Get AIA Continuing Educational Credits

July 10, 2019/in Blog /by Brandon Jensen

In response to requests from architects and other construction specifiers, TRA Snow and Sun has decided to continue with the popular continuing education course, “Roofing Solutions for Alpine Regions”.

Learning how to protect people and property from dangerous falling snow and ice just got much easier with the online course created by TRA Snow and Sun and approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). When an architect designs a building there are hundreds of decisions to make besides the obvious, visual components that make up an attractive and functional building: what type of window to specify, what color carpet, or what type of roof are obvious ones. There are some specifications that are vital to the safety of those who will use the building and create liability for the architect and contractors.

If the building is located in a snowy, cold climate, special consideration should be given to the proper design and engineering of devices to retain snow and ice on the roof. Most construction professionals don’t realize the importance of snow retention devices and how critical they are in alpine regions.

Terry Anderson, nationally respected roofing consultant and owner of TRA Snow and Sun and Anderson Associates Consulting, has established himself and his companies as experts in the roof snow retention industry over 35 years and is co-author of the Concrete and Clay Tile Design Criteria for Cold and Snow Regions. The AIA online course, Roofing Solutions for Alpine Regions provides one credit hour of continuing education credit for architects wishing to maintain their license. It is also available for anyone wishing to understand the best way to design a roof in a cold or snowy climate. It incorporates Anderson’s extensive experience and deals specifically with:

The common roofing challenges that are unique to cold climates.
The advantages and disadvantages of the most common solutions to snow and ice on roofs.
The accepted roof design practices in Europe as compared to those in the United States and Canada.
The concepts and effectiveness of roof ventilation and snow retention in reducing snow and ice problems.
Several factors to be considered in the proper engineering of roof snow retention devices.

The course is available online (Ron Blank) or online (AEC Daily) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Credits are automatically submitted to AIA, CSI and other organizations by AEC Daily, one of the largest providers of free continuing education for architects, engineers, contractors, specifiers, and other construction professionals.

TRA Snow and Sun, Inc., located in American Fork, Utah, offers Roof Snow Guard Retention Devices, Solar Racking Systems and Roof Ventilation and Flashing Solutions. They provide all customers, from the individual homeowner to the big developer, free engineered designs for all their systems. For more information call us at 801-756-8666.

TRA Snow and Sun, Inc. offers AIA continuing education course, “Roofing Solutions for Alpine Regions”

December 17, 2018/in Blog /by Brandon Jensen

In response to requests from architects and other construction specifiers, TRA Snow and Sun has decided to continue with the popular continuing education course, “Roofing Solutions for Alpine Regions”.

Learning how to protect people and property from dangerous falling snow and ice just got much easier with the online course created by TRA Snow and Sun and approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). When an architect designs a building there are hundreds of decisions to make besides the obvious, visual components that make up an attractive and functional building: what type of window to specify, what color carpet, or what type of roof are obvious ones. There are some specifications that are vital to the safety of those who will use the building and create liability for the architect and contractors.

If the building is located in a snowy, cold climate, special consideration should be given to the proper design and engineering of devices to retain snow and ice on the roof. Most construction professionals don’t realize the importance of snow retention devices and how critical they are in alpine regions.

Terry Anderson, nationally respected roofing consultant and owner of TRA Snow and Sun and Anderson Associates Consulting, has established himself and his companies as experts in the roof snow retention industry over 35 years and is co-author of the Concrete and Clay Tile Design Criteria for Cold and Snow Regions. The AIA online course, Roofing Solutions for Alpine Regions provides one credit hour of continuing education credit for architects wishing to maintain their license. It is also available for anyone wishing to understand the best way to design a roof in a cold or snowy climate. It incorporates Anderson’s extensive experience and deals specifically with:

The common roofing challenges that are unique to cold climates.
The advantages and disadvantages of the most common solutions to snow and ice on roofs.
The accepted roof design practices in Europe as compared to those in the United States and Canada.
The concepts and effectiveness of roof ventilation and snow retention in reducing snow and ice problems.
Several factors to be considered in the proper engineering of roof snow retention devices.

The course is available online (Ron Blank) or online (AEC Daily) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Credits are automatically submitted to AIA, CSI and other organizations by AEC Daily, one of the largest providers of free continuing education for architects, engineers, contractors, specifiers, and other construction professionals.

TRA Snow and Sun, Inc., located in American Fork, Utah, offers Roof Snow Guard Retention Devices, Solar Racking Systems and Roof Ventilation and Flashing Solutions. They provide all customers, from the individual homeowner to the big developer, free engineered designs for all their systems. For more information call us at 801-756-8666.

VersaFlash: The Must Have ‘Roofer’s Duct Tape’

March 5, 2016/in Blog, Roofing /by Kile Johnson

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.

VersaFlash: The Roofer’s Duct Tape

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.

Types of VersaFlash

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.

Why Choose VersaFlash?

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.

Versatility

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.

Conforms to Many Roof Types

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:

Asphalt Shingles
Wood Shingles and Shakes
Slate
Metal (copper, steel, aluminum, tile)
Fiber Cement

Durability

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.

TIME FOR A SOLAR MOUNTING CHANGE

January 25, 2016/in Blog /by Brandon Jensen

ARE YOU TIRED OF CUTTING TILE WHEN INSTALLING SOLAR MOUNTING?

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.

YOUR SOLAR MOUNTING SOLUTION …

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!

NO TILE CUTTING INVOLVED IN THE INSTALLATION PROCESS

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.

Solar Tile Mount

Available for flat, mid and high profile
Adjustable for secure attachment to the structural member of the roof.Corrosion-resistant materials
Corrosion-resistant materials
Quick and easy to mount
Decrease Labor– No cutting of the tile required
Requires no special flashing

Materials/Finishes

6005A-T6 Aluminum / 6005A-T5 Aluminum
Mill finish
Black Anodized (upon request)

Testing

Solar Tile Mount has been tested from the fail point of the system.

WE DO CUSTOM SOLAR MOUNTING

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, [email protected], or visit: https://trasnowandsun.com/solar-mounting/

Staying Safe and Warm During this Record Breaking Winter

March 4, 2014/in Blog /by Laurie Anderson

This year has seen a number of records shattered as temperatures across the nation have plummeted to unforeseen lows. With this consistent cold weather in places that are not used to seeing such low temperatures, as residence of Atlanta can attest, it becomes important for all individuals and families to know how to keep both safe and warm during the last few weeks (hopefully) of winter.

First, a person must secure their home from the cold. The home offers the best protection from the cold for families and individuals and for this reason, looking after the condition and state of the home is vital for safety and warmth in the winter. To secure the home, consider a few of the following tips:

Shut off irrigation water and insulate pipes in the home to avoid freezing and damage
Cover vents around the foundation of the home
Bolster insulation to the attic (as heat from the home will rise and escape through the attic)
Use weather stripping around doors and windows to limit heat loss
Upgrade glass windows to the more durable products that retain insulation

Next, after securing the home, an individual and a family can take further precautions to protect themselves from the dangers of the winter. Some suggestions include:

Dressing warmly by layering clothing
Winterizing the family car with snow tires and with fluids designed for cold weather use
Compile and maintain a survival kit for the home in the case of extended power outage or bitter weather that keeps the family indoors for extended periods of time.

Those families and individuals that follow these suggestions for cold weather living will be able to be kept safe and warm even through the hardest of winters.

photo credit: Dakiny via photopin cc

Turn your Home into a Green Home

December 20, 2013/in Blog /by Laurie Anderson

We all know that using solar panels can help to improve the energy efficiency of our homes, but there is much more than can be done. If you want to save money, and help the environment, there are small but effective ways to do so, starting in your own home. Here are some ways in which you can effectively turn your home into a green, energy efficient home.

Turn down the heat

Ya, we all want to live the life of luxury at 73 degrees, but sometimes that is just not cost efficient and it ultimately wastes energy that is not really necessary. Not only will you find that you are more awake and alert in the mornings when you wake up and its 55 degrees but you will also find that you lose weight just trying to keep your body warm. So turn down the heat and get your workout started just by being in your home.

Insulation

There is no better way to waste energy than to send it straight out of your house because you don’t have good insulation. It is like having the heater on in your car and having the windows down in the middle of the winter, kind of counterproductive, right? Make sure that you get your place insulated with right company; you could potentially save up to 40% of your heat from escaping to the outside.

There are many other tips to help you save money on energy and keep your house at an optimal efficiency with use of heat and electricity. For instance you can use energy efficient lights or just turn them off when you are not in the room, wash laundry on cold, or just get more efficient appliances. Make sure you are saving money and the planet by being more efficient with your energy use.

photo credit: Ryan R via photopin cc

Why Snow Should be Kept On Your Roof

March 18, 2013/in Blog /by Laurie Anderson

When you think about snow building up on your roof during the winter time, is your gut reaction to find a way to get the snow off of your roof? If it is, you are not alone but you are wrong. You may think that we are being bold, but stick with us. Shedding the snow throughout the winter can be detrimental to your roof and dangerous to anyone near your roof.

Most roofing consultants suggest that roofs are built in a way that sheds the snow and ice off of the roof throughout the winter months. If you build a roof that pushes large volumes of snow and ice off of your roof, you will probably find that as the snow and ice scrape across your roof it will cause damage.

Not only does the sliding and scraping cause damage to your roof, but the ice dams can also cause damage. Have you heard of an ice dam? If not, we can be pretty sure that you have at least seen one. An ice dam is a buildup of ice that occurs as snow is pushed down the roof, but does not quite make it off of the roof. The snow starts to melt and then refreeze. You can see that the ice extends farther than the roof and as it builds up, it puts even more pressure on the edge of your roof.

To stop ice dams from developing and to snow the snow load from scraping and pulling at your roof, you must stop the movement. Interestingly, once you stop the movement of ice and snow you will also find that the snow acts as an insulator for your home.

When your attic is ventilated properly, you can assure that the snow keeps your warmth inside of your home. It may seem counter intuitive that extra snow on your home will keep it warmer, but it’s true. As we work with you to develop a more effective snow retention plan for your roof we will ensure that your roof is safer to be around throughout winter months, that the snow will insulate your home and that your roof will not endure as much stress, that results in damage, next snow season.

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