Snow Guards Explained

A snow guard is a device used to retain snow and ice from falling from one surface to a lower one; in contemporary usage, they are installed to prevent snow/ice pack from avalanching and damaging people, plants, and property below.

We are often asked for snow guards because prospective customer's like how they look and the charm that is added to a project. But did you know they actually serve a purpose? Metal roofing can warm up while the sun is shining even when blanketed with snow, but it then cools very quickly too. This creates a large sheet of ice underneath and the snow can break off and travel in large sections. Certain designs, like seen on the photo trap more snow and ice than others, while it is also common to have steep roof pitches that will barely trap any snow at all. The snow guards will break apart the ice, saving you gutters and reducing the changes of large ice chunks breaking away and crashing down.