Snow Guards Save Lives and Property

Snow guards are vital for home owners and property managers alike, especially when maintaining sloping roof tops in snow and ice conditions.

There you are, minding your own business walking in to work when suddenly whoomp! A roof avalanche takes you out. Or worse yet, the same situation occurs, only you are the business owner, your employee happened directly beneath the falling ice, and now you are liable for the injuries befalling your employee. Falling snow and ice from sloped roof-tops can make dangerous situations both for people and their property in winter. But this can all be prevented with snow guards.

So, what is a snow guard?

A snow guard is a device, most likely made from metal or plastic, that protrudes from the roof. The purpose: to prevent accumulated snow and even ice from avalanching down off the roof and onto you, a guest, animals, your car, trees, or anything else valuable that can be damaged from the heavy snow and ice. It does this by slowly melting sections or at least controlling how much debris can fall at any given time. Amazingly, the guards can be matched to your roof so that they seem invisible!

Can I install snow guards myself?

Installing guards is best left to professional installers. The handyman or homeowner who tries to install a system may do so incorrectly, which potentially could cause more damage to the roof. If the pattern isn’t correct or if the attachment isn’t solid enough, it could increase possible damage to shingles, gutters, or other property. A licensed and practiced roofer can install the system for you since they have experience taking into account roofing type and thickness, slope of the roof, and even possible snow loads. This then determines the pattern, placement, and guard size or material.

Snow guard basics
Though you should talk to a professional installer, the basics of how the guards work is:
• Begin with high quality products that match the type of roof you have
• The guards should be placed as to hold snow and ice where it is, so several rows are necessary
• Have the roof pitch, roof dimensions, and selected snow guard (what color or decoration you are interested in) ready to give a professional installer
• The guards should be then placed in a staggered fashion across the roof

So, what kind of snow guards are there?

There are so many different types of guards to choose from to meet your needs. You can choose from material type, roof type, and even decor. The type of guard installed depends entirely on your roof, and your aesthetic choices. The following list is not comprehensive, but is just an example of what kinds of snow guards you will need based on your roof:

• Tile- Tile roofs require Pad-Style or Pipe-Style fittings
• Metal- Metal roofs will require Fence-style, Pad-Style, or Pipe-style fittings
• Solar Panels- Solar Panels require specific fittings meant just for solar arrays
• Shingle- Shingled roofs require Pad-Style or Pipe-Style





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