Metal Roof Innovations Central

What is a Snow Guard? Blog Feature

What is a Snow Guard?

Posted by Kimberly Reichert on Jan 16, 2019 11:47:54 AM

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.

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Tags: snow guards, plastic snow guards, metal roof clamps

Standing Seam vs. Exposed-Fastened Metal Roofs: Contrasts Blog Feature

Standing Seam vs. Exposed-Fastened Metal Roofs: Contrasts

Posted by Kimberly Reichert on Dec 19, 2018 12:28:39 PM

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.

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Tags: metal roof, metal roof clamps, standing seam metal roof, exposed fastened

How to Use an Online Snow Guard Calculator Blog Feature

How to Use an Online Snow Guard Calculator

Posted by Kimberly Reichert on Dec 11, 2018 9:41:25 AM

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

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Tags: snow guards, metal roof, metal roof clamps

Why Engineer a Snow Guard System for Your Metal Roof?

Posted by Kimberly Reichert on Dec 5, 2018 3:51:53 PM

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.

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Tags: snow guards, plastic snow guards, metal roof, metal roof clamps, standing seam metal roof

What are the Best Snow Guards for Metal Roofs? Blog Feature

What are the Best Snow Guards for Metal Roofs?

Posted by Kimberly Reichert on Nov 6, 2018 2:13:43 PM

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. 

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Tags: snow guards, metal roof, metal roof clamps

Cost Comparison: S-5-V and S-5-H90 vs. the S-5-U Clamp

Posted by David Stahler on Aug 17, 2018 2:38:58 PM

Well, you’re a loyal S-5! user and as most prudent consumers, contractors, or installers; you are looking to save money without sacrificing quality, tested performance, and ease of installation. Today, we will address questions related to the use of the S-5-V or S-5-V Mini and S-5-H90 or S-5-H90 Mini over the use of the S-5-U or S-5-U Mini clamps.

The S-5-U and S-5-U Mini clamp are versatile clamps. This clamp is designed to fit vertically-oriented seams and many of the (larger) horizontally-oriented seams. Because of this versatility there is more labor, tooling and machining involved in the manufacture of the clamp. The S-5-U clamp is machined for an M8 bolt on both the top and the side of the clamp. And there are setscrew holes on both sides. So, while the clamp fits more metal roof profiles, it also costs more to produce. 

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Tags: metal roof, metal roof clamps

Why is the PVKIT 2.0 the Right Way to Mount Solar PV?

Posted by Nik Holley on Aug 3, 2018 10:52:05 AM
 

The first direct-attach PVKIT was released almost a decade ago, disrupting the industry and providing a simple, cost-effective way to mount solar to both standing seam and exposed fastener metal roofing without using rails. This innovation drastically reduced the material needed to install solar. When you think about it, with a metal roof, the standing seam or the ribs of the roof are your rails.  

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Tags: metal roof clamps, solar mounting

How Can I Find the Right Clamp for My Standing Seam Metal Roof?

Posted by David Stahler on Jul 12, 2018 5:03:30 PM

First you need to determine what type of metal roof you have. S-5! Provides various solutions for all metal types and profiles. One of the S-5! clamp products will be suited to your standing seam (concealed fastened) metal roof. So which standing seam roof profile do you have? Let’s take a look at how to make that determination. 

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Tags: snow guards, plastic snow guards, metal roof clamps

When is it Good to Use a Two-Pipe Snow Guard System? Blog Feature

When is it Good to Use a Two-Pipe Snow Guard System?

Posted by Jessica Haddock on Feb 16, 2018 3:37:58 PM

Is a Bigger Snow Guard Better?

There is a common perception that “more is better”, such as “two pipes are better than one” and “three are better than two”. Many believe that because a snow bank is very deep, it should have a taller snow guard system—with more cross-members.

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Tags: snow guards, metal roof, metal roof clamps, rooftop equipment

Why is it a Bad Idea to Put Snow Guards Over Doorways on a Metal Roof? Blog Feature

Why is it a Bad Idea to Put Snow Guards Over Doorways on a Metal Roof?

Posted by Jessica Haddock on Jan 17, 2018 8:00:00 AM

Often, we are asked to provide localized snow guards and systems (snow retention systems) over an entranceway or several of them rather than protecting the entire eave line of a standing seam metal roof. In limited cases this can be done, but extreme caution is advised.

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Tags: snow guards, metal roof, metal roof clamps

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S-5!: Industry-Best Warranty

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Why do industry experts endorse S-5!? Because they know our rigorously researched, tested, and quality-engineered products deliver unprecedented value and innovative excellence. And all of our USA-made clamps and brackets are backed by an industry-leading limited lifetime manufacturer warranty