When I first started putting slate roofing on in the Northeastern United States, customers would ask if they need snow guards. Most of the projects I helped repair or salvage did not even have gutters attached. So, snow guards weren’t even a consideration. When I encountered my first customer asking for snow guards, I went Keep reading . . .
Category: Snow Guard Advice & Installation Tips
Snow Guard Advice & Installation Tips – Alpine SnowGuards’ expert advice, tips and videos on installing snow and solar snow management systems.
Can a Snow Guard Manufacturer Guarantee Their Snow Retention Device will Retain ALL Snow and Ice on a Rooftop?
Asking if a snow retention device will retain all snow and ice on a rooftop is a very important question. It is also a very important answer to understand. Before I answer, I’d like to ask a similar question “Will a dam hold back all of the water that could accumulate behind it?” On the Keep reading . . .
The Significance of Snow Guard Layout: Pad-Style
The layout of snow guards has always been a highly-debated topic – one that’s continually being studied. An American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) committee has been formed to develop a testing standard to determine what a snow guard is and what it does physically. This means that when tested for shear and pullout Keep reading . . .
6 Slate Roof Maintenance Tips for Spring
Brian Stearns, the President & Founder of Alpine SnowGuards, wrote the below back in the Spring of 2006. Brian’s deep roots in the slate roofing industry (he began his career as a slate roofer in the 1970’s) has given him a wealth of knowledge and experience that’s honestly too valuable NOT to share (and re-share). Keep reading . . .
Solar Snow Management for PV Arrays: Expectations vs. Reality
Several Alpine SnowGuards’ customers reached out to us between 2010-2012 hoping we could provide solar snow management for PV arrays. This was an entirely new snow management problem that was evolving right along with the solar industry. This new problem stemmed from solar PV arrays installed on composition shingle roofs that don’t shed “much” snow Keep reading . . .
Summary: Snow Guard Evolution (so far)
Over the course of multiple blogs, I’ve shared my opinion about the history and evolution of snow guards, as both the roofing industry and new technology have dictated. As I write and reread these postings, there are several underlying themes. One theme is that, in our quest to find better solutions to problems, change is Keep reading . . .
Beware. Proceed with Caution.
In the spirit of Halloween, a more appropriate title for this blog may have been “Trick or Treat”, or maybe “Beware. Proceed at your own risk!” Where to start? For those of you who’ve been following my blogs, you know that I’ve been focused on the evolution of the roofing industry combined with snow management Keep reading . . .
Snow Guard Evolution from 1981-1985: Part 1
Up until about 1980, my involvement with the hard roofing industry was primarily with the salvage, sales and distribution of “used roofing slate”. In the early 1980’s, my salvaged slate customers started calling to see if I’d be interested in installing the slate. The truth is, the thought had never occurred to me. I was happily Keep reading . . .
5 Common Snow Guard Questions
As we’ve come to learn, people have many questions when it comes to managing rooftop snow. The answers to common snow guard questions aren’t as cut-and-dry as one would think. Every project has a different set of variables: roof type, location, snow load, eave length, roof slope, snow management needs or expectations, etc. This is Keep reading . . .
10 Tips for Winterizing Your Roof
You don’t want to admit it, but deep down you know it…. winter is back there, hiding – lurking, really – around the corner. The scorching heat of summer has waned and the leaves changing color and fluttering about our yards (especially up here in northern Vermont) are very clear indicators of what’s ahead. As Keep reading . . .