Business

What are snow guards and do I need them?

Snow guards are metal hardware that is attached to your roof to keep snow from sliding off of your house. They come in a number of shapes and sizes. Some look like long rails while others resemble little spikes. It is best to talk to an expert to figure out which type will work best for your roof.

You may be wondering why snow guards are used. After all, roofs are designed with a pitch in order to keep precipitation from building up. Isn’t it a good thing when it slides off? The answer is– it’s complicated. No, you don’t want the snow to stay on your home forever. However, having it slide off in huge, icy sheets onto people and property below can be a huge safety hazard. Furthermore, this icy mess can slide down to the edges of your roof and get stuck in places where it can cause major damage to your gutters, and even develop into a leak into your home, causing extensive problems. Snow guards are used to keep frozen precipitation in place in a controlled manner so that it can melt and drain off of your home in the form of water, rather than ice.

The biggest question at hand is, does your house need these guards? This is firstly determined by where your property is located. Do you live somewhere with cold winters and heavy precipitation? If so, snow guards may be right for you.

The next thing to consider is the material of your roof. Metal roofs in particular are prone to issues in the winter. They are sturdy, but slick, allowing icy snow to easily slide down and create a hazard below. If this happens when a car or other valuable property is below, you’re in for a huge expense or possibly even legal action, if it isn’t your property. If a person is below, the result could be much worse, including injury or death. If you aren’t the one who is hurt, you may be held liable for what happens to the person that is. Other types of roofs, such an asphalt shingled roof, tend to hold snow in place better on their own. However, if your house has a very sharp pitch, some type of guards may still be necessary.

If you still aren’t sure whether or not your home requires snow guards, be sure to consult an expert. A professional installer will be able to answer your questions and give you a quote to consider.

TRA Snow & Sun sells roof snow guards. Snow guards for your roof help aid in the avoidance of damaged property or injured by standers.

Hemant Kumar
Hemant Kumar is a project manager at Tridindia with more than nine years of commendable experience in writing about LMS, translation, and IT. His unmatched talent and passion for digital marketing gave him the opportunity to work as a multi-tasking project manager at TridIndia’s sister company, Link Building Corp. Today, he contributes to the world by imparting knowledge on SEO, link building and internet marketing etc., that helps business owners grow their online business.