Recommendations for snow blocks for a metal roof

[TheGorf]

So, the dipshit morons over an Permabilt have informed me that they do NOT install any slow blocking on their roofs because it might leak. Meanwhile recently I watched the whole of a roof load (40x40 shop) come sliding off and nearly kill my neighbor who managed to jump clear. We are not in a high snow load area. We don't really get a ton, but we get enough. So are there any recommendations on what the right thing to use is? I've seen stuff like these guys and I've also been told that there are paint applications that can be used that just makes the space between the standing seams more grippy offering a little more traction.

 

[finn]

So, the dipshit morons over an Permabilt have informed me that they do NOT install any slow blocking on their roofs because it might leak. Meanwhile recently I watched the whole of a roof load (40x40 shop) come sliding off and nearly kill my neighbor who managed to jump clear. We are not in a high snow load area. We don't really get a ton, but we get enough. So are there any recommendations on what the right thing to use is? I've seen stuff like these guys and I've also been told that there are paint applications that can be used that just makes the space between the standing seams more grippy offering a little more traction.

Lots of devotees here, but the contractors near me balk when the subject comes up.

They don’t like them because of come-backs and warranty claims.

Most don’t like steel roofs in general.

Of course we’re in a heavy snow area where 300+ inches isn’t uncommon.

One local business tore off his metal roof and installed regular asphalt shingles because of the snow slide issue. He figured his business couldn’t handle lawsuits from injured customers.

 

[TurnipTruck]

I would rather not store fifty tons of snow on my roof, but I do have the luxury of enough room to not need to park anything on the sides of the building for eight months of the year. (When we have a winter with snow!)



The house, however, is blessed with an overabundance of valleys, so I had to clamp some snowstops to the standing seam ribs so the cascading avalanches don’t bash into the opposite fascias. Just enough of them to protect the valleys, not the entire roof. While searching for the snowstops I came across some glue-down rails and glue-on standup leaf-looking things, but I’m not ready to trust glue on steel at -30F. Which leaves screws or rib clamps.

 

[PopcornSutton]

The county I worked for used to use the glue on snow birds in the flats of standing metal seams. But over time they would fall off. They went to bars that attached to the standing seam, it is an extrusion and the clips can be placed as often as you want, and it had a face where matching color strips could be installed. Plus it had tabs that connected to the extrusions that layed down to the flat between seams. Between having the gutter ripped off with no snow guards, or the liability of someone getting smashed by snow coming off, all metal roof buildings were fitted with them.

 

[trainer]

My roof has angle shaped snow stops that were installed as part of the steel roof system.

 

[jollygreengiant]

I put these up on my shop. Not the whole roof, but just in spots where I didn't want snow coming down. I have 5 above my entrance door and 7 above my stand by generator in an inverted V shape to channel snow to the sides. It works really well. I installed them with screws and lots of caulking, no issues so far. The ones I used had a channel in the bottom of them that you could fill with caulk and then it would seal to the roof. I did that plus I ran a bead around the outside of them.

 

[jjblbi]

Prior to retiring I managed higher education campus facilities in the Phila area and also the campus roofing contract. Our slate and metal roofs utilized "ice breakers". Similar to the stopper above only it chopped the sliding ice/snow sheet into less damaging smaller pieces. Once we had to retrofit a sloped copper roof and the contractor epoxied on the breakers maintaining the roof's water-tight integrity.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

FWIW,

I am in Central / Southern Illinois.

Within the past year I had a metal roof put on the house and a 68x36 pole barn built with metal roof.

I used the most reputable roofer and pole barn builder around - both discouraged snow blocks on the roof.

 

[jkeyser14]

I put these up on my shop. Not the whole roof, but just in spots where I didn't want snow coming down. I have 5 above my entrance door and 7 above my stand by generator in an inverted V shape to channel snow to the sides. It works really well. I installed them with screws and lots of caulking, no issues so far. The ones I used had a channel in the bottom of them that you could fill with caulk and then it would seal to the roof. I did that plus I ran a bead around the outside of them.

I used these too. They worked great on the lower sloped areas, but on the steeper sloped areas the ice would melt around them (basically like a hot knife through butter) and then still fall and damage stuff. For those areas I added the brackets that clamo onto the standing seam with a bar running across.

 

[ericm]

FWIW,

I am in Central / Southern Illinois.

Within the past year I had a metal roof put on the house and a 68x36 pole barn built with metal roof.

I used the most reputable roofer and pole barn builder around - both discouraged snow blocks on the roof.

Why? Too much weight?

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Why? Too much weight?

To be honest, I don’t recall their reasons.

No one around here has them on their houses or barns.

 

[reader2580]

A Boy Scout camp I used to frequent rebuilt a metal roofed building so the roof has a four to six foot overhang. This stopped the snow sliding off from piling up near the building, and also stopped the 2nd floor exterior stairs from filling with snow. They often get voluntee carpenters and roofers to do this sort of work for the cost of materials.

 

[Copymutt]

It all comes down to integral design. Metal roofs are far superior in high snow load country. Mine is 45 yrs old now & still serviceable. Don't create slopes to walking/ entry areas, Extend the overhangs 3 ft on a 4/12, more on a steeper pitch. Think Scandinavian. No need for gutters & downspouts. No reason to ad 70# load to the roof w/ snow stops.
No fun trying to shovel a metal roof of any slope, especially w/ stops in the way.

 

[finn]

It all comes down to integral design. Metal roofs are far superior in high snow load country. Mine is 45 yrs old now & still serviceable. Don't create slopes to walking/ entry areas, Extend the overhangs 3 ft on a 4/12, more on a steeper pitch. Think Scandinavian. No need for gutters & downspouts. No reason to ad 70# load to the roof w/ snow stops.
No fun trying to shovel a metal roof of any slope, especially w/ stops in the way.

Far superior? That’s debatable, especially if the roof has valleys.

Sun hits the roof near the peak, melting the snow. The melt water refreezes lower down, under the dammed snow, creating ice. The ice eventually, with the aid of gravity, slowly creeps lower in the valley, opening the steel like a can opener and crushing the peaks of the steel panels.

Happened to me, and I subsequently observed it on dozens of steel roofs.

Doesn’t help that we’re at 224.5” of snow season to date, so they may be ok in low snowfall areas.

 

[Copymutt]

Far superior? That’s debatable, especially if the roof has valleys.

Sun hits the roof near the peak, melting the snow. The melt water refreezes lower down, under the dammed snow, creating ice. The ice eventually, with the aid of gravity, slowly creeps lower in the valley, opening the steel like a can opener and crushing the peaks of the steer panels.

Happened to me, and I subsequently observed it on dozens of steel roofs.

Doesn’t help that we’re at 224.5” of snow season to date, so they may be ok in low snowfall areas.

Interesting. Might be due to latitude & amount of sun. Here in SW Co. the sun makes it slide off pretty quick. It is black so that helps.
Here’s a pick out my window at Nieghbors. We had 10” in one day. Notice the distinct difference? The steel roof on the left is clear while the new asphalt holds it. He was out there yesterday knocking it off the gutter. Second pic is my wood shed which faces north. If the berry bush wasn't there that roof would also be clear. Yea I think mean temps and solar incidence makes a big difference,

 

[jives]

These are "ice curls" coming off my metal porch roof. No snow stops. My 9/12 pitch steel garage roof has the eave wall with the garage door openings, and yes, the snow falls and can block the door. Would have been better with the garage doors open on the gable side, but the layout of the garage would not have worked in the location we had to put the garage.

My neighbor had his garage re-roofed in metal and had snow guards put on. Most ripped off the first winter, and he had a small garage with a 4/12 pitch roof.

I've been hit by falling snow, just a bit. I'm not sure I want snow guards up and ripping off and putting holes in the roof. I have considered glue, but most reports I have seen are not favorable.

 

[Beerhippie]

You fail to mention what style of metal roofing you have. For standing seam, it's a PITA. For corrugated, it's simple. I use 1 1/2" galvanized L-flashing screwed to the ridges (to reduce risk of leaks) with gasketed roofing screws.



The front doors of the shop and a concrete forklift path are under that eave.

Our roofs are supposed to be designed for 3' snow load. I installed those stops over a decade ago and they have never leaked--the melt water is free to run out under the stops--nor has the roof ever shown any deformation--even with 3' of wet snow.

 

[racecougar]

To be honest, I don’t recall their reasons.

No one around here has them on their houses or barns.

We don't get that much snow down here. It's a big deal when we get 12".

Snow stops/blocks are absolutely worthwhile up North.

 

[Buckgnarly]

No one here runs gutters or snow stops. Many, many metal roofs. I would never WANT to keep snow on my roof, especially when we get early Spring rains.

 

[Just_Steve]

Waiting for my avalanche to happen, its solid ice not snow.

 

[Beerhippie]

Y'all who don't need them in snow country:



That's the alternative. Since this is a place in perpetual shadow for nine months of the year, the wet snow from the sunny roof freezes instantly when it hits the ground. The snowblower was pure fantasy--I'm at it with salt, shovels and brutal ice scrapers.

 

[jollygreengiant]

Yep, that snow that comes off the roof is a real ****** to move. It's a good reason not to put doors in the eave sides of your building if you can.

 

[finn]

You fail to mention what style of metal roofing you have. For standing seam, it's a PITA. For corrugated, it's simple. I use 1 1/2" galvanized L-flashing screwed to the ridges (to reduce risk of leaks) with gasketed roofing screws.



The front doors of the shop and a concrete forklift path are under that eave.

Our roofs are supposed to be designed for 3' snow load. I installed those stops over a decade ago and they have never leaked--the melt water is free to run out under the stops--nor has the roof ever shown any deformation--even with 3' of wet snow.

If that’s all the snow you get, it’s not worth worrying about.

That’s a ten minute snowfall accumulation.

 

[finn]

Y'all who don't need them in snow country:



That's the alternative. Since this is a place in perpetual shadow for nine months of the year, the wet snow from the sunny roof freezes instantly when it hits the ground. The snowblower was pure fantasy--I'm at it with salt, shovels and brutal ice scrapers.

I use the skid steer or snowblower on the 40 hp tractor.

A truck plow, even on an 11000 lb F450 just bounces off of it if it’s been melted and refrozen.

 

[finn]

Waiting for my avalanche to happen, its solid ice not snow.

Another ten minute snowfall accumulation

 

[finn]

We don't get that much snow down here. It's a big deal when we get 12".

Snow stops/blocks are absolutely worthwhile up North.

I take exception to that. We were at 225” a week and a half ago. Nobody uses snowdrops.

 

[finn]

Not current, but you get the point

 

[Beerhippie]

If that’s all the snow you get, it’s not worth worrying about.

That’s a ten minute snowfall accumulation.

You may have a poor grasp of physics, but there is this thing snow does after a snowfall. It's called melting and sublimation.

If I'd take the picture shortly after the last snow fall, you would not be able to see the snow blocks--or the roof.

 

[Beerhippie]

I use the skid steer or snowblower on the 40 hp tractor.

A truck plow, even on an 11000 lb F450 just bounces off of it if it’s been melted and refrozen.

Your 40 hp tractor is going to fit in that alleyway?

 

[pima67]

Hey, send us some down here. Haven't had measurable rain since last Oct.
Sound like lakes will be overflowing in the spring.

 

[finn]

Your 40 hp tractor is going to fit in that alleyway?

Put a roof on it? Like in the alps?

 

[Beerhippie]

Put a roof on it? Like in the alps?

That would just move the snow and ice to another really inconvenient spot.

Besides, a guy my age has to keep in shape and it's too easy to slack off in the short days of winter. Shoveling and scraping a few hundred pounds of snow and ice is a good workout!

I built this:





just for this purpose.

I just hope the other workers here don't mind me muttering "This is how men my age die" the whole time I'm clearing the **** out.

 

[racecougar]

I take exception to that. We were at 225” a week and a half ago. Nobody uses snowdrops.

Yes, you are an exception; you're on the other end of the spectrum. There is a whole world between 12" and 225".

 

[jptbay]

I don't like the snow sliding of my roofs. If your not around to move it right away it freezes like concrete in short order. Yard dries up nicer in the spring when the snow can melt off gradually and drain away. We get a lot of snow here, but not enough to be a weight concern on the roof.

I only use the adhesive mounted guards. I'm not interested in putting anymore screw holes in my steel roof, and I don't trust the gaskets to last. SureBond SB-190 is amazing stuff. Only ever had one guard come off, but I'm pretty sure that happened because it got doused with wasp killer spray, which softened up the adhesive. Easy fix though. Clean it up and glue it back on.

I have used a couple different brands. Some the polycarbonate quality is lesser and have yellowed a bit.

Best ones I have used are from Snoblox-Snojax.

https://snoblox-snojax.com/products/snoblox-deuce-clear.html

 

[PhantomEB]

Following as I need to add some for over the Front and back doors.

hate it when the front stoop is covered in ice and when that stuff comes down, it’s liable to crush our English Bulldog! Will be getting A snow rake too.

 

[Metal-Marc]

I'd rather have the snow slide off the roof of my buildings. Less weight, no ice dam.

 

[reader2580]

I just built my new garage with a 4/12 standing seam roof last summer. I realized yesterday that there is a foot of snow piled directly below the eaves all the way around the building. This is from about 7" of snow. All of the snow slid off on Friday when it got to 32 degrees. I am thinking about putting snow bars over the man door on the side. In a more normal winter I would probably have a lot more than 12" of snow piled up.

 

[reader2580]

Can you get an ice dam that damages things with a metal roof? Shingle roofs leak from ice dams because ice gets back behind the shingles.

 

[Copymutt]

A sampling of how snow piles up!
This was 1978. 1977 we had no snow. The dog & I were on the roof shoveling. I slipped, tensed up and fell off. All of 2’ drop.. Since those days climate change has endured we never get that amount. A plow on the K20 keeps the piles under control now.