A complete guide to snow retention installation

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about the three phases of building a snow retention system. 

Snow retention is a crucial part of roof design anywhere with heavy winter snowfall. These systems can literally save lives by retaining the snow on the roof, allowing it to evenly melt off and reducing the risks of uncontrolled avalanching off of roofs. But it’s not talked about as frequently as it should be and there are actually no national or state building codes related to it. This means it is incredibly important for owners, architects, engineers and contractors to be informed about these systems. This article covers an overview of the three main phases in the process of building a proper snow retention system for a roof.  

1 - Engineering 

The key to creating an effective snow retention system and avoiding damages and injuries caused by sliding snow and ice is having the right number of brackets. The experts at TRA Snow and Sun explain, “Installing too few will result in snow and ice avalanches – exactly what you’re trying to prevent. Installing too many snow guard brackets is a cost that you don’t need.” There are two main factors that determine how many snow brackets are needed; ground snow load (how much snowfall there is) and the pitch of the roof. Additional factors include the type of roof sheathing and thickness; the fasteners used; snow drift conditions; ice damming; etc.  

Juggling all of these factors can be overwhelming, especially with the lack of formal codes to guide you. A great option is to reach out to TRA Snow and Sun’s team for help. They can take a roof’s specific data and help engineer the appropriate combination of snow guards, rails and brackets needed. They can be contacted by phone at 877-290-8669 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.MST and offer this service for free! You can also submit a Snow Retention Checklist to get a free quote for some of their high quality and well-tested products! 

2 - Installation 

After you get the proper snow retention engineering and design done, it’s time for installation. This is a technical process. In addition to the normal concerns and hazards of working on a roof, you must be very careful to ensure that roof warranties remain valid and that the waterproofing of the roof system is not compromised during installation. TRA Snow and Sun prides themselves on designing products that are simple to install for all contractors.  

While TRA does not have an approved contractors' program, they do run some training seminars throughout the year for contractors and their crews. From classroom learning about the logistics of retaining snow efficiently to practice with hands-on installation demos, these cover everything roofing professionals need to know about protecting homes from rooftop avalanches. 

3 - Maintenance 

The last, but not less important phase of building a strong snow retention system is maintenance. All snow retention devices should be checked as a part of your roof’s yearly inspection. If there are any issues found with the product itself, it must be reported to the manufacturer. At TRA Snow and Sun, maintenance is required to maintain their product warranties. They outlined the following maintenance schedule and tips for their standing seam snow fence as an example: “Once a year, provide a visual inspection, making sure all end caps, ice flags, collars, etc., are in proper repair. Make sure nothing is loose, has moved, or is missing. Replace any damaged or missing product. Report any damages to TRA for replacement covered parts. Once every two years, check the torque of the Snow Fence carriage bolts and locking nuts, making sure they are still at 30-foot pounds of torque.” 

If you have more questions about getting a snow retention system on a roof, you can visit TRA’s FAQ or contact them at 877-290-8669.