Summer always goes by quickly. Soon enough the kids will be back in school, the fall months will pass and we’ll be faced with winter weather. Anticipating a change in seasons, we should think about how to equip our homes and buildings for upcoming snowstorms. However, these structures shouldn’t be equipped with just any snow defenses. They should be equipped with the proper snow defenses. One of those necessary defenses is a snow retention system.

A snow retention system is a combination of devices installed on your roof that prevents snow and ice from sliding off of rooftops onto people and property below. Some buildings have plastic snow retention systems but imagine snow avalanching off of a rooftop, and the only thing holding the snow and ice back is plastic. Plastic isn’t a durable and dependable so that’s why we recommend having metal snow retention. We highly recommend metal snow retention systems and here’s why.

Metal can withstand excessive exposure to UV rays

Because of its tough nature, metal can withstand the sun’s destructive UV rays. Over time plastic will crack and deteriorate when continuously exposed to the sun.

Snow retention using metal snow guards are more secure

Unlike metal, plastic snow guards are attached to a roof using caulking, which is likely to fail for the following reasons:

• The roof is dirty or wet when installing (when have you ever seen a truly clean roof?)
• The snow guards are installed at temperatures below 40 degrees
• Caulking cure time is less than 30 days above 40 degrees. 

Metal is made to last

Plastic snow retention manufacturers generally do not warrant a failure to the entire snow retention systems, only the attachment. If a plastic snow guard fails, the architect or contractor becomes liable for the damage.

We recommend only metal snow retention because we know it can properly protect those in and around your home. For extra protection we engineer from the sheathing up with the fastener and provide a warranty on the entire snow retention system. Before installation, we engineer a specific layout to see that the system is exactly what you need for your specific location and weather. Contact us with any of your project details and we’ll provide you with the best snow defense system that’ll get you ready for winter.