One drop of snow can ruin a gutter system of the house or a snow avalanche may cause damage to people and property.
It is better for the snow to thaw on the roof rather than evacuating the whole roof by sliding and falling as an avalanche.
Snow fences and snow guards are an important element that should be added to any house, particularly if it is situated in a demographic area which gets regular snowfall to prevent thawing or avalanching and damaging people and property.
But, there is a difference between these two.
Snow fences stop the sliding snow from falling, whereas, snow guards provide traction, which actually protects the snow from sliding.
Usually, they are recommended for metal roofs, and they not only stop the rooftop avalanches, but also maintain the roof and the roof lines from getting damaged.
If the right fence is chosen, then it would last as long as the roof lasts.
Two different products are available in the market- bolt down and clamp to seam snow fences.
Bolt down snow fences are suitable for homes where a great deal of snow should be held to the roof and also for the roofs which are slippery in nature, while, clamp to seam are suitable for standing seam metal panel roofs.
Based on the roofing system of one's home, one should choose the suitable fence to serve the purpose.
Some More Info on Bolt Down Snow Fences Bolt down snow fences isn't one piece that can be installed.
It consists of L-type snow brackets, aluminium tubing, couplers, caps, collars and ice stops.
The L brackets differ in size and shape depending on the type of roofing- with a steeping pitch where the snowfall is heavy or for lighter applications where there isn't much snow fall and snow retention.
The main feature of this kind of product is the inclusion of L brackets.
These L brackets are mostly made up of aluminium and are rust-free.
These are called "bolt down", as these brackets are bolted down on the roof using screws and there are proper provisions given in them to insert the tubing along them.
At times, instead of screws other fasteners are used based on the material of the roof.
The tubes are interconnected using couplers and caps are usually inserted at the ends to keep moisture and dirt accumulating inside the tubes.
The installation process is quite easy as instruction manual is provided along with it.
If one is not confident about the installation, then approach the manufacturer to help with the installation process.
Many people blame snow fences for ice damming, but this happens due to the poor installation of the fences along the attic portion of the roof.
While installing, one should also keep in mind that the bolt down snow fences should be properly installed along the footprint of the building.