Metal Roof Gutters And Snow

Some older contractors in the area are telling me not to install gutters on a metal roof others say to try installing rails to hold the snow back on the roof.

Metal roof gutters and snow.

As a result ice and snowpack can build up inside the gutters which produce additional weight on the gutter sections and the fasteners that hold them. A method of retaining snow and ice on a metal roof so it will melt in place rather than shooting off the roof in a dangerous avalanche. Metal roofing systems have a good track record of performance in harsh winter environments as long as they are properly designed. I came across an old posting of yours in which you were giving advice to a homeowner like me who had a metal roof and problems with cascading snow ripping the gutter off.

Position the rain gutter right the rain gutter should be installed a bit lower down so it is not directly in the path of the sliding snow and the metal roof should hang almost halfway over the gutter. All of this cold snow and ice can wreak havoc on gutters. And to those who believe the guards are only for northern climates mcmullen says his company has sold its products in every state except hawaii. Every year the snow and ice slipping down from one of our viewers roofs does great damage to their rain gutters.

If these issues are addressed during the design stage and the roofing contractor does his job these systems will almost always perform as intended. How to stop it. The key factors are usually snow loading requirements adequate slope and the use of snow guards when needed. Go to switzerland look at a chalet and you ll see the roof is designed with an eye toward where the snow will slide off notes curtis middleton owner of rms solutions inc a metal roofing and gutter contractor in arvada colo.

The swiss are accustomed to snow. By mark ward sr. You will have to adjust all of this according to how regular. Snow guards are a critical element in protecting gutters from damage especially when a commercial building or home has a glossy coated metal or slate roof.

If a gutter system is left uncleaned then water can build up and damage your building in all of the ways the gutter system is meant to prevent. A client has a steep metal roof with gutters that got ripped out last year after a heavy snow fall. I just had the identical problem.