How to Install Snow Guards on Metal Roofing
Snow guards are plastic or metal devices that stagger the rate the snow falls from your roof. They are especially useful on the slippery surface of a metal roof, keeping snow from falling in avalanches that can rip off gutters, damage landscaping and pose threats to people below. The snow collects around the guards and falls off in small pieces or melts altogether. Installing them is easy. Just make sure you have a solid place to stand such as a secured ladder. Wait for a dry day to work, because the snow guard adhesive will not stick well to a damp roof. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Place a mark with a pencil 6 inches up from the lower edge of the roof and 6 inches in from one side. Continue to make marks 6 inches up from the edge, placing them 24 inches apart as you move the length of the roof.
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Make a second row of marks 12 inches from the lower edge of the roof. Make the first mark 12 inches from the side rather than 6. Keep the marks 24 inches apart, giving you two horizontal rows with staggered marks.
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Put on protective work gloves and clean the area around each mark with ISO wipes. If the pencil marks get rubbed off when you are cleaning, make new marks on the cleaned areas. Take off the work gloves and put on thick latex gloves.
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Apply clear roofing adhesive to the bottom of the first snow guard. Cover the entire bottom with the adhesive.
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Press the glued end of the snow guard along the first mark on the roof until the adhesive seeps out from underneath. Place the guard so the vertical edge faces up the slope of your roof. Wipe away the excess glue from around the guard with your finger. Use the pencil marks as your guides as you continue to attach the snow guards along the staggered rows on the roof.
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Repeat the process for other pitched areas of the roof.
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Tips & Warnings
Some snow guards have screw holes in them so you can drill the guards in place; this is necessary only if you experience unusually heavy snowfall.
If the pitch of your roof is extremely high, two rows of snow guards may not be sufficient.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit roof image by sanyal from Fotolia.com
