ROOFTOP AVALANCHES CAN BE DEADLY. HERE'S HOW TO GUARD AGAINST THEM
- darcie750
- Dec 4, 2025
- 3 min read
Enjoy a worry-free winter with the right rooftop snow guard system in place
Key Points:
If you live in an area that experiences winter snow and ice, your home may need a snow guard system.
Snow guards help prevent rooftop avalanches that can severely harm people and property.
For maximum protection and longevity, snow guard systems need to be designed properly. MRA experts offer 4 tips and advice to help ensure your rooftop system can stand up to winter's wrath.
Think avalanches can only happen in the mountains? Think again.
For homes located in snowy, icy regions, rooftop avalanches are a real threat during the cold weather season. With the potential to release thousands of pounds of snow accumulation in a split second, rooftop avalanches can severely harm and injure people and property, unless precautions are taken.
Even just a few inches of ice and snow on your home's roof can cause a heavy, sudden slide, especially if you have steep pitches. That's where rooftop snow guards come into play. By holding back snow accumulation and allowing it to melt more gradually and predicably, good quality rooftop snow guards can prevent serious accidents, injuries-or worse-from occurring.
Roofing experts like Renee Ramey from MRA says, “With a little care and planning, a reliable, well-designed snow guard system is an essential investment in your family's safety, no matter what wrath winter may bring."
Snow guards may seem like a simple concept, but a well-designed system is based on math and science, not guesswork. MRA experts share the basic engineering principles to help you work with your installer to get the right snow guard system for your roof:
Understand local snow loads: Contact your local building officials to get information on the ground snow loads in your area. A roof’s potential snow load can be calculated from the ground snow load information.
Evaluate your roof’s characteristics: Your roof’s profile, material, slope, width of your panels, the rafter length (eave to ridge) and length of eaves help determine where your snow guards should be placed. Tap into resources from industry leaders such as S-5! to help you determine what the profile of your roof is, if you don’t know. The company also offers a handy, easy-to-use Snow Guard Calculator available online. Additionally, S-5! offers the option to have the final computations stamped by a professional engineer.
Approach placement with care: Snow guard placement should be handled by an experienced system designer or installer. To properly place snow retention systems, a clear understanding of roof geometries, how snow accumulates and how snow behaves on a metal roof is necessary. As a general guideline, the entire eave line of a building should be protected, rather than focusing on an isolated area of the roof. For safety’s sake, avoid shortcuts such as placing snow guards only above doorways, which can make snow load shedding even more unpredictable.
Choose products you can count on: Primary snow guard system components should be fabricated from noncorrosive metals and have a life expectancy at least equivalent to the roof itself. Beware of any non-mechanically fastened, plastic components or adhered products: none of these options offer long-lasting protection. Choose only products that offer proper gauge and testing verification.
Even with the potential of danger, there are currently no building or governmental codes, standards or requirements for the proper installation and use of snow guards. That's why making sure your installer or roofing professional is using quality products from reputable manufacturers and following best practices set out by organizations such as the Metal Construction Association (MCA) is so important. Download MCA’s “Qualifying Snow Retention Systems For Metal Roofing” for free at https://metalconstruction.org/index.php/online-education/Snow-Retention
