For most, the winter season means snow — some love it, some hate it, but no matter how you feel about it, snow is a pretty unavoidable part of winter. If you have a metal roof on your home and live in an area prone to snow, you may want to consider adding snow guards to your roof.
What are Snow Guards?
Snow guards are devices used on rooftops to help snow and ice melt completely and drift off your metal roof in small amounts, rather than all at once. Without snow guards, your roof may be susceptible to “roof avalanches." A roof avalanche is the sudden release of snow and ice all at once, which can cause damage to your gutters, lower roof area, skylights, and any other objects or people below your roof.
Do I Need Snow Guards?
If you live in an area prone to snowfall, especially heavy snowfall, Bridger Steel highly recommends installing snow guards for metal roofs. As snow accumulates, ice dams can form, snow gets heavier, and your metal roof could be prone to cave-ins.
Snow guards are designed to keep your roof and the objects below it in tact. So, if you’ve ever experienced ice or snow falling off your roof and causing damage to your property, the answer is yes — you need snow guards!
How are Snow Guards Installed?
When installing snow guards, you should always refer to any instructions and installation guides provided by the manufacturer. Typically, snow guards can be installed on a metal roof in two different two ways: with an adhesive or mechanically fastened with a clamp. Our team highly recommends using the clamp method, torqued to your roof’s specifications, in order to avoid any unnecessary penetrations to your roof.
There are different snow guards designed for different types of metal roofs (Corrugated, Standing Seam, etc.), so it’s vital that you follow the installation instructions specific to your metal roof profile.
Sliding ice and snow can cause damage to a homeowner's property. This damage isn’t just limited to your roof and trim or gutters, but also any objects (or people) below the roof. Snow guards help protect your home and property from these potential damages.
With the winter season quickly approaching, and already here for some, it’s a great idea to install snow guards before the snow season is in full swing. If you have any questions about snow guards for your metal roof, get in touch with one of our Product Specialists today. You can also shop our collection of snow retention accessories online.