People frequently ask us, “How important is fall protection?” Many contractors and installers have spent so much time on top of metal roofs, they’re confident they can easily navigate the terrain. But accidents may happen. In addition to protecting yourself and your workers, OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) established requirements professionals must follow.


Securing Guardrails and Anchor Points for Fall Protection on Metal Roofing
Tags: metal roof, metal roof clamps, metal roof brackets, standing seam metal roof, rooftop equipment, safety, fall protection


Why Do Exposed-Fastened Metal Roofs Need Continuous Snow Bars?
Every year, accumulated snow unexpectedly slides off metal roofs, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage, personal injury and even death. But the truth is these calamities can be prevented by a tested, proven and engineered snow retention system.
Tags: snow guards, metal roof, metal roof brackets, rooftop equipment, exposed fastened, sealants, weather-proofing


How to Get Your Roof Ready for Santa and His Reindeer
Christmas is just around the corner, and Santa will be making his rounds in mere days. People often think about baking cookies to set out for the Jolly Old Elf or cleaning soot out the chimney’s hearth to give him a clear pathway to the tree. But your rooftop is really the most important spot because this is where Santa’s sleigh will touch down. The big question is: Is your roof ready?
Tags: snow guards, metal roof, solar mounting, standing seam metal roof, PV


How to Prevent Snow From Falling Off a Metal Roof Over the Snow Guards
When most people think of snow releasing from a metal rooftop, a cascade of falling snow generally comes to mind. But there are other ways snow can slide off your roof – even when you have a snow guard system in place. Under certain conditions, a thin blanket of snow can “buckle,” pushing a “loop” upwards and causing snow to fold over the top of a snow guard and shed from your metal roof.
Tags: snow guards, metal roof


Best Practices in Solar PV Wire Management for the Skilled Installer
One of the most important aspects of any solar PV installation on a metal roof is wire management, but even seasoned professionals can find this task confusing. There’s a myriad of things to track. You need to position the conductors so they correctly connect as modules are installed, keep all wires off the roof, deliver jumpers to the homerun and down to the inverter, and stay organized. If you have a large-scale job, this process becomes increasingly complex.
Tags: metal roof, solar mounting, metal roof brackets, standing seam metal roof, PV, rail mounted solar panels, exposed fastened, installation


Build a Smart Foundation for Wire Management Using Rail or Rail-less Solar PV on Your Metal Roof
Are you new to installing solar PV modules on a metal roof? We’ve heard from many of you who’d like a better grasp on the fundamentals of solar PV installation – especially when setting the stage for proper wire management. So today we’re offering you a primer on:
- The components of a PV array and how they work together.
- An overview of Module-Level Power Electronics (MLPE).
- The steps to get ready for solar PV wire-management design.
Tags: metal roof, solar mounting, PV, rail mounted solar panels, rooftop equipment, cost


How Do You Design a Reliable Snow Guard System for Your Metal Roof?
If you’ve wondered about the best way to install snow guards, you’re in good company. Last week at the 2021 International Roofing Expo (IRE) in Las Vegas, many people dropped by our exhibition booth to see our products firsthand, meet the S-5! team and get the answers they needed. We thought we’d take a moment to cover how best to design a reliable snow guard system – especially since there are no established codes to guide you.
Tags: snow guards, metal roof, rooftop equipment


Design and Optimize the Solar PV Layout (Solar Zone) on Your Metal Roof
Ready to put a solar PV array on your roof? With solar installations becoming increasingly popular, many building owners, DIYers and new-to-solar contractors are learning about this field. If you’re jumping into the world of solar installations, we’ve pulled together some ideas and important considerations to get you started on the right foot.
We know solar installations often occur when you’re undertaking new roof construction or roof replacements. But before you begin your project, if you don’t have a metal roof, now’s the time to consider getting one. It’s the only roof type able to last and even exceed the entire life of your solar array without the need for replacement. To mount a solar PV system on any other roof type is a bit like putting a Ferrari engine on a Ford Escort chassis.
Tags: metal roof, PV, rooftop equipment, exposed fastened, cost, installation


5 Reasons Rail-less Is the Future of Metal Rooftop Solar Mounting
When it comes to attaching solar modules to metal rooftops, traditional rails have been a conventional choice. But familiar concepts don’t necessarily deliver the best outcomes, and the advantages of rail-less solutions are moving the industry in a new direction.
Decades ago – when interest in mounting solar PV on rooftops began – the introduction of using continuous aluminum rails as a solar racking system to mount PV modules in place was a practical application for all roof types. Eventually, innovation opened new doors and rail-less solutions were developed specifically for metal roofing. Using discrete hardware to directly secure each module to a metal roof, the new strategy completely bypassed the need for rails and brought some clear improvements.
Tags: metal roof, metal roof clamps, solar mounting, metal roof brackets, standing seam metal roof, PV, rail mounted solar panels, cost, installation


Rail vs. Rail-less: Which Is the Best Solar Mounting Platform for Your Roof?
If you’re thinking of putting solar PV on your metal roof to generate renewable energy and save money over time, you’ve made a great choice. Metal roofs are an ideal platform for mounting solar modules thanks to their long service life and durability. Solar arrays have a service life of 35+ years, and metal roofing has a demonstrated service life of 60 years. Aside from metal, there are no other roof types that measure up to that without requiring replacement. Both standing seam and exposed-fastened metal roofs support solar arrays very effectively.
Tags: metal roof, metal roof clamps, solar mounting, metal roof brackets, standing seam metal roof, rail mounted solar panels, rooftop equipment, exposed fastened, cost, installation