Since we had a bit of snow, I have some trouble at our house with the new roof. In the past 6 days we had about a total of 13 inches of snow here were I live on the westcoast. This is a huge amount of snow for this area. In the summertime I had a new roof installed on the house, I got a RoofRoc roof. This is an artificial Slate material, made of limestone and plastics. This is a great product and it looks really good. It was expensive to have this roof installed. Now the snow is melting, and here is the big problem: The snow/ice slides off the roof and crushes down. When I got home today there were about 30 inches overhanging the gutter, scary looking when you have to walk under it to get to the door. Some slid of the backside roof and crushed the patio roof which has some 2×4 framing with corrugated plastic sheets. I am not to concerned about that patio roof since I want to redo the patio in the spring anyway. What can I do in the future to prevent this from happening. I talked to my roofer and he said he never installed snow guards in the area were I live. He told me snowguards would have to be installed under the RoofRoc, so the RoofRoc need to get taken off and replaced. What alternative do I have? Please help me out.
Martin
Replies
You pull the snow off before it piles up that deep with a snow roof rake.
http://www.midwestrake.com/divisions/lawngarden/snowice/snowroofrake.htm
I thought of something like that, but it is 24 feet from the ground to the gutter.Martin
You could install an electric melting grid on top of the existing shingles. That high up it should be invisible. You'll need to plug the grid into something though...maybe a receptacle mounted in the soffit.
Try this then:
Go to Home Depot/Lowes/other generic hardware store and pick up four 10' sections of 1" PVC Pipe, three couplers, and a "T" fitting. Also pick up some 1/4" x 2" long bolts and PVC cement.
One of the pipes you will cut two 12" sections off. Use PVC cement to glue these to the the T with the remaining 8' of pipe. This is your main "snow knocker offer" (SKO). With the couplers and pipe sections and bolts, you will make extensions. Place your first coupler on the end of your SKO, you may need to sand the ends of the pipes to get the couplers deep over the pipes. Drill a 1/4" hole clear through the couple and pipe and place a bolt through. Get a marker and write "#1" next to the bolt on the coupler and the pipe. Put another pipe in the other end of the coupler, drill and bolt it, and write "#2" next to this bolt and on this end of the new pipe. Repeat this until you have a 38' long SKO.
If you buy end caps, you can store the bolts inside the first section of your SKO over the summer. Next winter, just match up the numbers again - the holes will line up perfectly.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
I used a sko last night(telescopic pole and a moss-rake attached) on some parts on the roof. The garage roof is clear this morning, over night all the snow slit off . I will post some pics later.
yeah all this white stuff sure throws us for a loop. out here in mision we got about the same amount...however it was so windy that roof tops got blown fairly clear. although....you'd see some lower roof sections with these big wind blown heeps piled up.
hopefully someone from Colorado will have answer for you.
cut a door in the end of the building and stay out of the front yard...
and if that is all the snow ya get... geeze....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Edited 12/3/2006 5:26 am by IMERC
I don't know what you can do about the problem. But there is a reason the old time house builders in deep snow country placed steep gable roofs directly over the front door, You didn't have to worry when you walked out and slammed the door behind you that the snow was going to kill you before you took a step.
Install these:
http://snowbrakes.com/ProductDetails/SGC100-detail.htm
They'll keep the snow on the roof 'til it melts.
http://logancustomcopper.com
http://grantlogan.net/
I see we're both thinking alike.
I don't see any future in pulling the snow off of a 24' tall roof onto myself. I'd rather sit inside and watch it drip off.http://logancustomcopper.com
http://grantlogan.net/
If I tried pulling the snow down, I'd make sure to tape the results for Americas Funniest Home Videos.
maybe he needs to stand back and fire a couple of shot gun rounds. ya know...like the do in the mountains.
Maybe I am lucky enough to hit a couple of squirrels and raccoons at the same time LOL!!!
Here are some pics I took of the sliding snow roof. The first one is from last night, I hope you are able to see the snow on the garage roof. Last night there was 3/4 snow coverage on the garage, this morning it is all down on the ground. There are also some pics of the crushed patio roof.
dang man, with that little bit of snow up there and how infrequent it might occur just go on and don't get concerned over it. Just be careful whenever it might occur.
That patio roof looked pretty weak already enough when that snow hit it direct it had to happen.
When you rebuild it'd be better to put the money in a quality porch roof with a slant.
View Image
I looked at snow guards already, but they need to get installed under the Roofroc. There are some out there that get glued or hooked on the tile, but IMO that puts a lot of stress on each tile. Martin
Martin,
If you're serious about installing a quality snow guard on your existing roof take a look at this photo album illustrating the steps required.
Walter
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8cbsmrhqzlg
They look a little more stout than the ones we recently reattached. I think they were the same as Grant linked to.
Call me chicken, but by god, if I am installing a snowcatcher on an eave...I want to be able to step on it or hang off it if I need too...them other ones just bend and give me a false sense of saftey.
We put up some serious cast brass on the Standing seam at Gainsway...two 5/16'' allen heads per guard, sammichng the seam...They held REAL good, went back for a service call a few weeks ago..didn't have a chicken ladder with us...I could stay up just by trusting them snocatchers. But then again, I don't weigh much.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
Thats the beauty of having them installed-it's just like roof staging for future repair work.
One of my customers called the other day wanting two skylights flashed into an EPDM roof. My first thought was theres a slate roof just above this closed in porch roof. I asked her how she intended to keep the skylights unbroken this Winter once the snow and ice came crashing off the slate. I never thought about it was her response-so I'll be installing 18 or so Sieger guards this coming week.
Hope some relief from pain is in your future.
Walter
our service call was skylite related, I didn't get the head flashing just right where it met the Velux trim....I hate skylites, they all will leak.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
I've had good luck with Velux on slate and other steep roofs-no call backs.
I wrap the frame with IWS out onto the deck 12" then shingle and flash.
This is a first for me to install in a 1/12-actually her carpenter is doing everything but the flashing and maybe I can do just the snowguards on the slate above.
Yep..Velux is the best, But I think I screwed up the head side, we reroofed this place, I didn't partake in the tear off...nor did I get involved with the skylites other than to cut and fit the pans around them...
The leak could have been the lites seal, but I don't know for sure. No call back yet tho' so, I musta done something right.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
One of my customers called the other day wanting two skylights flashed into an EPDM roof.
What is funny, is that I just saw that on an old episode of This Old House within the last 7-10 days. They were putting in a mongo-sized round skylight on the epdm top of a mansard roof. Wonder if your client saw that episode too? ;)
jt8
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
John,
She's apparently wanted to get more light into her dark kitchen by installing two velux units into the closed in sun porch roof. I think she's waited for some time for the porch remodel so I'm not sure the show was her motivation.
What is the cost of the Sieger Model C snow guards? I like the look of them.
I think I paid around $12 for the last batch I bought.
>>>>>>>but they need to get installed under the Roofroc.Yes - and they can be. Look at slateman's how to album.http://logancustomcopper.com
http://grantlogan.net/
Some makers of snow guards make a retofit guard for slate shingles which can be installed without removing the slates. Your roof would be similar to that-although I haven't used Roofroc.
Alpine and Zaleski both make one that would be suitable.
The downside to a retrofit is that it's not attached to the roof deck,but rather is hooked to the top of a slate-adding stress to the shingle once loaded with snow.
Dude! THAT'S ALL THE SNOW YOU HAVE??????? LOL!
I just went to HD yesterday and picked up some heat-wrap for a different project, and it works great.
Install it. Love it.
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
we had twice that here in mission..schools were closed in mission mon to thurs.
Yea, I know. In fact, I even was amazed by the size of the icicle on the side of my house.
Not to hijack, today the city came to my block to cut down the loose branches - some already down, some partly stripped off.
This snowstorm sure has changed some ideas.Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the snow. It doesn't affect me. I just don't like the fact it is sliding off my roof and crushing into my patio roof. And I don't like, that it could hit somebody coming into the house.Martin