consumers, architects, specifiers and installers in choosing and implementing a properly engineered snow retention system.
3. Mi tejado tiene varios planos, y creo saber dónde caerá la nieve.
Múltiples diseños para la instalación de la protección contra la nieve, dependiendo de las cargas de nieve y de la geometría del tejado. La nieve no siempre viene de arriba. Sopla desde los árboles y desde los tejados más altos hacia los más bajos. Mal protecciones contra la nieve pueden hacer que la nieve caiga donde no se desea, agravando las consecuencias.
4. ¿No son iguales todos los topes de nieve para tejados metálicos?
No. From metallurgical incompatibility, to material degradation and yellowing, to warranty violations, to removal of protective roof coatings, and more, there are pseudo-snow guard-solutions out there that can be more damaging than helpful. Our FAQs have excellent answers to some of the most common snow guard questions. Contact our technical support team for additional assistance.
La personalización del sistema de retención de nieve es clave
Snow guard systems are not fail-safe. And all roofs are not the same. Never expose a product to forces which exceed its known point of failure – especially when these forces are predictable and can be calculated accurately for any specific application.
But customization doesn’t mean complication. All products have a maximum stress point, so the snow retention system you need must be customized from specific information of the roof(s) in question. That information varies from one roof to the next.
The snow load forces must be calculated and properly applied to actual tested product capacities to ensure the correct application for the specific conditions. This is what is meant by an “engineered” system and is what our roof pitch snow guard calculator does.
¡S-5! Sistema de retención de nieve/protección contra la nieve ColorGard
Un inciso sobre las protecciones pegadas
Puede que se sienta tentado por esos "oh-tan-fáciles" de instalar protectores de nieve adhesivos. No ceda: invierta en un sistema de retención de nieve diseñado y probado para proteger su tejado.
Encuentre sus soluciones de protección contra la nieve en S-5
Our solutions offer better holding strength, better color retention and user-friendly installation. When compared with other fence-type systems on a cost-per-foot basis, our tested and engineered systems can be several times stronger. In addition, when compared to glued cleat-type units, pound-for-pound of holding strength, our systems cost much less than the plastic parts.
The nature of snow melt on a metal roof is unpredictable, but there is science behind it. A quality snow retention system will help preserve your roof and allow snowpack and meltwater to exit in a more controlled manner.
Click here for part two in our series and learn how to use our snow calculator.
