Why don't you recommend adhering snow guards to my roof?

The snow guards on this Walgreens in Utah illustrate the problems associated with adhered clear plastic snow guards

To be sure, there are a number of manufacturer's that recommend adhering plastic snow guards with adhesive sealant or tape. However, if you have called us recently or researched a method of installation for your snow guards you may have noticed that we do not recommend the use of sealant as the sole method of attachment, no matter what the roof type.

There are a variety of reasons that adhering snow guards onto your roof may an ineffective method in the design of a long-lasting and safe snow retention system.

Reason 1:

Adhesives tend to break down over time. So, adhered snow guards may work out for the 1st few years but over time, they may come off when a load is applied (like snow piling up behind them). Our mission here at Rocky Mountain Snow Guards is to create long lasting, permanent systems that will work as long as you own the building or roof.

Reason 2:

Adhesives requires certain conditions in order to cure and these ideal conditions may only exist within a small window of time in many areas where snow retention is desired. Adhering snow guards is not recommended during the winter months and because of the length of time to fully cure, can't be done in many areas during the shoulder seasons. So, unless snow guards are adhered during the optimum period, closely following manufacturer installation requirements, performance of the adhesives can't be guaranteed.

Reason 3:

Adhered snow guards have much lower load ratings than mechanically fastened or clamp to seam style snow guards. Therefore, many more are required to stabilize the snow load.

What type of installation is recommended than you ask? We like the use of an appropriate sealant along with gasketed commercial metal roof fasteners (like the Woodbinder Eclipse) that will not compromise the integrity of your roof system if installed by a licensed and professional contractor. We are happy to talk to you or your contractor about the installation method and provide you with the right information and materials to make sure you have a bullet-proof snow retention system that not only looks great but performs exceptionally in the long run.