November 21, 2013

TRA Snow and Sun designs Universal Snow Bracket which is less expensive than other, larger snow guards and will compete with plastic snow guards. The new snow guard attaches to most roof types.

TRA Snow and Sun, Inc., long recognized in the roofing industry for its engineered and safety-conscious approach to roof snow retention, has developed a new, more versatile and inexpensive snow bracket, the Universal Guard. The new snow guard has a low profile and attaches to almost all roof types: asphalt shingles, metal panel, wood shingles, slate. It’s design and price will compete with other manufacturers’ plastic snow guards.

The Universal Guard standard size is 2.5″ x 2.5″ x 2.5″ but customizable to meet any width requirement. For example if a roofer is installing a metal panel with 2″ between ribs, this bracket can be made 2″ wide. If a roofer wants to fill in the space on a 16″ panel, the Universal Guard can be made 16″ wide. TRA provides free engineering for all roof projects.

Terry Anderson, President of TRA Snow and Sun, explained why they created the new snow bracket. “We wanted to offer an inexpensive option to plastic snow guards which discolor and breakdown due to ultra-violet light exposure over time. Our metal Universal Guard is comparable in price, but much more durable. The Universal Guard can be easily stocked by wholesalers, making it readily available to the roofer or homeowner to pick up and install all in one day.”

There are three methods of attachment: vertically attaching to a truss or rafter, horizontally attaching to metal purlin, using adhesive to glue to metal panel and screwing into roof sheathing. However, TRA encourages mechanical fasten rather than relying on adhesive. These options make the product adaptable to a wide range of roof projects.

TRA Snow and Sun offers powder-coating of all products, including the Universal Guard, in more than 50 standard colors. One other benefit is the color insert. An installer can cut a piece of the metal panel, and slide it into the bracket to blend the snow bracket in with the roof or to complement the color scheme of the building.

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 Jacob Anderson at TRA Snow and Sun at 800-606-8980 or visit our site.

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.

For any who have experienced the damages to a home or property stemming from clogged gutters, then you already know how important it is to keep an eye on the gutters of a home and ensure that they are cleaned regularly in the fall.  For those who are  ignorant of the damage that could occur to a home due to clogged gutters because you have never had to deal with that issue, consider the effect of a massive fall rain storm or the aftermath of a winter’s thaw.

When heavy rains or melting snow accumulate on the roof, the sheer amount of water that can be produced is astounding.  This water can be safely removed from the home’s gutter system and clear the home from danger, but only if the gutters in the home are cleaned and cleared of debris.

If the gutters are clogged, then all of the water that could have otherwise been dispersed and drained properly back-builds to overflowing in the gutters of the home.  This can result in damage to the roof of the home, the siding or other framing of the home and even to flooding to the lower parts of the home once the water accumulates enough in areas that are supposed to be protected by the gutter.  With the winter storms approaching and the leaves on the trees in the yards of homes shedding off, gutters of homes can quickly be clogged with debris and falling leaves.

By taking the time to clean the gutters of the home, multiple times a month if necessary during the fall, a homeowner can be assured that they will be better prepared and protected against the potential for damage due to clogged gutters.

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.