Correct location of roof snow guards. Why do we need snow holders, how to choose and install them correctly. Metal roofing

Roofs with a slope, even with a slight slope, are very popular, since snow practically does not linger on them. But too steep a slope can cause a natural disaster in the form of a snow mass melting, which is a threat to the life and health of people passing by.

Snow protection

In most cases, snow slides off smooth surfaces. To prevent such phenomena, snow holders are installed on the corrugated board. These devices can be made by hand, but for this you need to know how they are installed, and what additional measures are taken for snow retention.

Purpose of the device

In some regions of Russia, winter lasts up to 9 months, at this time you can observe not only severe frosts, but heavy snowfalls. The accumulation of snow puts a significant load on the structure and the base under it, therefore, buildings most often have a roof with a slope of more than 35 degrees.

Smooth roofing materials with a slippery surface prevent snow from lingering on the roof. In addition, a stream of warm air flows upward from the premises, which to some extent heats the roof. As a result, the formation of an ice crust is observed on the surface.

Installing snow guards on a corrugated roof helps homeowners solve the following problems:

Delay of the snow mass on the roof of the corrugated board until it melts under the influence of sunlight. The melt water is directed to the drainage system and to the storm sewer.
The snow cap, passing through the snow holders on the roof made of corrugated board, is cut into thin layers. In this form, snow is less of a threat to passers-by.
Snow retention on the corrugated roof prevents the heavy snow mass from slipping into the gutter and deforming it.
The resulting ice crust during sliding can scratch the surface. In these places, under the influence of water, foci of corrosion are formed, which prematurely destroy the roofing material.

Methods for snow retention on a roof made of corrugated board

When self-installing a snow guard on a roof made of corrugated board, you should select elements of the same color with the roofing material. Most manufacturers offer snow retention elements complete with corrugated board.

To understand how to install snow guards on a roof made of corrugated board, you should know that all elements are divided into two groups, depending on the principle of operation:

Snow barrier... This element is installed in order to stop the avalanche until it completely melts under the sun's rays. However, the accumulation of snow mass puts a significant load on the roof truss structure and the base of the house. This property may well be considered a disadvantage of snow barriers. The problem can be solved by regularly removing large accumulations of snow manually.
Snow cutter... These elements hold back the snow cap, but for a short time. Under the pressure of its own mass, layers of snow pass through the snow cutters and roll off in small portions. This design does not make the roof heavier, but it also does not protect the area around the house from snow melting.

Using corrugated board as a roofing material, it is worth thinking about installing snow barriers on a metal profile to prevent a large snow mass from escaping. Neglecting these elements can harm the health of the household, damage the roofing material and shorten its service life.

Varieties of snow holders

The installation of snow retainers on the corrugated board involves the implementation of actions to create a solid barrier, which is able not only to stop the snow cap, but also to hold it for some time. Depending on the amount of precipitation, the slope of the roof slope and the roofing material, the type of snow holder and the required number of elements are selected.

On corrugated roofs, several types of elements are used to retain the snow mass:

Lattice... These elements are about 20 cm high and are fastened with brackets along the entire ramp. Lattices are able to hold large snow caps on the roof, so you can install elements of this type with your own hands only if the rafter system has a high bearing capacity.
Plate... Such elements of snow retention are a perforated metal plate fixed to the roof by means of corners along the overhang with an indent from the edge by 40-60 cm. This allows the structure to firmly hold a large snow mass. Lamellar snow holders on the roof made of corrugated board are distinguished by a lower cost and easy installation, but it is recommended to use them with a slope of no more than 30 degrees.
Tubes... Elements of this type work in a different way than previous models. They are not designed to hold the snow, but to cut it. The snow cap, passing through the tubular elements, is divided into thinner plates. This type of design consists of two parallel tubes inserted into the holes in the brackets. Due to the fact that the snow mass is not retained by tubular elements on the roof surface, but comes down to the ground in small pieces, such devices are considered the most effective for corrugated roofs.

Installation and installation on a profiled sheet

Installation of elements for snow retention on a roof made of corrugated board requires careful attention to work. When fixing, the integrity of the roofing material is violated by fasteners, therefore it is best to use special roofing screws with a rubber cap and a seal.

In general, the installation of snow guards involves the following actions:

The location of the elements is determined. The installation of the first row should be carried out along the overhang above the load-bearing wall of the building. At this level, a thread or cord is pulled.
The estimated load on each element is about 200 kg, therefore it is necessary to place the brackets at a distance of 50-60 cm. Roofing screws are used to fix them.
Snow retainer pipes are inserted into the holes of the brackets. If the installation of the second row is planned, then it is installed every 1.5-2 meters.

A large load is expected on any element of snow retention, therefore, for their manufacture it is necessary to use only high quality materials. It is recommended to fix the brackets with three self-tapping screws. It should be remembered that a carelessly installed element may not be able to withstand a large mass of snow. This will lead to the breakage of the brackets and the subsequent deformation of the roofing material.

On the recommendation of experienced roofers on roofs with a slope of more than 60 degrees, tubular snow holders for corrugated board should be installed. Sometimes it is possible to use combined elements in the form of a lattice welded to the pipes of the snow holder. To save money, you can make such a structure yourself.

In regions with snowy winters, there is a common problem - an avalanche-like snow fall from the roof of a house, which can not only cause material damage, but also take the lives of passers-by. This problem can be avoided by installing snow guards on the roof. These structures keep the main layer of snow on the roof surface. Only by thawing, water from the snow can flow freely through the gutters. The type of snow holders is selected depending on several important factors: the angle of inclination of the slope, roofing material and the amount of snow cover in the region. Let's take a closer look at what types of snow holders are and what are the features of their installation on different roofs.

Types of roof snow guards

You can buy snow holders for the roof together with the roofing material when building a house, or you can buy it separately when the house has already been built. In different stores, such devices can be called differently: snow-blocking fences, snow plows, snow stops, snow cutters, snow barriers, snow feet, and of course, snow holders. Such a variety of names is due to the fact that these simple devices can perform different functions.

The first category is snow barriers or snow blocking fences- completely keep snow on the roof surface. Snow should melt naturally on the roof. The descent of its layers, even partially from the roof, is unacceptable.

The second category is snow cutters- designed to cut the total layer of snow into small pieces. Thus, its energy during the fall is much lower than it would be if the entire layer of snow was avalanched. This is enough to ensure safety.

Snow holders for the roof differ not only in shape and size, but also in material and structural reliability. First of all, when choosing one or another type of snow holders, it is necessary to focus on how much snow it should hold back.

The tubular snow holder for the roof is a structure of brackets into which two pipes with a diameter of 15 - 30 mm are inserted. The total height of the structure is about 15 cm. The bracket looks like a vertical plate with holes for pipes. At the bottom of the bracket there is a horizontal shelf for attaching to the roof slope. Screws for metal 8x60 mm with a hex head are screwed into it. Sometimes the type of bracket may differ depending on what type of roofing material the snow guard will be used for. The installation method may also differ.

The structural strength of the tubular snow guard depends on the distance between the down tube and the roof surface. The optimal distance is considered to be 2 - 3 cm from the roof to the first pipe and 8 - 10 cm between the pipes.

Important! Tubular snow guards can be installed on roofs with very steep slopes up to 60 °. Indeed, in such cases, the snow pressure is very high and its movement occurs very often. On roofs with a slope of more than 60 °, snow guards are not installed at all, since it is believed that the snow does not linger on them and crumbles immediately.

Tubular snow cutters belong to the category of snow holders, which is designed to cut a layer of snow into several pieces. These structures are considered the most reliable, they are able to withstand the powerful pressure of the snow layer and can be used on roofs of any type - from sheet, roll soft materials, as well as from natural tiles. They are installed along the entire perimeter of the structure, along the entire slope. Moreover, the installation of tubular snow cutters is carried out in a continuous row, and not in a run. Sometimes, when the snow load is very high, two rows of snow holders are placed at a distance of 2 - 3 m from each other.

The fastening of the lower row of tubular snow holders is carried out above the load-bearing wall, i.e. at a distance of 40 - 50 cm from the eaves. After installation, they are practically invisible against the background of the roof, because the color of the snow holders can be matched to the color of the roof. Usually tubular structures are made of galvanized steel, and on top are covered with a layer of paint to match the color of the roofing material. As a result, the product is durable, corrosion-free.

Lattice roof snow holders have a variety of sizes. Universal type of construction: brackets to which the vertical grille is attached. All parts are made of galvanized steel, painted on top, so that the grilles can also be matched to the tone of the roof. But the size of the lattice can be different. The largest ones are 15 - 20 cm high, but there are also small ones, where the height of the lattice is not more than 5 - 7 cm. Naturally, depending on the size, the lattice snow holders can hold a different volume of snow.

The large steel grate is capable of resisting a large volume of ice-laden snow masses. As a rule, the entire layer of snow is retained on the roof, including the smallest pieces of ice, and only melted water flows down.

Lattice snow guards are installed on long slopes with a fairly steep slope to ensure that blocks of snow are kept from falling. The effectiveness of these actions depends on the height of the grate. Also, the material of the roof does not matter either, almost all materials have their own types of fasteners.

Important! Please note that tubular snow guards are more robust. If the volume of snow is too large, the lattice plates can bend, bend outward under the pressure of the lump. This does not happen with pipes due to the strength of the structure. The strength of lattice snow pads is also influenced by the shape and strength of the brackets or rails. You should not buy flimsy products of the same thickness as the grill itself.

There are also designs of lattice snow holders, in which the lattice is welded to the longitudinal pipes. In this case, the product is extremely reliable.

Installation of lattice snow holders is carried out in a row along the eaves of the ramp. If the length of the slope is more than 5.5 m and at the same time the snow load in the region is high, then in addition to the lattice ones, other types of snow pads are installed, for example, lamellar ones.

With insignificant amounts of snow, corner snow holders are installed on the roof. Basically, they are mounted on roofs made of metal or corrugated board, since the snow holders themselves are made of the same material and have the same color.

As you can see in the photo showing the corner snow holders on the roof, they are metal products bent into a triangular structure with two edges and shelves for attaching to the base. The height of such snow holders is from 4 to 6 cm. Usually they are installed on roofs where the slope angle does not exceed 30 °, since they simply cannot withstand high pressure.

Corner snow holders are fastened directly to the roofing material, including the upper wave of corrugated materials.

Install similar snow pads along the ridge in a checkerboard pattern in several rows, from 2. The distance between the rows is from 50 cm to 1 m.

Corner snow holders are not very durable, they are not able to keep a large layer of snow from converging, therefore they are used in regions where there is not much rainfall. Also, the roof must be regularly cleaned of snow.

Yoke - point snow holders

Tow-bar snow guards, or as they are also called, hooks, are not ways to retain any significant amount of snow, therefore they are used as an addition to lattice and tubular snow pads, as well as on a soft roof with a slight slope.

On a soft roof, snow usually lingers on its own, this is facilitated by the rough surface of the material, sprinkling from granules. For example, on bituminous tiles or roofing felt, snow accumulates and is held without problems. And if the slope of the roof is small, then snow is unlikely to melt. Nevertheless, for safety net, point-type snow-tow barriers are installed, in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 50 - 70 cm from each other.

A feature of the yokes is that they can be installed only at the stage of roof installation. They are triangles with a long plate for fastening to the lathing. The plate should be located under the roofing material, and is attached to the crate, bitumen shingles are laid on top and hides the attachment points. Thus, the roof is protected from leaks.

Wooden logs are rarely used to trap snow. They can be found on an equally rare wooden roof - shingle or shingle roof. The logs are mounted on special hooks that are attached to the battens or rafters of the roof structure. The larger the diameter of the log, the greater the amount of snow such a snow pile can hold.

The log itself is located at a low height above the roof surface - 2 - 3 cm. Therefore, the melting snow can flow freely to the gutters. The rest of the snow is kept until it melts completely.

Installing snow guards on the roof

It is best to mount the snow guards together with the roofing material. Sometimes it is recommended to install snowpads not around the entire perimeter of the roof, but only over important objects: pedestrian paths, parking lots for cars, skylights and balconies. Installation sites are selected on the basis that when an avalanche descends from a roof with a slope of 35 °, the snow fall zone is 0.4 - 1.5 m from the roof overhang.

The distance from the snow guard to the eaves overhang should be from 50 cm to 80 cm. It is not possible to mount the snow guards directly on the eaves. The only exception is the case when the cornice is formed by the rafter legs of the roof.

Important! If you install snow-retaining structures on or near the eaves overhang, the eaves will inevitably collapse together with snow-retainers and an avalanche. The lightweight overhang structure simply cannot withstand this pressure.

For snow guards on the roof, the price depends on the type of product, material of manufacture, size and popularity of the manufacturer's brand. And it can vary in the range from 1.5 to 230 USD.

Today, metal tiles are almost the most common roofing material. But its very design assumes that snow will fall on it very often. The smooth surface of the material practically does not trap snow. And the sensitivity of the material to temperature extremes contributes to the fact that in the daytime the snow melts and slides down the surface of the metal tile, carrying the entire layer of snow and ice.

Considering all this, snow holders for metal tiles are simply an urgent need.

For roofs covered with metal tiles, you can use the following types of snow holders:

Tubular;
Lattice;
Lamellar.

The latter are used only on slopes with a small slope and in regions with little snowy winters. In other cases, tubular and lattice structures are used, as the most durable and easy to install.

Produced directly through the roofing material:

We outline where the snow holder will be located.
We reinforce the crate with an additional bar.
Assembling the snow guard kit, but do not tighten the bolts.
We fasten the roofing material, and drill holes for the fasteners from above. The holes should be located in the bottom wave that is adjacent to the sheathing.
The assembled bracket is fixed to the ramp with 8x60 mm bolts. The holes are sealed with rubber pads. The step between the brackets depends on the slope of the roof and the length of the slope. The greater the slope, the more often the brackets should be located. For example, a 50 cm pitch will be more than enough for the most robust construction.

We insert the pipes into the brackets. Or if lattice snow holders are mounted, then we connect adjacent sets together.

We remind you that it is necessary to mount the snow holders above the load-bearing wall. To install a snow guard over the roof window, it is imperative to reinforce the crate.

If the slope is longer than 5.5 m, two rows of snow guards should be installed.

Depending on the type of metal tile, the design of the bracket supports is different. For example, for mounting on Monterrey metal tiles, snow holders are used, the brackets of which are equipped with a special protrusion. This makes it possible not to reinforce the crate.

The surface of the corrugated board is as smooth and sensitive to temperature extremes as that of metal tiles. Therefore, snow guards are essential to keep snow on the roof. In addition, the melted snow freezes in the evening, when the next day, the melted snow begins to move along the roof, the ice floes scratch the covering of the corrugated board. As a result, over time, the galvanized coating is peeled off, scratches appear, in which rust develops.

In the same way as in the case of metal tiles, tubular, lattice and lamellar snow holders can be used for corrugated board. Most often, tubular snow holders are used made of galvanized steel, painted to match the corrugated board.

Installation of snow holders on a roof made of corrugated board practically does not differ from installation on metal tiles:

Fastening is done through the material.
The lathing must be reinforced.
And the holes for the fasteners should be sealed with special gaskets made of weather-resistant rubber.
The fastening should be located at the bottom of the corrugated board wave, which is adjacent to the crate, otherwise the sheet will bend and twist.

If you plan to install snow guards on an already finished roof, you will have to disassemble part of it in order to strengthen the crate. Or, the reinforcement of the structure must be taken care of in advance.

To install corner or plate snow holders, reinforcement of the lathing is not required, since they are fixed directly into the sheet of corrugated board or metal tile in the upper wave. The bolt must cut into the wood of the sheathing, otherwise the structure will be fragile. The mounts for corner snow pads should be positioned over one wave.

On seam roofs, only tubular and lattice snow holders are used. The main difference between the installation of tubular snow holders on a seam roof is that the brackets have a peculiar shape and are attached directly to the seam. Thus, the tightness of the coating is not compromised.

As you can see in the photo, fastening to the folds produced using clamps:

We put the clip on the fold.
We drill 2 - 3 holes.
Insert bolts and nuts and tighten.
The step between the supports depends on the slope of the roof. The most reliable option is to attach to each rebate.

An indisputable advantage of attaching snow guards to a seam roof is also that there is no need to reinforce the lathing. All work is done from above, on the finished roofing material. As a result, the design is quite reliable, since the main snow pressure is distributed along the fold.

Please note that not all rebated roofs are available in galvanized steel. There are copper models. They are not sold as a set, but individually: a piece of pipe, lower and upper brackets. The prices for copper snow holders are higher than for ordinary ones, but after all, copper seam roofing is not a cheap pleasure.

The soft roof has its own characteristics, which leave an imprint on the choice of the type of snow holders and the nuances of installation:

The pitch angle of a roof with a soft roof should not exceed 15 °. With such a slope, an avalanche snowfall is unlikely. Therefore, powerful tubular snow holders are practically not used.
Spread of stone chips on the surface of soft roofing materials traps snow and prevents it from slipping.
Due to the fact that for the installation of a soft roof, a solid type of lathing in the form of sheets of moisture-resistant plywood is used, there is no need to strengthen the lathing.
Nevertheless, all work on the installation of snow guards on a soft roof must be done at the stage of laying the roofing material.

For soft roofs, yokes are most often used, less often tubular snow holders.

Installation of tubular snow holders on a soft roof practically does not differ from installation on corrugated board or metal roofing. The disadvantage of fastening such a design is that the fasteners are on top, i.e. the tightness of the coating may be compromised.

Triangular yokes or stoppers are attached using this technology:

They must be staggered in 2 - 3 rows with a step of 50 - 70 cm.
The yoke is attached to the lathing so that the next sheet of soft tiles hides the mounting plate, and the yoke triangle itself remains on top.
We fix it with self-tapping screws.

If the roof has already been installed, the yokes can also be fixed from above, in this case, gaskets made of weather-resistant rubber are used.

In conclusion, I would like to say that in the conditions of our snowy winters, the use of snow holders on the roofs is mandatory. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to clean the roof once a week or two, depending on the amount of precipitation. You can get rid of the need to clean the roof and trap snow by installing a heating cable under the roof. Thus, the snow will immediately melt and flow down the drain. The formation of icicles and avalanches is excluded.

Many probably noticed on the roofs of houses special devices in the form of crossbars installed along the entire perimeter of the roof. Not everyone knows that these devices perform a very important function and are called snow retainers. In this article, we will tell you how to properly install snow guards on the roof with your own hands.

First, let's figure out what a roof snow holder is for. The main task of such devices is to prevent an avalanche-like fall of accumulated snow and ice from the roof. The principle of operation of snow holders is quite simple and straightforward: by keeping the bulk of the snow on the roof surface, its uniform melting and descent from the roof is ensured. The melted water from the snow flows freely through the gutters without damaging the roof structure, the adjacent territory and people passing by.

Types of roof snow guards

Snow holders (or snow catchers) for the roof differ in shape, size, material, as well as structural reliability. When choosing the type of snow holder, it is necessary to take into account how much snow it will have to hold back, and this, in turn, depends on the type of roof, its area and its angle of inclination.

Lattice snow holders

This is a vertical grating rigidly fixed to the roof with brackets. The material for making such a design is rectangular frames made of pipes or corners. The structure can be lengthened by joining the sections along the short side.

It is recommended to install lattice snow guards in several rows to provide reliable protection against snow sliding down. The sizes of the lattice can be different: from 5-7 cm to 15-20 cm. They are installed on long slopes with a significant slope. The material of the roof does not matter - for all roofing materials they produce their own types of fasteners.

Corner or plate snow guards

This type of snow holders is used on metal roofs made of metal tiles and corrugated board. The fact that they are made of the same material as the roofing improves the appearance, but such devices cannot hold a large amount of snow. The height of such structures is 4-6 cm. Usually they are installed on roofs with a slope angle of no more than 30 °. As a rule, such snow holders are used in areas with insignificant snowfall.

Hooks or yokes

Such snow holders resemble hooks in shape. They are not able to keep heavy snow cover, so such devices can be more attributed to snow cutters than to snow holders. They are often used for soft roofs. The towbars are mounted under a layer of flexible tiles and allow, when descending, to cut the snow stream into several parts, which are safe for suspended roof structures and people passing by.

Installing snow guards on the roof - quick guide

At the initial stage, the required type of snow holder is selected, which will suit you, depending on the following components:

slope angle;
roofing material;
the amount of snowfall in the region.

The installation of snow guards on the roof is not always carried out along the entire perimeter of the structure. You can place them over critical places, that is, places where people walk and where a potential danger from falling snow is created: over sidewalks, loggias, verandas, building entrances, over car parks, etc. Installing such devices around the perimeter will extend the service life drainage systems.

Necessary tools for work:

yardstick;
marker;
set of drills;
drill, screwdriver;
self-tapping screws with rubber gaskets (the so-called roofing screws).

We will show how to correctly install and fix snow guards using the example of tubular structures due to their most common nature.

The installation begins with measuring the perimeter of the roof and outlining the best points for the location of the stops. The gap from the extreme bracket to the end of the pipe should be no more than 300 mm. The distance between the brackets is no more than 1100 mm.

The snow holder is installed, as a rule, at a distance of 600 mm from the edge of the cornice and placed parallel to it. The next barrier, if its installation is justified, is placed no closer than 2-3 meters in height from the neighboring one.

After marking, it is necessary to fix the support brackets with self-tapping screws to the rafter system using a screwdriver in accordance with the marked places.

After fixing, the pipes of the snow holder are inserted into the brackets and docked together to the required length. The joints are fastened with bolted connections. Such actions are performed on each side of the building. After completing the installation, check the bolted connections again.

With the installed barriers, you will protect yourself and your loved ones from accidents and save money on repairing the drainage system. As practice shows, without snow guards installed on the roof, it can fail several times per season.

At the end, we suggest watching an interesting video with the installation of snow guards in the first person.

Snow on a roof, especially a metal one, is not a reason for a beautiful shot. This is a danger. When a large snow mass accumulates on the roof, it disappears. And it’s good if it’s not a person, but a car or a barn, and you get off with only damage to property. And if not? This situation can be easily prevented: it is enough to install snow guards on the roof made of corrugated board. It is not worth saving on them: the consequences can be dire.

Such designs of snow holders allow keeping the bulk of the snow on the roof surface. Only water can flow freely down the roof gutters when it thaws. The types of snow guards should be selected based on several important factors: the amount of snow cover in the region, the angle of inclination of the slope and the roofing material.

In this article

Types of snow holders

Snow pads for roofs made of corrugated board are of 4 types:

Tubular;
Lattice;
Corner;
Point or drag.

The tubular snow holder consists of 2-3 pipes, which are located one above the other and connected by means of supports. This design does not hold the snow in the usual sense of the word, but as if “cuts” the snow mass. As a result, it descends to the ground in small and safe portions. Tubular snowpads are preferred for metal roof mounting. They not only provide a safe passage under the roof, but also reduce the snow load.

In contrast to the tubular ones, the lattice snow holders are able to keep the entire mass of the snow cover on the roof. They are even capable of trapping small pieces of ice. This is a good option for the southern and central regions, but in the northern ones they can only be used if the roof is designed for a heavy load. In addition, the trellised snow pads need to be cleaned at the end of autumn, as the trellis structure is easily clogged with leaves.

Corner ones are the cheapest, but unreliable snow holders. They are a bent metal strip of small height. Such a snow holder, installed on the roof, prevents the snow mass from escaping. It can only be mounted on roofs with a slope of less than 30 ° C, since it is not strong enough to withstand a large mass of snow.

It is highly undesirable to install corner snow pads in areas with heavy snow load. There are often cases when, under the influence of the snow mass, the fasteners could not stand and the screws literally burst out of the roofing. In this case, not only does the compacted snow fall onto the sidewalk or road, but the roof itself is damaged.

Point snow guards are designed for regions with low snow load, as well as for regularly maintained roofs. In some cases, they are used as auxiliary snow pads. Snow bars on the roof made of profiled sheet, depending on the type, are attached either to the wave or directly to the crate through the metal sheet of the roof. They should be mounted in a checkerboard pattern.

Where to install?

Installation of snow guards on a roof made of corrugated board around its entire perimeter does not make sense. Install them only in places where snow is inconvenient or dangerous:

Over all exits from the house, including emergency exits, which are used in winter;
Over paths and sidewalks;
Above the attic windows, otherwise in winter you will not be able to ventilate the attic;
Above roof junctions and pipe outlets through the roof;
Above the parking space in front of the garage;
And in all other places where snow can cause damage.

You must understand that the snow holders on the roof made of corrugated board will not save you from the need to clean the snow on it. Especially if you have chosen those designs that prevent even its portioned descent. The large snow cover on the roof is a test for the rafter system, so it must be cleaned at least once a month. And also after every heavy snowfall.

In particular, regular snow cleaning is relevant for a smooth metal roof made of corrugated board. Since any metal has a high thermal conductivity, it heats up quickly on a sunny day. As a result, the snow directly adjacent to the roofing melts, and a thin layer of water forms under the snow mass. On it, snow can simply slide off, and no snow pile can hold such a mass.

Installation methods

There are two ways to install snow guards on the roof:

Fix the supports directly to the crate and lay a sheet of corrugated board on top;
Fasten the supports to the crate through the sheet using self-tapping screws.

The choice of installation method depends on what kind of fastening is provided for by the design of a particular snow holder: pressure or suspended.

The type of fastening usually does not depend on the design of the snow holder, with the exception of corner ones - their installation is always carried out according to the second scheme. They are fixed with self-tapping screws on both sides: the side closest to the ridge is fixed in each wave, and the one closer to the overhang - through one.

Those snow holders that must be installed on suspended supports are mounted together with the laying of the corrugated board. If the roof is already ready, it will no longer be possible to fix them. Hanging fasteners are hooked onto the batten in such a way that the mounting hook is outside after laying the roofing sheets at a distance of 500 mm from the edge of the overhang. Moreover, most of the models do not need additional fixing with self-tapping screws. After that, the snow holders themselves are mounted on the protruding mounts.

Structures with clamping supports are installed on the finished roof. The supports are mounted above the walls and fixed with roofing screws. Fastening is carried out to the crate through a metal sheet along the bottom of the wave. If the width of the supports is greater than the battens, it must first be reinforced with wooden bars fixed on both sides with metal corners. Naturally, this can only be done if the roofing material has not yet been installed on the roof.

Both under the suspended and under the clamping supports there are special pads that protect the sheeting from damage. They are always included with the snow guards. In addition to the pads, the installation kit always includes a decorative strip, which must be installed after the installation is completed.

Whenever possible, try to choose those snowpads that are mounted in an overhead way. Yes, they are more difficult to install. But this is compensated by greater reliability and the absence of additional damage to the metal sheet.

Installation rules

Regardless of the type of fasteners, when installing snow guards, there are 5 universal rules that must be followed. They are as follows:

To fix the structures, only special self-tapping screws with a rubber gasket are used, which will protect the attachment points from corrosion;
To install snow guards, only mounts and accessories are used that come with them in the kit;
With a slope length of more than 5.5 meters, snow holders are attached in several rows every 3-3.5 meters.
If installation in several rows is necessary, before installing the snow holders, it is necessary to think over a plan for their placement;
During installation work on the roof, one should not forget about the simplest safety rules: use safety cables and shoes with non-rigid soles;
During installation, care must be taken not to damage the coating of the corrugated board, since any scratch will sooner or later cause corrosion.

In general, the installation of snow holders is no more difficult than installing a roof from corrugated board. And it is quite easy to cope with it if you follow the recommendations outlined in the article and listen to common sense.

Watch the video: we mount a snow guard for a roof made of corrugated board

Increasingly, we see strange devices on the roofs of houses, similar to double handrails, but installed unusually close to the surface of the roof. These are snow holders - special devices for keeping the snow layer on the roof. In areas where there is a lot of snow, more and more people prefer to install snow guards to make sure that the accumulated snow does not cover you at the most inopportune moment.

What snow guards give for roof protection

The construction device of the snow guard was spied on from Finnish builders, and today copies of the original and modified versions can be found on sale, ranging from specialized salons to ordinary construction markets.

There is no need to explain to anyone the need to install devices on the roof that stop the snow layer until it is critically reduced to an acceptable size:

Firstly, the installation of high-quality snow guards on the roof allows you to protect all those who are forced to pass under the roof slopes;
Second, trapped snow helps reduce heat loss through the roof;
Thirdly, with the correct execution of the roof and water collectors, the melting snow gradually leaves in the form of melt water into the storm sewer.

Important! The use of snow barriers at too low an angle of inclination of the roof leads to the fact that the snow load on the roof can exceed the strength of the frame and roof rafters. In this case, it is necessary to forcibly remove the snow using a pneumatic sweeper.

If the angle of inclination of the roof slope is too large, the minivan can easily break the snow guard, especially if the model of the device was chosen disproportionately weak for the existing load. A layer of snow 20 cm thick on a roof slope 4 meters wide can reach a ton, which, even taking into account the sloping roof slope, can affect the structure of the snow guard with an effort of several hundred kilograms.

Selection and installation of roof snow guards

The type and size of the snow guard on the roof must correspond to the type of roof, the angle of inclination and the maximum thickness of the snow layer that can be supported by the device. As a rule, everything that exceeds the height of the snow guard comes off the roof and is blown away by the wind.

By type of construction, roof snow holders can be divided into several categories:

Snow protectors for soft roofs. The simplest scallop or hook devices in the form of single supports distributed over the area of the roof slope, usually in its lower part;
Plate or corner snow holders. The principle of operation and the device are similar to the previous version, but have a large stopping effect;
Tubular or frame snow holders. The heaviest and most effective for most types of galvanized metal roofing.

Advice! When choosing the type of snow guard, the first criterion should be the quality of manufacture of the device, and not the type or method of its installation.

How effective are simple roof snow guards?

Simple snow guard designs are as popular as heavy tubular or lighter corner designs. According to the device, it would be more correct to call this type of snow retainers distributed, since, unlike the last two schemes, individual elements of the hook snow retainer are installed over the entire area of the roof slope.

In this case, the load from the pressure of the snow cover on the individual hooks is transferred to the load-bearing beams and the roof lathing more evenly, which makes it possible to install the devices on all types of roofs. This type of snow guard works most effectively with a soft roof that has a rough surface due to pebbles.

It is easy to install the hooks on your own without the involvement of specialists, you just need to select and mark the installation points and fix them on the roof with self-tapping screws with silicone gaskets or a sealant sublayer. A break in one of the hooks reduces efficiency, but does not lead to catastrophic snow melt.

The disadvantages include the need to pierce the soft roof in many places of the roof. This significantly impairs the resistance of the soft roofing sheet to moisture infiltration.

Corner snow holders for the roof

Corner snow holders can be considered a more perfect design. The principle of operation of such an element is similar to the previous one, with the only difference that instead of a single "shoe" a set of strips or a corner set by lines or steps is used. In most cases, the capabilities of such a snow holder are higher than those of hooks. This is due to the significantly larger surface of contact with the snow cover than the previous version.

The design of the corner snow holder is very simple, most often it is a pyramidal section stamped from thin sheet galvanized steel. The profile height can reach 7-10 cm. In this case, a relatively small load is applied to the roof frame. All snow that is thicker than the height of the snow holder slides down the roof slope.

The corner snow retainer can be easily fixed on any type of roof. As in the previous case, each element is attached with self-tapping screws to the roof lathing. In the simplest cases, the devices are mounted in the form of a broken stepped line at the bottom of the ramp. To increase the efficiency of snow retention, the corner version can be laid on the roof in several lines or staggered.

The disadvantages of this type of snow retainers include the need for competent calculation and determination of the optimal installation locations for individual corner elements. During snowmelt, these types of snow retention systems can redistribute the flow of water on the roof, disrupting the efficient operation of gutters and gutters.

Snow retention devices based on tubular elements

Tubular devices for keeping snow on the roof have become the classic version of the snow holder. Structurally, such a snow retainer is a pair of tubular elements mounted on brackets along the edge of the roof slope. The distance between a pair of pipes is no more than 15 cm. The layout and general view of the device is clearly readable from the given diagram. Manufacturers recommend installing such snow retention systems around the entire perimeter of the roof, but in reality, for reasons of economy, even for large and long roof slopes, the owners are limited to one or two assemblies.

Each bracket has several holes in which the tubular element is installed. In the simplest and cheapest designs, elements of a circular cross-section, in high-quality and more expensive ones - instead of a round one, an oval or ellipsoidal cross-section is used. This provides an almost twofold increase in stiffness and strength in the transverse direction for the same wall thickness. In addition, a high-quality profile is made with a wall thickness of at least 1.5 mm with mandatory galvanizing, priming and painting with epoxy enamel.

In cheap elements, as a rule, the metal is phosphated and painted with ordinary alkyd enamel. The service life of such a snow-holding device is determined by the corrosion rate of the pipe surface in contact with the bracket. As a rule, this is two to three years.

The bearing bracket has a support plane, in which 6-8 holes are made, through which the unit is attached to the roof surface. Thus, during installation, you can choose the most suitable hole to get into the batten strip with a self-tapping screw.

Most options for corrugated board or metal tiles have a regular relief on the surface in the form of waves and ledges. To align the position of the bracket, a certain number of spacers and compensators are always included in the kit. A prerequisite is the use of a sealant that ensures the watertightness of the self-tapping hole in the roofing material.

The brackets are installed at a distance of 90 cm from the edge of the roof with a step of 100-110 cm. Installation of brackets is the most difficult operation for installing a snow retention system. The strength of the entire structure of the snow holder depends on the reliability of fastening the brackets to the roof.

Conclusion

In some cases, especially when installing cheap Chinese options, the craftsmen do not always attach the bracket directly to the batten board, but leave a self-tapping screw screwed into a thin sheet of metal. The result is a weakened structure that even a relatively small layer of snow can easily break off.

Unlike Chinese pipes, Finnish and even domestic tubular snow holders are able to withstand heavy loads on roofs with a slope length of more than four meters.