Standing Seam Metal Roof Snow Guards
Hello,
I have a brand new standing seam metal roof and my contractor has ordered metal snow guards to screw into the ‘flats’ of the panels staggered at 6” and 18”. I live in a maple grove forest along with pine trees overhanging the roof. My question is will the s-5-n clamps coupled with Levi’s 8500 rf be as effective holding the snow being mounted on the rib vs EPDM and butyl mounted metal is snow guards mounted on the flats? My contractor told me that ‘you’re going to want something mounted on the flats’ to stop snow and ice. Right after my roof was installed a heavy ice, rain, snow mix ripped my gutters off their bracket mounts.
Also I have gutter covers mounted recently to strengthen the gutter and protect from leaf material, will the snow guards mounted in the flats ‘slow’ the rain water down during heavy downpours better than the riv mounted s-5 clamps so that the water goes into my gutter instead of shooting over? And I get a ton of leafs every year. Do you anticipate more leaves being held by the s5 system on the ribs or the snow guards on the flats?
And how long realistically will the EPDM and butyl mounted snow guards last? My contractor said he would include warranty against leaks for the snow guards for life of roof and include that into the 35 year warranty?
Which system would hold more snow or weight? Or would both be sufficient for Midwest winters?
And finally which would require more maintenance over time? I would imagine that the butyl and gasket material would fail before the s-5 clamp? How long before I would be replacing and/or sealing screws?
I would love your thoughts and insight into these issues as I’ve lost sleep over this for the last 3 weeks. The snow guards will be installed in the next couple weeks unless I cancel the order.
Thank you for your help.
Chris K – Valparaiso, IN
Replies
Anything that keeps snow from sliding down the roof will catch debris from trees.
You have to weigh the safety concerns from falling snow with the effort to keep the roof clean.
If you do skip the snow guards, you would want the gutters mounted so that sliding snow passes over while light or moderate rain is captured by the gutters. (heavy rain in high winds may also pass over the gutters.)
The dangers from falling snow, and from the possible blocking of fire exits from the fallen snow are worth considering.
Thanks for the Response Unclemike! I will be getting snow guards it’s just a matter of which ones. I am leaning toward the s-5 system since they do not penetrate the roof and may hold less leaves since then will be mounted on seams. However, one of my concerns was if I go with the s-5 system then I will leave more of the flat exposed thus more snow and rain will come down the flats uninterrupted. The pitch is a 5/12 which isn’t terribly steep and I have a textured paint which will help somewhat.
I also have a water issue on my property which almost deserves a separate thread but I was concerned about the 6” gutters with gutter guards installed not being able to capture all the rain. If I install the snow guards in the ‘flat’ of the panel, I was thinking they would do a better job of slowing the rain for the gutter to capture and also providing additional protection for gutters by holding more snow. I have already had gutter damage right after install from sliding snow and ice. But I have since gotten gutter guards which screw into the facia and gutter thereby strengthening their hold. I have a high ground water table and my sump pump run’s continuously during rains and thaws so I am trying to capture as much water as I can but also don’t want to capture to much leave material since I’ve almost fallen off that new metal roof when my shoes became damp.
Thanks again for the advice and suggestions, I appreciate it.
What is your roof pitch?
Hi Calvin,
My roof pitch is 5/12, thank you for your assistance!
Here are some pictures of the ice creeping before I got gutter guards and also the pitch and style of the standing seam
I would not use a snow guard that penetrates your roof, it seems like it essentially defeats the whole point of a standing seam roof....
Thank you for the feedback Freyr. Based on the advice I received here, I will be pursuing the s5 and Levi’s 8500 rf snow guard system even though it may leave my gutters more vulnerable since the snow will likey migrate down the flat of the panels inbetween the rib mounted s5 snow guards. (Snow guards are 5 1/2 inches and panels are 16” - ff-100 style).
Any ideas on how to stagger them on the roof? The metal contractor puts them 6” and 18” staggered, but maybe there is more of a science to it? I plan on putting one on every rib but I was told by Levi’s to maybe put them higher on the roof like 12” and 24” from the eave?
If anyone has experience or insight into this, would be much appreciated! Thanks!
You should place your first row of snow guards at or above your load bearing wall, so as not to load your eave and to reduce ice damming. Here is a helpful link:
https://inspectapedia.com/roof/Snow_Guard_Spacing.php
Thank you Freyr, for the advise and the link! That is very helpful! I have a 4/12 pitch and a lot of surface area. This would have my first staggered snow guard approx 14” from edge of the roof (eave) and the next one about 28” according to the article. Which is about 8” out further than what was recommended by the metal roof contractor. Really appreciate the article, it was very helpful!
Snow and ice buildup on a standing seam metal roof can damage gutters and cause overflow during heavy precipitation. To prevent this, snow guards mounted on the flats are highly effective. They help retain snow and ice, reducing the risk of damage to gutters. Additionally, when combined with gutter covers, they can aid in gutter efficiency and prevent overflow.
EPDM and butyl-mounted snow guards are known to provide long-term durability and often come with warranties that extend the life of the roof. They are a reliable solution for snow retention and require less maintenance compared to other mounting systems.