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.

• What is the slope?
• What is the snowload in the area?
• What type of roofing product is being used?
• What type of sheathing is under the roofing material?

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.

Snow Bracket H –

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:

• Prevent danger to residents and guests.
• Prevent costly roof and property damage.
• Maintain safe access, keeping entrances/walkways free of snow and ice.
• Promote energy efficiency by retaining snow which is a good insulation blanket.
• Trust in the best with the highest quality snow retention devices.

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.

Camp Kostopulos’ new Equestrian Center experienced avalanching snow and ice during it’s first two winters, so TRA Snow and Sun installed a snow retention solution to project disabled campers in 2014.

In 2012 when TRA Snow and Sun of American Fork, Utah established their new mission statement to include offering roof snow retention and solar mounting products “that provide the ultimate in protection” for people and property, they didn’t know how important this focus might be for disabled individuals in 2014.

Just a short drive north along the Wasatch Front, Camp Kostopulos, a camp for disabled individuals, also has a mission statement that focuses on the value of human life.  They are “dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities” and endeavor to open a world of opportunities for people with disabilities.  During the winter of 2014, the focus of both companies combined to provide safety for campers who use the new Equestrian Center which had experienced a serious problem from dangerous falling snow and ice.

According to Jacob Anderson, TRA Snow and Sun Sales Director, the 62 pounds per square foot snow load on the building’s 5/12 pitched standing seam metal roof had fallen victim to the ferocious forces of sliding snow and ice during the winters of 2012 and 2013. This caused the gutters along the front of the 200 ft. long and 100 ft. wide arena to be torn off. Sliding snow and ice can avalanche off and literally kill an unsuspecting person unexpectedly and can damage
anything in its path on the ground.

Mircea Divrician, who began as a counselor at the camp in 1998, and stayed on to become Executive Director of the Kostopulos Dream Foundation, realized that there was a real possibility for tragedy to a camper or staff member going in or out of one of the buildings if something wasn’t done.  “We built the Equestrian Center two years ago but didn’t plan on putting snow clips on the roof.  We didn’t foresee how much of a threat the snow could be!  The first winter was horrible.  We get a lot of snow in Emigration Canyon and then there would be a nice sunny day and the snow melts and then, boom, a huge chunk of snow comes down.  So we installed gutters with heat tape, but the second winter the snow came down and smashed the gutters.  Another time a huge chunk of snow came down and when it hit the ground it fell back onto the side of the building, causing damage to the metal panels.  We knew this was a real hazard for the people around this building and the vans and cars parked right outside.”

TRA Snow and Sun, Inc., obtained the key data needed (snowload, slope, type of roof, etc.) and provided an engineered layout for the north side of the building. TRA Snow and Sun, Inc used their Universal Snow Guard and specified spacing them throughout the span of the roof approximately every six to eight feet. The system was installed this year and Divricean anticipates no further problems from the dangers of snow and ice on the roof next winter. President of TRA Snow and Sun, Terry Anderson, was glad to be part of this project. “We do many snow retention projects, but whenever we get a call to be part of something that focuses so much on improving the quality of life for special people like those who use Camp Kostopulos,we really like it. I got into the roof snow retention business originally because I couldn’t stand the thought of someone being injured by falling snow and ice from a roof.”

At Camp Kostopulos kids, teens, and adults with disabilities enjoy riding horses, swimming in a heated pool, fishing in a trout pond, utilizing a ropes course, canoeing, creating arts and crafts, and more. Since 1967, the Kostopulos Dream Foundation has been dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through the medium of recreation and leisure education

TRA Snow and Sun, Inc., located in American Fork, Utah, offers Roof Snow Retention Devices, Solar Mounting Systems and Roof Flashing Solutions. They supply to all types of customers, from the individual homeowner to the big developer and free engineered designs of all their systems. For more information call Terry Anderson at TRA Snow and Sun at 800-606-8980 or
visit https://trasnowandsun.com/product-category/snow-retention/

Camp Kostopulos, accredited by the American Camp Association, is a residential summer camp where kids, teens, and adults with disabilities are able to choose from two options a five day residential camp or travel trips. For more information contact Mircea Divricean, Executive Director Kostopulos Dream Foundation,4180 Emigration Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, Phone: (801)582-0700, Fax: (801)583-5176, mdivricean@campk.org. Visit http://www.campk.org/.

When snow and ice accumulate on your roof, it can be a very dangerous situation. Using snow guards can both protect your home and the longevity of your roof. By ensuring that the snow does not slide and cause cracks in your roof, a snow guard will allow the snow to melt gradually and avoid any harm done to your roof. Here are some other benefits of installing snow guards.

Wise investment

If you live in an area where it typically snows a lot in the winter, it would be a wise investment for you and your family to get snow guards for your home. Not only does it protect your roof and your home, but it also protects anyone from being harmed by any falling ice or snow.

The purpose of snow guards

The purpose of the snow guard is to allow the snow to fully melt before it runs off the roof. This way you will not be surprised by any large amounts of snow and ice falling from your roof. Your roof will also last much longer when it is protected from ice forming and cracking your roof.

Avoid liability

As a business owner, it may be an opportunity to avoid any unnecessary liability issues as well. You wouldn’t want to be sued for a piece of ice hitting and injuring any innocent customers. If you are willing to invest in a snow guard before it’s too late you can save yourself from a lot of pain, lawsuits, or fees for reparations on your roof and other property.

Common roof architecture of homes in snow regions typically something look like the traditional A-frame or at the least has very steep angles and sides.  This is due to the mistaken belief that steep roofs are best because you want to shed snow off the roof, thereby making the entire home safer and less at risk to snow or water damage.

But the truth is far different!  At TRA Snow and Sun, we have a fundamentally different belief from the traditional view in that we KNOW that keeping the snow on the roof is far safer for both the home and those who live in the home.

The process of keeping snow on the roof of a home is called snow retention.  Snow retention can offer a wide range of advantages to a home owner, including the following:

• Accumulated snow on the roof serves to further insulate the home, cutting costs on heating and protecting the home from periods of bitter cold.
• Keeping the snow on the roof means less damage to the roof itself.  When snow and ice move down a roof and eventually fall from it, the damage to the roof can be severe.  One needs only to think of the effect of glaciers on mountains to understand the destructive power that moving rivers of snow and ice can have.
• When snow does fall from the roof, it can be extremely dangerous to persons below.
• Snow retention allows for an even snow melt off during the spring.

Halloween has now come and gone and the fall weather is beginning to reflect winter’s cold.  Homeowners who have not yet prepared their homes for winter should look to do so now.  As time runs out for winter preparations, homeowners who have put off their home winterization need to begin as soon as possible in order to fully ready their homes for winter’s freezing temperatures and heavy snow falls.

One of the first ways to winterize the home is to clean out the gutters.  During the autumn season especially, fallen leaves, twigs, and other debris can clog a home’s gutter system and make water removal from winter rain and snow storms impossible, which can in turn lead to water damage in the home or damage to the roof.

Another winterizing technique that can help a home protect itself from the winter weather is to have snow clips installed on the roof to provide snow retention.  Installing snow retention devices will allow for a safer and more efficient snow melt by keeping the snow on your roof where it melts in place rather than sliding off onto people of property.

Roofs without snow retention can be dangerous to the property and to those who live in the home.  Without snow retention, large chunks of snow and ice can fall from the roof of the home and cause damage or personal injury.

Another major step to winterizing a home will be to inspect the home’s heating system or furnace for any possible damage as well as for efficiency.  Even as fall surely turns to winter, it is not too late to prepare one’s home for the approaching snow and cold through proper home winterization.

If you have ever built a home or worked with your local government on the construction of a building, you understand how intense building codes can be.  There are probably codes out there that you do not even know exist! There seems to be a code for everything.

Putting in a window? Make sure it is up to code!

Installing an oven? Make sure it is up to code!

Building a deck? Make sure it is up to code!

You get the point. These codes, although they may feel like a nuisance, are extremely important in keeping each of us safe. Because of these codes we know that we should be able to open a window without it falling in on us, we know that our oven should not catch fire to the wall behind it and we know that when we stand on a deck it should be able to support us.

Without the building codes, we may not be able to trust our buildings.

Interestingly, there are not building codes related to the way that your roof handles the snow that will build up on it throughout the winter. This snow that is building up can cause serious damage to your roof, your gutters, your home, your yard and even to those that you love. The snow and ice that have slid off of houses in the past have killed those that it comes into contact with. Obviously, this is not safe.

It is important that you understand how to keep yourself, your home, your property and those that you love safe from a very dangerous situation. By working with TRA Snow and Sun, you can be sure that your roof is safe no matter what season it is. Although there may not be code enforced by the government, TRA Snow and Sun will make sure that your roof is going to handle the snow in the safest way possible. Do not hesitate to call or e-mail us today to get started on your way to a safe roof.