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One of my older relatives used to say, when confronted with a dilemma, “What to do, what to do….” It made me chuckle!
But, this phrase describes a dilemma for people confronted with snow and ice avalanching off their already installed roof. They want to keep the snow up there
rather than down there
but what is the best solution?
First of all, retrofit is similar as well as different from new construction. Basic questions need to be answered for new and retrofit construction.
For retrofit, snow retention installers don’t have the luxury of applying the snow retention devices as the roofing material is installed in a new project. This is when “What to do, what to do…” might be heard under their breath!
How do you keep snow and ice from falling off while also maintaining a water-tight system when the roofing is already on the roof? How hard is it to do this?
Contractors need a simple and effective solution.
For asphalt shingles, simulated shake, and other similar roofs, using TRA’s H Snow Bracket, there is no need to pull back the headlap to install a device. Butyl or caulking can be applied on the surface of the roofing product, then the bracket is installed directly into the sheathing using screws. A clip is then placed over the screws.
Snow Bracket H
Easy. Effective.
The reason this system will work on retrofit is because TRA’s engineering is done using the specific factors as mentioned above. When installed using the engineered layout, the roof will now hold back the snow and ice that would have fallen off, damaging people or property below.
At TRA Snow and Sun, we help you find an Engineered Solution. Call us for a free layout, provided within 2 working days.
Designed for most roof types
Available with or without fastener cover clip
Can be powder-coated to match roofing material
Available in 16 g steel, 48 oz copper, 26 g Cor-Ten, 16 ga stainless steel, .063″ aluminum
Finishes – Electro-galvanized, hot-dipped galvanized, mill finish aluminum, copper or Cor-Ten
Power-coating available in many colors.
Keeping snow and ice from avalanching off a roof requires a system of superior strength. When strength really does matter to save lives and prevent damage to property, how does a home or business owner know what snow retention product is strong enough?
How does someone decide what product measures up?
How does one decide the best method of installing a safe and reliable roof snow retention system?
If your answer to these questions is, “I can find that out. I’ll just look it up online under building codes or ask my roofing contractor.”
Well, good luck.
There are NO codes for roof snow retention! None. Nil. Nada. (Our owner, Terry Anderson, is serving on a committee right now to finally establish standards. Watch for updates on this in the future!) If a contractor starts sitting codes or standards, be wary. The contractor might have his own standards, and we sure hope they all do, but there are no national or international standards for snow retention.
This makes it very important for owners, architects, engineers, and contractors to take extra care when designing a snow retention system. At TRA Snow & Sun, we seek to offer high-quality snow retention devices ENGINEERED for the unique snow & ice and building conditions relative to each specific project.
Snow retention as a science has emerged as a technological know-how for human safety. The laws of physics have to be used when holding back lots of destructive snow and ice. Annual assets and personal damage from destructive sliding snow and ice is in the millions, however, the price of a human life is incalculable. If someone dies as a result of no snow retention or faulty snow retention, the liability threat to household owners and business proprietors is astronomical.
By retaining snow on the roof of a building and allowing even snow melt-off, injuries to residents/guests and property below the roof of a building can be avoided, saving money and limiting the possibility of personal loss. By installing snow retention you can:
How does one avoid the potential pitfalls to a bad snow retention product?
It can get perplexing with several hundreds of different snow guard types and designs to consider from. With a TRA snow retention system, you know you’re safe because we have gone through extensive product testing. Our products are built to last to the fail point of the snow retention system, not just the product. Unlike other plastic type snow guards that turn yellow and fail over time, TRA’s snow retention systems are superior in strength. Our superior snow retention is designed to manage snow migration on any type of roofing is made of stainless steel or brass.
TRA CLAMP-ON SNOW FENCE vs PLASTIC GLUE-ON SNOW GUARDS
In simple terms, a first-rate snow retention product coupled with a reliable and safe FREE engineered spacing layout will help lessen the legal responsibility related to the unexpected slid of snow and ice from roofs. All requesting clients can receive free engineered layouts within 2 working days for each project’s specific requirements. For a free layout, data sheets, specs & quote contact us at 855-542-1861.
No hassle is bigger for an installer than finding out you have to re-cut tile because it won’t line up. With TRA Snow and Sun Solar Tile Mount, there’s no cutting required, saving you time on your project. Our Solar Tile Mounts are available for low, medium, and high profile tile roofs, and are adjustable for secure attachment to the structural member of the roof. We guarantee a variety of tile mounts, superior strength, and the option for custom made designs.
Our high-quality material extruded aluminum and divert the mount around the tile instead of going directly through the tile, which decreases install time, and doesn’t compromise the strength or coverage of the customer’s tile. The wide base of the hook makes the mount very easy to adjust and fastened to structural members of the roof, such as rafters, purlins or trusses, and in order for tile pans to line up in the correct locations, are adjustable up to six inches to the left or right. The new tile hook allowed for fast and easy installation. It also helps increase the longevity of our micro-inverters.
We offer installation materials and resources to make the experience as simple as plan, purchase and install.
Solar Tile Mount are:
Materials/Finishes
Testing
Solar Tile Mount has been tested from the fail point of the system.
At TRA Snow and Sun, we engineer and layout each project free of charge using many factors specific to your project. We then provide you with; rail spans, max loads on components, wind parameters, solar panel geometry, force per foot on rail and panels, a schematic of the module field, the wind speed, shipping weight, and project details. TRA Snow and Sun representatives will work with you to design the most efficient solar mounting system.
We can design your awning to work with a variety of application. Just give us your project details & we will design your Mounting Solution to fit your project. For more information call Ben Anderson at TRA Snow and Sun at 800-606-8980, ben@trasnowadsun.com, or visit: https://trasnowandsun.com/solar-mounting/
Snow Retention Case Study – Providing Engineered Snow Retention Solutions for HALF THE COST!
TRA Snow and Sun solves problems! It’s not just our motto to provide Engineered Solutions. We really DO IT!
On an addition to a home in Northwest Montana with a high snow load (100 psf); how do you retain snow on a cedar shake roof with a 12/12 pitch, whilst keeping it economical, aesthetically pleasing, and in line with the existing design?
After reviewing their options, Vandelay Construction was ready to order from a competitor, but was concerned about the high cost of the snow retention system, so they did one last internet search of roof snow retention. They found a project with TRA Snow and Sun snow retention in Bozeman, Montana, liked our product and designs, and contacted us.
Using the information the contractor provided to us, we increased the thickness of the copper from the standard ¼” to 3/8” and designed a 3 rail snow retention system (D3H Deck Mount Snow Fence) specific to the project – cedar shake, 12/12 slope, copper, attaching to 16” OC rafters. Copper was used to match the decorative end caps on the heavy timbers in the construction of the building.
Not only did the homeowners get a beautiful, warrantied system, but OUR SYSTEM WAS HALF THE COST OF OUR COMPETITORS.
We love the result. See for yourself.
At TRA, we provide Engineered Solutions to all kinds of problems. Let us help you with your snow retention needs!
TRA Snow and Sun makes products specifically designed to help with solar mounting and flashing needs on tile roofs and we are always concerned about safety for building owners and the roofing contractors who install our products.
Recently a new Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a “final rule to curb lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease in America’s workers by limiting their exposure to respirable crystalline silica.” This new ruling will impact all contractors who cut tile roofing products.
Silica is a natural mineral present in large amounts in many construction materials like concrete roof tiles manufactured in the US by companies. It is broken into very fine dust (also known as Respirable Crystalline Silica or RCS) during common tasks such as cutting for valleys, hips, and when installing solar mounting.
Regularly breathing in this dust can cause serious lung disease like silicosis and lung cancer. Hundreds of deaths have been associated with silica dust absorbed into the body in this way.
OSHA’s new standards, taking effect June 23, 2016 (with a one year implantation requirement for construction work), will require roofers to either use water or ventilation to manage dust or provide respirators in high exposure areas: The Key Provisions of the ruling:
“Reduces the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour shift.
Requires employers to: use engineering controls (such as water or ventilation) to limit worker exposure to the PEL; provide respirators when engineering controls cannot adequately limit exposure; limit worker access to high exposure areas; develop a written exposure control plan, offer medical exams to highly exposed workers, and train workers on silica risks and how to limit exposures.”
TRA Snow and Sun supports efforts to protect the health of roofers, however, using a wet saw on a roof means other risks including danger from hoses on the work surface and slip and fall hazards caused by water. For this reason, we support testing and respirators instead and a further review by OSHA.
For more information on this issue visit the National Roofing Contractors’ Association press release on this ruling.
Remember, also, that we make solar tile mounts that are installed WITHOUT CUTTING tiles. (See more about that here.)
The winter is slowly fading into Spring, but as the snow and ice melts off your roof, there might be some signs that you need snow retention:
Are you noticing large pieces coming off in big chunks?
Do you hear it slipping? (This can be pretty loud and frightening when it happens unexpectedly!)
Are pieces of your gutter coming off due to ice tearing it off as it slipped off your roof?
Are there high spots of snow and ice piled at the eave line on the ground? This might mean that snow or ice has come off that place during the winter.
People die due to snow and ice sliding off roofs. This is extremely tragic and often avoidable. Use roof snow retention for these reasons:
It is especially important to install snow retention above:
You might wonder if your roof can support the weight of snow and ice staying on the roof. If your home is less than 40 years old, the answer is probably yes.
During the 1970-80’s, most states adopted building codes that required structures to support the weight of the building materials (dead load) and the weight of the snow, ice, water, people, etc. (live load). By the year 2000, international building codes were universally adopted with similar standards. So, if the structure was built post 1975, you are unlikely to have any structural problems when keeping snow on the roof (it also helps insulate your roof, saving heating costs!).
TRA Snow and Sun has something every roofer needs: VersaFlash. It’s a must-have for all roofers. We call it the “roofer’s duct tape”. Here’s why you need it for every roofing project.
The primary reason any type of roofing exists is to provide a protective layer to maintain a barrier between the interior of a building and the weather. How this is accomplished can take many different forms, but there’s nothing proven to work better than TRA Snow and Sun’s VersaFlash: flexible aluminum flashing that attaches down with a butyl. It adheres to the wall or other roofing structure or tile, is extremely flexible, and adds a professional finish to all roofing projects, while being extremely effective at sealing out water and preventing leaks.
Some types of VersaFlash are meant just for concrete and clay tile roofing only, while others are effective for all types of roof. Here’s a breakdown of VersaFlash offered by TRA Snow and Sun.
Simply put, VersaFlash is easy to use, flexible, and will save you time and money without sacrificing an inch in quality. There are many reasons you’ll love Aluminum and Copper VersaFlash — here’s why once you choose it, you’ll never roof without it again.
We don’t call it the “roofer’s duct tape” for nothing. VersaFlash is made of flexible, stretchy material that can be used to seal roof-to-wall abutments, chimneys, and basically anything you can think of. It’s very easy to work with so you can get the job done right the first time.
A roofer looking for a go-to roofing adhesive need look no further than VersaFlash. Other than the HD Aluminum Roll (clay and concrete) we offer, VersaFlash will conform to most types of roofs including, but not limited to:
Leave all of your re-flashing worries behind with VersaFlash. It’s highly durable, flexible, and weather resistant. It stretches to a maximum of 33 percent, conforms easily to roof surfaces, and installation is easy. If you want a durable roofing adhesive that won’t give you problems down the road, VersaFlash is the gold standard. On top of it all, TRA Snow and Sun offers a 25-year limited warranty.
TRA Snow and Sun is your number one source for solar mounting, snow retention, flexible ventilation, and flashing material. We offer competitive prices and guarantee our products. Give us a call today at 877-290-8669 for more details, and check out all of our flashing products at trasnowandsun.com.
Solar on tile roofs is become increasing popular in many parts of the US as the insulative and life cycle cost of tile combined with the benefits of converting sunshine into electricity is recognized. There are markets in Arizona and parts of California where tile makes up 90% of the systems installed. As the population continues to grow throughout, so does the diversity of preferences of roofing applications. As we start to see more and more clay and concrete tile roofing solutions, in some cases installing solar on tile presents some challenges that are not inherent with the standard shingle roofs. As demand for tile solar mounting increases so does the time spent on cutting tile.
Our Solar Tile Mounts Require NO CUTTING Of The Tile & They Are Adjustable Both Horizontally & Vertically With A Height Up To 6”. They Can Be Attached To The Truss Or Rafter With No Tile Cutting Needed!
Our high-quality material extruded aluminum and divert the mount around the tile instead of going directly through the tile, which decreases install time, and doesn’t compromise the strength or coverage of the customer’s tile. The wide base of the hook makes the mount very easy to adjust. The new tile hook allowed for fast and easy installation. It also helps increase the longevity of our micro-inverters. *Also available in black anodized.
The Perfect Foundation for Solar Systems when it comes right down to it, a solar system is only as good as its mounting structure. That’s why when you need the highest quality roof mounting accessories and fastening systems, you turn to TRA Snow and Sun. Built to last. Built to be reliable. Each and every component in our solar tile mount creates a perfect foundation for your solar systems.
Materials/Finishes
Testing
Solar Tile Mount has been tested from the fail point of the system.
In making the preferred distance needed to provide the necessary spacing of the micro-inverters and modules so that they are kept at a relatively low temperature, increasing their longevity, while bringing down the costs due to equipment failure. Installation was fast, meaning less cost passed on to the customer.
At TRA Snow and Sun, we engineer and layout each project free of charge using many factors specific to your project. We then provide you with; rail spans, max loads on components, wind parameters, solar panel geometry, force per foot on rail and panels, a schematic of the module field, the wind speed, shipping weight, and project details. TRA Snow and Sun representatives will work with you to design the most efficient solar mounting system.
We can design your awning to work with a variety of application. Just give us your project details & we will design your Mounting Solution to fit your project. For more information call Ben Anderson at TRA Snow and Sun at 800-606-8980, ben@trasnowadsun.com, or visit: https://trasnowandsun.com/solar-mounting/
TRA Snow and Sun is doing great thanks to an incredible team, our dedication to customer service, manufacturing top-notch products and our wonderful customers! We are 100% American – all products are made right here in the Good Ole US of A! We weathered the downturn in construction and have come out on the other side better than ever.
Over the past two years, since going solo with no partners (like we were originally), a lot has improved and we’d like to share some of the stats with you.
Here are some stats about TRA Snow and Sun that might interest you:
Our new and improved PowerRail that spans 6 feet which means less roof penetration to attach. It’s made of extruded aluminum and dependable.
TileVent – we call it the roofer’s duct tape. Try it if you haven’t yet. It’s so handy! It’s aluminum and comes in a variety of colors to match your roof.
The C22Z snow guard snow fence. You knew that would be the one, right? It’s so versatile and dependable on a standing seam metal panel roof! It has 2 rails, is custom designed to fit standing seam roof profiles, comes pre-assembled with nuts and bolts and is zinc plated or powder coated steel.
and (BIG DUM ROLL)…….
“The death toll from the epic snowstorm this week climbed by three on Friday to 13.”
” At least 30 building collapses were reported overnight, mostly farm buildings and flat-roof structures”
Apparently keeping snow on your roof is a very BAD idea.
OR IS IT?
Let’s not jump to conclusions here. Keep in mind a couple of descriptive words in those headlines, particularly “flat roofs” and “epic snowstorm.”
Note that most roof collapsing happened on farm buildings and flat roof structures. Since out buildings are often built without regard to standard building codes and often are very old buildings, this makes sense. Remember that even with 30 older, flat roof or outbuilding roofs collapsing, that means that 99+% of all buildings are NOT collapsing.
Heavy snowstorms happen in all snowy areas and they are considered when planning for roof snow loads. The snow loads are computed by structural engineers and those that set standards for buildings based on a 50 year Mean Recurrence snow load. They take into account ground snow loads, roof drainage, snowdrifting and other thermal factors.
In the Northeast during the winter of 2010-2011, roofs collapsed, leading to studies by prominent engineers*. Their conclusions can help us understand these distressing headlines and bring some comfort to people who are frightened by these headlines.
The first reason for roof failures has to do with when the building was constructed. In Connecticut in 2011 of the 175 roofs that collapsed, 107 were built before Connecticut adopted its first state-wide building code in 1971. In addition outbuildings like barns were exempt from snow load provisions, resulting in collapse.
The second reason for roof failures showed that poor performance was “hidden” structural defects such as inadequate slope to drainage resulting in ponding loads, blocked roof drains, solar panels causing dead loads, structural support removal, material deterioration over time.
If your structure was built according to modern building codes, have no fear! Use our snow retention products to keep that snow from moving, melting in place, and providing an insulative blanket during the cold months ahead. You’ll be comfortable, safe and sound.
* http://www.structuremag.org/?p=1155
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