It is a sudden release of snow off a rooftop. Falling snow forms a temperature-sensitive bond to the surface of a metal roof. As that roof is warmed, (through sun or building heat loss), the bond with the snow is broken and a thin film of melt water lubricates the roof. This sudden release from a rooftop can dump many tons of snow below the eaves in a matter of seconds, endangering building elements, landscape, vehicles and pedestrians.

Photovoltaics (PV) is the process of converting light into electricity. PV technology converts sunlight (otherwise known as solar radiation) into direct current electricity. This process uses semiconductors, (the most common semiconductor material being crystalline silicon), so when the sun hits the PV, the electrons are released and form an electric current.

Snow retention helps preserve your metal roof and allows snow drifts and snow melt to exit the roof in a more controlled manner (i.e. in small amounts, evaporation or melt water), avoiding the potential calamity of the rooftop avalanche.

A metal roof is a metal roof, right? WRONG. Standing seam and exposed-fastener roofs are both metal and may even serve similar purposes, but the two styles are very different indeed.

With our roof pitch snow guard calculator, once you enter a few key points of data, our system will quickly calculate the exact number of guards required and the recommended snow guard spacing for your engineered application. The calculator saves you time and money in the planning process. There is also an option to get a low-cost certified engineer stamp on your calculations. Read part one on why to use a snow guard calculator here. 

Our two-part series is on the S-5! Snow Guard Calculator. Step 1 covers exactly why it is so important to engineer your snow guard system. In Step 2, we'll explain how to log on and get started with your calculation!

Snow retention systems go by many names in the industry. Roof snow fences, snow rails, snow stops, snow stopper, snow guards, snow clips, snow bar, and more. Regardless of the phrase, the intended purpose is the same: to reduce the risks associated with rooftop avalanches. By holding back the snow and encouraging it to leave the roof slowly through small amounts or melting, damage to walls and foundations can be reduced.

This is Part Two of a two-part series on qualifying snow retention systems.

In Part 1 of What’s on Your Roof? we discussed how, unfortunately, there aren’t any snow guard police out there patrolling the industry. This creates a two-fold problem: One, that you can’t count on there being building inspectors to check a go-to-market system for structural adequacy; and two, architects and installers of these systems can potentially be sued for personal and property damage from faulty snow retention systems they specify or install.

Wanting to offset the plant’s electrical usage, and still show a return on investment, McElroy Metal chose a rail-less solar mounting solution system for its second manufacturing facility in Adelanto, CA. Secure module attachment was done with S-5! clamps and the PVKIT® - direct-attach™ system.

At S-5!, we don’t recommend installing adhesive-mounted snow guards on metal roofs. From both an economic and design perspective, glued on plastic snow guards typically have low holding strength and are unable to handle harsh weather-related elements. The bond weakens over time and when it fails, the guard can rip away paint and protective roof coatings, potentially leading to corrosion.

This is part one of a two-part series on qualifying snow retention systems.

In places where it frequently snows a lot and even in places where it doesn’t, metal is a favored material in protecting a house or other structure. On the surface, snow might appear to be rather innocuous, as it gently falls from the sky like the ending scene in the movie, White Christmas. But what the movie doesn’t show, is all through the night and much of the morning (if not longer) the light fluffy stuff piles deeper and deeper on top of the roof, incrementally increasing its own weight. Then, when the sun comes out, an avalanche of snow tumbles down onto unsuspecting persons, vehicles and landscapes below.