Consider the following criteria: safety, budget and aesthetics
You’ve just sold a metal roof, now it’s time to ask the customer for the fries with their burger. But there are so many snow retention products in the marketplace, how do you help the customer decide what to use?
I have consulted on tens of thousands of roofing projects, large and small, and I am repeatedly asked, “What product should I use?” And I reply truthfully, “I’ve been married for 22 years, I haven’t made a decision in 22 years and I am not going to start now.”
Joking aside, I am able to offer a number of products for nearly every type of roofing. My goal is to show them how certain products will help them achieve their goals. There are no cookie-cutter answers with snow guards. One product will not fit all applications, and with all of the various styles of metal roofing, why would it? I want the customer to make the decision based on the needs of their project.
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When choosing snow guards it is very important to consider the following criteria: safety, budget and aesthetics. Let’s find out what guards will best reduce snow and ice slides on your roof, see what they cost and whether they are pleasing to the eye.
Safety
Snow guards, first and foremost, are safety devices. Berger Building Products Inc., Feasterville, Pa., offers an AIA/CES
(continuing education seminar) on snow retention products. This program falls under the category of HSW (health, safety and welfare) because snow guards are an aspect of architecture intended to limit or prevent accidental injury or death among users of the buildings or sites.
Snow guards and rails are designed to limit the movement of snow and ice on metal roofs. Once the snow has gained momentum, it is very difficult to stop. The guards will only be as safe as the pattern they are installed on. Again, there are no cookie-cutter answers when it comes to snow guard patterns and placement. Location of the building, elevation at the location of the building, historical snow fall (wet/ice), ground snow load and roof measurements-all have a role in determining where to place product, but too often these are not considered.
Many people call me wanting to use a rail system. When I ask why, they can’t seem to answer. Some think rails will hold everything on the roof-forever. Rail systems are fine products and we sell thousands of feet of them, but it is not the best product for all applications. Let’s make one point clear: from a safety standpoint, when properly installed, you will get the same level of protection from surface-mounted snow guards as you will from seam-mounted snow guards, as you will from rail systems. This is when we have to consider the budget.
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Budget
Money is no object, until the quote arrives. Snow guards are still the last thing on the roof and first thing out of the budget. However, there are many affordable choices for metal roofing. When it comes to bang for your buck, plastic snow guards are a mainstay in the industry. They are affordable and readily available. These can be mechanically fastened to exposed roof panels and sealed with a dab of sealant. Many companies are offering stamped-metal designs as well as metal origami for these panels. However, these products are not as economical as the plastic variety.
Aesthetics
When we get to aesthetics, standing seam metal roofs have more of a wow factor. There are more design capabilities with metal roofing than any other roofing product. Seam-mounted snow guards and rail products should be considered. These can be colored-matched to blend perfectly with the roof and available in different shapes. I will often quote both rail products and seam-mounted snow guards for projects so the customer can compare how cost effective each will be.
There are hundreds of products available in the market today for metal roofing, and dozens that will fit your application. But before you make the choice, remember to consider how the snow guard fits the safety, budgetary and aesthetic needs of your customer’s project.
Joe Salvatore is specialty sales manager at Berger Building Products Inc., Feasterville, Pa. For
more information, visit www.bergerbp.com.
