Snow can create picturesque winter landscapes, but it also poses structural threats. Heavy snowfall can add excessive weight to a roof, increasing the risk of leaks and collapse.
Structural engineers and construction companies use ground snow load maps when designing a new building. These help ensure a structure’s roof is designed for the anticipated load.
Reduces Risk of Ice Dams
The only method available for gathering real-time data that enables engineers to spot problems before they become serious ones is through a structural monitoring building system. It also helps to decrease maintenance expenses and increases the longevity of the building. Nonuniform roof surface temperatures are a common cause of ice dams. The heat from the house rises and melts snow on some parts of the roof but not others where the temperature is colder. These melting and freezing cycles cause the ice dams to build over time.
Keep the roof clean and adequately ventilated to prevent ice dams from forming. Prune tree branches and brush to avoid an accumulation of leaves and debris that may clog or slow roof drainage. Remove snow from the roof with a long-handled roof rake for single-story buildings, or use electric snow movers on pitched roofs. Using a professional for this job is recommended, as climbing and removing snow on roofs is dangerous.
Prevents Damage to Roof Trusses
While snow is not particularly heavy, when combined with periods of thawing and refreezing, it becomes densely packed and pushes building structures to their limits. This sudden and excessive weight is one of the leading causes of building collapses and buckling roofs.
In the case of steel buildings, it puts people and equipment inside the structure in danger of injury or death. Building owners can avoid this by looking for the warning signs of too much snow load: a sagging roof or a noticeable movement in the walls and ceilings.
Building owners can control the snow on their roofs using a professional snow roof system. It is possible to avoid unbalanced loads and the need to add structural support to areas not intended to support heavy loads by removing snow in layers from various roof sections. It is essential near ventilator bases, pipe flashings, rooftop units, and conduits.
Prevents Collapse
Every winter, we see news stories of buildings that collapse under the weight of snow. While most roofs are designed in snow-prone areas with the proper slope and load capacity to prevent collapse, heavy accumulation can lead to structural damage that will eventually cause a roof to collapse.
Generally, a typical roof will be built to handle 30 pounds per square foot of roof area, or the “live load” of snow plus everything else on the roof, including people, equipment, and the 10,000-watt Santa-and-reindeer display. During a significant snow event, building owners should monitor the live and dead loads to ensure they stay within the roof’s design capability.
Shoveling is the most common way of removing snow, but it can be difficult and dangerous on flat roofs. Additionally, it can create an uneven snow distribution that stresses the structure. For these reasons, building owners need to have a plan to monitor snow accumulating on their rooftops and take action if there are signs of trouble, such as cracking walls or leaking.
Increases Building Efficiency
Snow accumulations on buildings and homes cause structural damage and reduce energy efficiency. It is because when a roof collapses, it allows cold air to leak into the structure and heat from inside to escape. Snow retention systems are designed to prevent these issues and protect building and home performance.
Heavy loads of snow sliding off a metal roof can damage landscaping, parked vehicles, and the lower section of the roof itself. They can also be very dangerous to people.
Installing a snow retention system is the best way to avoid these dangers. These are known as a “snow fence” or “snow stop”. They hold the ice and snow until it melts or falls safely from the roof surface. They can be installed on all roofing materials, including shingles, wood, slate, or metal. One of the most popular products is the X-Gard 2.0 pipe snow retention system that can be specified to match the clean lines of standing seam metal roofs.
