Elegant design is often simple and unencumbered. The same is true of the Wire Loop snow guard.
Wire Loops are typically fabricated from a single lustrous piece of copper wire and mechanically twisted into a low-profile loop. They are one of the oldest pad-style snow guard designs. As such, they are synonymous with historic slate roofs. Currently, the synthetic roofing market continues to evolve. It has sparked a series of Alpine SnowGuards’ innovations, one of which is based upon this tried and true design: the Wire Loop HD.
Wire Loop HD Design
Alpine’s design objectives for the Wire Loop HD were clear. Create a snow guard that is:
- Simple: easy to install
- Unseen: low-profile & visually appealing to homeowners
- Effective: exceptional at managing snow from avalanching
Alpine SnowGuards was founded by a slate roofer who began handcrafting our PD10 pad-style snow guards over 25 years ago. Since then, constant innovations have led to a solid line of 50+ snow management products for all roof types, including solar.
With four wire loop products already on the market, Alpine responded to the surging synthetic roofing market by engineering the Wire Loop HD.
The Design Difference
The Wire Loop HD strays from its traditional design roots in two very effective ways:
- Crafted from Galvanized Steel for significant strength: 450lbs ultimate snow load per snow guard
- Larger, yet still low profile, than its copper counterpart and anodized black for low visibility on dark roofs
“In certain applications, both pad-style and pipe-style are used on the same building in combination to protect differing roof areas. Pad-style snow guards are generally not as strong as pipe-style systems but, when properly used, will accomplish the same thing. The difference is that pad-style snow guards need to be installed over the entire roof surface to be effective. There is a very old pad-style device that is called a wire loop or pig tail. When properly installed over an entire roof surface, this device creates a wire mesh effect. Also, when correctly installed in the proper geographic region, this is probably among the best snow management systems available.” From “Designing a Snow Management System” by Brian Stearns, Alpine’s founder and company president.
Wire Loop HD Performance
Extensive performance tests by Alpine conclude Wire Loop HD is optimal for:
- Roofs with 8/12 pitch or less, with 50 psf GSL or less
- Higher pitched roofs (9/12+) when a pipe/rod snow guard system is also installed at the eave
Wire Loop Performance Test Video
Watch: April Snowfall in Northern Vermont
All of Alpine SnowGuards products are rigorously performance tested at our in-house testing facility by 3rd party testing facilities, and in the field by roofing experts.
Wire Loop HD Cut Sheets, BIM Revit Files & More
Visit the Wire Loop HD product page for:
- Roof Types
- Cut Sheets
- Specifications
- Installation Instructions & More
Wire Loop HDs were designed to stand the test of time. They perform well given the strength of stainless steel and their improved size. With a design rooted in history, they maintain their elegance and aesthetic appeal. Being anodized black helps them remain virtually unseen on dark roofs and helps them maintain the home’s architectural lines.
We keep snow in its place
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Alpine SnowGuards designs, engineers, and manufactures snow management systems from our facilities in Morrisville, VT. We work closely with leading roofing contractors, engineering firms, developers, and roofing manufacturers to ensure we deliver quality products that do what we say they’ll do. Alpine SnowGuards can help a building qualify for LEED® credits.