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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 Snow Bracket H – Classic or Apex, 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 – Apex
Snow Bracket H – Classic
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 – Classic or Apex
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.
Are you hearing loud noises coming from your roof?
This can be a sign that snow is sliding. Beware the next time you open the door to go outside especially if your door opens where snow falls. Deaths have occurred when snow slippage is imminent and someone slams a door. Just the vibration creates an avalanche.
Are you noticing large pieces of ice and/or snow coming off in big chunks?
Are pieces of your gutter coming off with ice at the eave? Ice is a heavy and powerful factor in gutters becoming disconnected from the structure.
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!).
In the next couple of days, a wintry mix could make things dicey on the mountains and even in your neighborhoods. That’s why avalanche forecasters are urging caution. Nicole Vowell reports from KSL Channel 5 New.
To help avoid such avalanche conditions there are several factors that one must evaluate when determining if a particular building requires a snow retention system.
The first question you should pose is “What would happen if snow slides off the roof?”
The second question is “Do we care?”
When snow slides off of a roofing surface, it can come crashing down or slide off and then piles up on whatever is below the edge of the roof. Snow retention is frequently used to protect landscaping around the perimeter of the building, to protect guttering systems around the edge of the roof, and to keep snow from piling either on a lower roof level or decks, sidewalks and at garage entrances. If nothing below the roof can be damaged by this avalanche of snow and ice, it may be best to let the snow and ice slide off unhindered.
However, what if what is below the roof could be damaged?
During the winter months, as snow accumulates on your home, gravity will begin to pull it down the slope of your roof. There are many reasons this can be harmful to your home or even dangerous. In worst structural cases, this can lead to damage to costly gutter systems, structural damage to lower roof levels, and even destruction of mature landscaping around the perimeter of a home.
Low-slope roofs with parapet walls naturally keep snow and ice on the roof. On a sloped roof, however, large chunks of snow and ice can slide off as the snow melts. Avalanching snow is probable on roofing systems with a steep enough slope and/or a low coefficient of friction. This is especially dangerous for pedestrians walking below.
There are many types of roofing materials, each has advantages and disadvantages and each should be considered when determining the placement of snow retention on the building.
When considering whether to install a snow retention system on your roof, you may first want to consider what type of roof you have. Will your roof allow snow to slide? Probably. In places with heavy snows, like areas in Utah, it is common for snow to slide off of all types of roof systems, leading to heavy ice and snow build up in gutters, which causes damage over time. If you have a metal, tile, slate or membrane roof with a pitch of 1/12 or greater, snow will definitely slide off and cause problems.
TRA snow retention systems are available for all types of roofs and come in a variety of options. The specific snow retention equipment recommended for your roof will depend on the type of roof system installed, the pitch of the roof, snow load, sheathing type, how old the building is and budget.
Our snow fences, brackets, and clamps are all types of snow retention systems that prevent large sheets of snow or ice from falling off a pitched roof. The systems hold the snow on the roof so it can gradually melt off, preventing damage to people and objects below.
At TRA Snow and Sun, we engineer and layout each project free of charge using the unique factors specific to your project. TRA Snow and Sun representatives will work with you to design the most efficient snow retention system. We can design your roof to work with a variety of applications. Just give us your project details & we will design your Snow Retention System 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/
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.
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!
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!).
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/.
Snow sitting on top of a roof can be volatile and dangerous. Like an avalanche, you can never be quite sure when it will all come crashing down. In several cases, adults and children alike have been unlucky enough to be underneath the heavy avalanche of falling snow. Many don’t survive, and those that do are often injured by the icy nature of the snow.
The snow has been through several melting-freezing cycles by the time it comes tumbling off your house. It’s no longer the light, fluffy stuff it was when it first fell. It’s dangerous.
If you live in a home that tends to accumulate a lot of snow up top, you have two options. You can either brush it all off or set up a few snow retention devices.
Brushing the snow often requires a dangerous adventure to the slippery, slopped roof. Many folks have found this situation to be similarly precarious to standing under an avalanche of falling snow. When done properly, it can protect those that may venture under the eaves of your house. But there is a safer way, and now would be the best time to implement that way on your roof.
Snow retention devices are pieces of technology you install on your roof to hold the snow there. With a roof snow retention system, snow and ice drop off in small, harmless quantities or melt completely before falling to the ground, thereby stopping a disaster before it even happens.
They are more commonly installed during the summer and fall months while roofs are dry and safe to ascend to. The best thing is that once they’re installed, you don’t have to get on the roof again during those slippery months to push the snow off. The devices have the same effect without endangering your life.
There are a number of different kinds of snow retention devices you can put on your roof. They come as clips, brackets, rails and fences. Each helps out in a different way and should be chosen according to your individual project circumstances. For a full list of what we offer, check out our snow retention product line.
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