S-5! | Snow Retention | FAQs | Snow Retention FAQs

Snow Retention FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

To find the answer to any of the questions below, simply click on it.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why keep snow on the roof?

When snow avalanches off of a rooftop, it can damage anything in its path! This sudden release of snow can be dramatic - dumping tons of snow all at once. Read more>>

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2. How are S-5! Snow Retention Systems attached?

S-5! Snow Retention Systems are attached using patented S-5! clamping technology. S-5! attachments are all mechanical, and squeeze the seam with round point setscrews. S-5! attachments leave you with:

No unreliable adhesives
No panel penetration
S-5! attachments do not violate the panels' thermal movement
Unequaled holding strength
No premature corrosion
S-5! attachments do not violate roof system warranties
Recommended by all leading metal building and metal panel manufacturers

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3. Can S-5! Snow Retention Systems be retrofitted to an existing roof?

Yes, ColorGard and SnoFence™ can easily be retrofitted to existing roofs or incorporated onto a new construction design. They can be installed any time of year using power tools that are common to the trade. Read more>>

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4. Should the Snow Retention System be customized to the job?

Yes - any product should be - including those sold by other companies. Everything has a failure point, which is why products are tested; so that point is known. The idea then, is not to expose a product to forces which exceed its known point of failure. These forces are predictable and can be calculated accurately for any application. Ask your distributor for design assistance or try our ColorGard calculator here.

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5. What about cost?

S-5! Snow Retention Systems are the best buy on the market! Better holding strength, better color retention, user-friendly installation - this all equates to higher cost, right? Wrong! Everyone wants better quality - as long as it costs less. Well, with S-5! Snow Retention Systems you can have your cake and eat it too! When compared with other fence-type systems on a cost per foot basis, S-5! wins, hands down - even though it is several times stronger than most of those systems. When compared to individual cleat-type units and pound-for-pound of holding strength, S-5! costs much less - yes, even less than the plastic parts. Installers prefer S-5! so much that they often charge less to install S-5!.

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6. What is the approximate linear foot cost of a ColorGard system?

Pound for pound of holding strength, S-5! ColorGard is the best buy on the market, but because ColorGard assemblies are designed to the specifics of each project, costs vary widely depending upon those specifics.

The variables are as follows:

Clamp Frequency: Based on seam spacing; also sometimes you can skip seams depending upon design loads.

Clamp Model: Based on seam and profile- some clamp models are more expensive than others.

Use of SnoClip™: In some cases SnoClip is optional and may be omitted from the assembly.

Purchase Quantity: S-5! components use columnar pricing according to order quantity. The larger the order the lower the unit costs.

Following are examples of how these variables can affect cost:

Example 1

Clamp spacing: Seams are 16” on center. But the design service load requires a clamp only every second seam

Clamp model: The profile is 1.5” double folded, requiring the S-5-E, our lowest cost clamp.

SnoClip: seam height is 1.5” and user has elected not to use SnoClip.

Purchase Quantity: Total assembly length required: 2,700 ft

Part takeoff consists of:

(1013) S-5-E clamps placed on every other seam

(338) Pieces of 8ft ColorGard

(1013) VersaClips™

This job will cost about $4.51 per lineal foot.

Example 2

Clamp spacing: Seams are 16” on center. The service design load requires a clamp to be used on every seam.

Clamp model: The special profile requires the S-5-Z.

SnoClip: Seam height is 2-3/4” and SnoClip III to be used at every panel.

Purchase Quantity: Total assembly length required: 24 ft

Part takeoff consists of:

(16) S-5-Z clamps placed on every seam

(3) Pieces of 8ft ColorGard

(16) VersaClips

(15) SnoClip III (every 16”)

This job will cost about $13.79 per lineal foot.

The above figures are based upon Manufacturers suggested pricing and do not include freight, tax or color strip. Color strip is sometimes made from scrap and in such cases is a zero cost item. In other cases it may cost up to $0.35 per foot if specially fabricated from outside sources.

We have chosen examples from opposite ends of the spectrum for purposes of illustration. Most jobs will fall somewhere between. Your distributor can always assist with pricing individual projects. Our on-line calculator can assist with determination of quantities.

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7. How do I know which system to choose?

If there is a design objective to color-match pre-painted steel or aluminum roof material, then ColorGard is the obvious choice. If the project involves mill finish, traditional folded standing seam or batten seam copper, then brass SnoRail™ or SnoFence™ is the perfect solution. If the design calls for slender, cylindrical shapes - look at SnoRail or SnoFence in mill finished aluminum. And for slightly heavier duty applications - use stainless steel SnoRods™.

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8. How far do you set ColorGard from the eve and how far do you set back the second row?

Determining where to place snow retention rows is a common question. The first row is the easiest to answer, but it is really more of a question. How much snow do you really want to fall off the roof?

The Metal Construction Association “Metal Roof Design for Cold Climates” document has some commentary on pages 10 and 11 with respect to the first row of a snow retention system. This industry document recommends, “The first row of units or cross-members should be located close to (within 12-in. of) the eave end of the panels.”

The reason for this recommendation:

“This is because at some point, the snow bank that envelopes the snowguard will shear at the approximate location of the guard, and whatever portion of the bank is below the guard may fall from the roof.”

You will find several myths surrounding this topic, but the sighted “Metal Roof Design for Cold Climates” published by MCA is a good source of information to determine this and other cold climate designs. This document explains this question as well as many others regarding snow retention and metal roofing in cold climates.

Figure 11 “Guidline for spacing of multiple rows” is a helpful resource found on page 10 of the MCA “Metal Roof Design for Cold Climates.” As you can see from the Figure 11 layout, snow retention products are preferred near the eave, this is to take advantage of the compressive and shear strength of snow pack rather than being dispersed all over the roof surface.

Another issue that is often overlooked, and can be very critical, is the need for a second row, even when calculations say you don’t need one. This is explained in the sighted document and is caused by a lack of compressive strength in the snow. We at S-5! like to call it a “Buckling Blanket.”

A Buckling Blanket is when the blanket of snow on the roof is dense and wet (not solidified), it may tend to undergo compression buckling, pushing a “loop” upward from the roof surface as the heavy mass compresses toward the eave where it is restrained by snow guards. This loop can fold over the blanket and the snow retention device(s) in the downslope direction, often breaking and in some cases falling from the roof or impacting lower rows of assembly. A simple solution is to reduce the unsupported length of the snow blanket by adding rows of snow retention.

The MCA “Metal Roof Design for Cold Climates” document has other useful information in it with respect to this issue. For more information about MCA please visit their website: www.metalconstruction.org or click here to download the PDF document entitled: MCA-Cold Climates

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