Snow Buildup On Metal Roof

Purchase snow guards from your local hardware or home improvement store.

Snow buildup on metal roof.

Metal roofs leak under these circumstances. Purchase a long handled aluminum roof rake preferably with wheels or a non stick graphite blade. At these slopes snow creeps rather than slides and is easy to manage. Roof slopes lower than 4 12 tend to perform well with metal roofs which are less prone to leakage and ice dam formation.

At the low end that might be on the order of 10 20 pounds per square foot psf. Some metal building manufacturers will not warranty a roof with a 1 4 inch slope. Have a professional install the snow guards if you re worried about damaging your metal roof. These occur when snow or ice on the roof melts and then refreezes at the roof s lower edge.

When a metal roof undergoes a structural engineering design it necessarily takes into account the code required levels of snow accumulation for the building location. If you push the snow across the roof you could end up damaging the shingles. However on the high end it could be over 40 pounds per square foot. Ask a friend or family member to hold the ladder on the ground to make sure it s stable.

To use the rake pull the snow toward the edge of your roof. Snow and ice buildup can slide off a metal roof causing a dangerous avalanche effect. When the snow piled up on the roof melting occurred and ice dams resulted in water ponding 3 inches deep. On roof slopes between 4 12 and 6 12 rough textured roofing materials work best.

This avalanche effect is why most homeowners should consider installing snow guards on their metal roof.