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TOPIC: Snow guards

Snow guards/diverters

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I have an Everlast metal roof on my garage and in the winter the snow and ice fly off it like poop through a goose! I want the snow to come off the roof but I need to divert it away from certain area's like my stove pipe and garage door (approx 8' wide) driveway. My main roof is 6/12 and porch roof's are 4/12. Since I don't want to install snow guards the whole 50' span of my building, I don't think it would be good to install them in only 8' sections, please correct me if I'm wrong. How can I divert the snow away from these area's or can't I? Thanks, Don.
Guest User

1/21/2008
I would consider a snow fence attached to the panel ribs over those areas using S5! clips.
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.

1/24/2008
Thanks Todd, who makes the S5 clips? I'd like to see what they look like. Don.
Guest User

1/26/2008
www.s-5.com
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.

2/6/2008
I have a slight twist on Don Handley's problem. I live near Breckenridge, CO, at 10,500 ft. I have a standing seem metal roof with a chimney stack about 10 feet below the ridge on a 12:12 roof. The snow fall is immense each winter ranging from 8-10 feet. The roof sheds snow just fine except above the chimney where it slides into the chimney, forms 1-2 feet of solid blue ice with about 3-4 feet of snow on top. This weight presses against the metal chimney threatening to crush it. I do not believe a snow fence could handle such a load but, I am not an expert. Some local roofers want to tear off the metal panels and build dormer style snow diverter with metal roofing over it. I shudder at the work and expense. Tom, what do you recommend?
Guest User

7/23/2008
Is there a way to do some sort of supporting straps to hold the chimney up?
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.

7/30/2008
I just finished patching my heated hangar roof today. It's typical pole building construction. A heavy snow in December resulted in snow sliding over time and shearing off the fresh air intake for the overhead radiant heater (knocking out the heat while we were out of town) and also shearing off the PVC plumbing stack, but not before tearing about a 2' gash in the roof. I'm wondering, when I replace these components, if placing snow guards up-hill from them would prevent this from happening in future? Also thinking about moving these roof protrusions closer to the roof peak to miinimize the weight of snow bearing down on them.
Keith Miesel

1/30/2011
Both good ideas. You can virtually eliminate the need for them above the penetrations if you put the penetrations as near the ridge line as you indicated.
Eric Novotny
An informed customer is the Best Customer!

1/30/2011
Thanks. Between that and possibly sending one or more of these protrusions through the wall instead of the roof (I thought the fresh air intake on the roof was a bad idea when it was first installed, confirmed now by experience) I can avoid this in the future.
Keith Miesel

1/31/2011
The S-5! web site has a calculation tool to help you figure out how many rows of snow fence you need. See atttached picture of an installation on a vertical leg standing seam.
Ken Buchinger
NCI Building Systems, Inc.

1/31/2011
There are some simple answers that have been used in the mountains and have saved many of roof vents, or pipe penetrations. Yes snow retention systems work well when the snow is wanted to stay on the roof, but there are roofing products called diverters that are made from 18 ga steel that would divert the ice and snow to either side of your problem area. Snow diverters have been around for years, but you will want one made to withstand the snow load of your area. I know Sno Shield makes a version that is covered with the same material as your roof, however it's not listed on their products page, you will either have to call them or find a distributor of these sort of products, Metal Sales MFG also carries another line of snow diverters. Good luck, very common problem here in the mountains
Matt Riley
Snow Stops Here!

3/8/2011
When choosing a snow retention system it is important to remember that snow freezes in blankets and so if you place retention devices only over key areas, like doors and garages, you might be asking more than the system is designed for. It would be similar to stopping a glacier with 10 feet of retaining wall but allowing all other areas to move freely. Something to consider is to find a quality product that is manageable to your budget and then install a full system in the area your having trouble. Snow guards work well because they are generally less expensive than fence systems and can be adapted to an individuals project with little effort.
Matt Riley
Snow Stops Here!

3/8/2011