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TOPIC: Snow guards

Snow in the attic space

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Either ProfileVent does not stop snow or an incorrect installation allows snow into the attic space. We have 16 inch wide standing seams panels from Metal Sales. I found a 19 foot panel from ridge to eave with no screws. I told my roofing contractor and he said they must be in the rafter. I went into the attic and found screws about 3 inches on the other side of the adjacent rafters with no screws for 32 inches in between. Our rafters are on 24 inch centers. So they did miss screwing down at least one panel. While in the attic, I noticed some piles of snow. The deepest pile is about 3 inches. We've had 2 days of highs around 15 F and lows about 8 F, and light snow with winds about 25 mph. If we get heavy snow and normal winter winds of 40 to 100 mph, I suspect we will get much more snow in the attic space and more water damage to the ceilings. Has anyone else seen snow get through ProfileVent, ridge venting material? Following is a Punch List I sent to our roofing contractor: PUNCH LIST FOR RE-ROOFING PERFORMED BY FOWLER CONSTRUCTION AT HUTCHINS RESIDENCE 1. ProfileVent not installed per installation instructions. Sheathing not cut and removed according to industry standard, which calls for 1 inch to 1.5 inch of sheathing to be removed on each side of the roof peak. Some Image II roof panels are cut too short, and others are too long. See ProfileVent Installation Instructions. 2. Eave flashing not installed per Metal Sales Image II Installation Guide. Guide calls out a 3 inch minimum overlap with a continuous bead of sealant between multiple flashing, when more than one eave flashing is required. See page 27 for a detailed explanation. 3. Ridge cover flashing not installed per Metal Sales Image II Installation Guide. Guide calls out a 3 inch minimum overlap with continuous sealant bead of sealant between multiple flashing, when more than one ridge flashing is required. One or more screws not installed in ridge cover at panel standing seam. See page 23 for a detailed explanation. 4. Valley flashing not installed per Metal Sales Image II Installation Guide. Guide calls out a minimum of 6 inches overlap and a continuous bead of sealant between flashing, when multiple flashing are used. Panels meeting at the valleys are less than the 3 inch minimum from the center of the valley, as called out in the Guide. Some valley flashing not sealed with sealant at end meeting eaves. See page 25 for a detailed explanation. 5. Image II panel rib ends along eaves not sealed with sealant as per Metal Sales Image II Installation Guide. A continuous bead of sealant is not applied between all panels and eave flashing. See page 20 for a detailed explanation. 6. Exposed fasteners over-tightened causing sealing material to tear. See page 11. 7. Rubber Roof Jack around one sewer vent not installed per Metal Sales Image II Installation Guide. See page 33 for a detailed explanation, and view drawing for correct installation. 8. Some panel's painted finish damaged by wind blown tar paper. 9. As of October 20, 2002, fence damaged by Metal Sales delivery truck not repaired to original condition. 10. At least one 19 foot long panel installed with no concealed screws along length of panel.
Guest User

10/30/2002
You sure seem to be having a time. I can'y say enough about getting three referances on the contractor before you start no matter what home improvement you are doing. As to the ridge not being cut open it normally only requires a 1" opening for a 50 foot wide building so it sounds like you have enough. As to the ridge vent a while back you asked what to do if the sheets were a little short at the ridge as if you were the contractor. What happened there? As to the screws into the rafter, there may be enough into the sheathing to comply with the code. This is unusual to expect the sheets and the rafters to follow coursing. As to snow in the attic it is not an unusual occurrance especially if you have a north south ridge and a wind from the west. If the attic is vented properly and the house insulated properly it will evaporate. I have seen drifts 10 feet high in a 100 foot section of roof and it all goes away. I woulld be careful not to put too much ventialtion in the ridge and it sounds like you may not have enough in the soffits. As to the balance of the issues I'm sure I can help interpret if you would have the contractor e mail me directly or call at 1-800-265-9357. Possibly the roof slope or conditions overide the manual. It is good to list your concerns like you have and ask the contractor to deal with them. Have him call.
Allan Reid
Dura-Loc Roofing Systems, Inc.

10/31/2002
I can request references on the next project, but it's too late for this one. It started September 9th. ATSCO did give me references that I checked out, and the customers were very happy. I spoke with restaurant owners with a metal roofing job, with the same panels as ours except a different color. They are very happy and I looked at the roofing job, and it appears very good. However, what I didn't know was that George Stanislao only ordered the metal for the job, but another installer was used. George said his best installers would be installing our roof. His business card says Metal Roofing Solutions - Material Sourcing and Installation. I think most roofing contractors order the metal and do the installation. This is how I assumed it worked, but I was wrong in this case. Our house is 100 feet long on the main ridge and has another 60 foot ridge over the attached garage. It has 2 more long ridges but they are insulated decks. The ridge opening varies from none or panels touching to 6 inches or 3 inches on either side of the peak. I've not calculated the ridge vent area or soffit vent area, but I suspect the ridge vent area is much larger. Because of the irregular ridge opening, the area would be hard to figure, but I could make estimates from the attic. At the beginning of this job I knew very little about metal roofing and it's installation. Now I know much more than the contractor, but that's not saying much. I've just asked experts such as yourself, and I read the installation instructions enough times to memorize the installation of this particular panel system for my roofing application. Unfortunately, I don't think our roofing contractor did one part of the job correctly, as per Metal Sales installation instructions. I don't know how important it is for the standing seam panels to be sealed with sealant, to the eave flashing, but the instructions say this should have a continuous sealing. I suspect the gutters could cause an ice dam at the eaves. I don't know if 100 mph wind driven rain would go up slope at this unsealed area on a 6/12 pitch. The instructions say that when multiple pieces of eave flashing are required, they should be overlapped a minimum of 3 inches and be sealed with sealant. Ours overlap from 1/2 inch to an inch with no sealant. The instructions say that when multiple ridge cover flashing are required, they should be overlapped a minimum of 3 inches and be sealed with sealant. Ours have less than 3 inches of overlap and have no sealant. Russ Dayton of Metal Sales, told my wife and I that he would inspect the installation at it's completion and give us a 30 year written guarantee. I hope he really meant what he said. I will try to get either George Stanislao or Dwayne Fowler (his best installer) to call you, so we can get to the end of this job. I GREATLY appreciate your offer to help!!! Of course, the only way you can help is by having the facts. I will have to provide the facts. I sent Todd a JPG graphic of the missing concealed fasteners. I don't see any method of attaching pictures or sending them to the MRA Web Site. I will try sending the graphics directly to your email. Thanks for your help, Mark
Guest User

10/31/2002
So you had some problems with a metal roof,I install these for a living mostly Image II. I always construct my own flashings to avoid problems such as yours.Ridge vent allowing snow to bypass usually due to bowed edge on flashing.There should be no need for caulk on eave if panals are properly notched and hemmed to hook eave flashing. Alot of my work is fixing these problems. Manufacters may give various ways of doing details but some are pretty poor and lead to leaking.
Guest User

8/23/2008
Thanks Todd in Duluth
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.

8/26/2008