Protecting Your Shed Roof from Heavy Snow Loads
The winter season is here and that means heavy snow loads on your shed roof will be a common occurrence. This can be a problem if you do not take precautions to protect your roof from the weight of all that snow. Here are different ways of protecting your shed roof from heavy snow loads, so it does not break.
Anticipate Snowfall
Heavy snowfalls and loads can be dangerous. Be aware of your surroundings, and anticipate how much weight the roof will support before making any changes to the snow on it.
When you buy a metal shed, it will typically come with predrilled holes in the roof. This is for installing snow load protection devices such as steel cables. The steel cables must be anchored to a stable point like a tree or post.
Most metal sheds come with a pre-stated load rating. This is how much weight it can hold before the roof starts caving in. It may be wise to invest in some heavy-duty cables with a higher load rating than what typical shed comes with.
Roof Strengthening Kit
Consider buying a roof strengthening kit from Arrow if you have a wooden shed and want to protect it from heavy snow loads. It is an easy way to increase the load rating of your shed so that it may support more weight.
The kits come with everything you need, such as cables, clamps, screws, and washers. Most of these kits are made out of galvanized steel, which is rust-resistant.
Prevent Sliding Snow
Preventing sliding snow is one of the best ways to protect your shed roof from heavy loads. You can avoid sliding snow by adding anti-slip devices such as non-skid tape or safety strips.
Doing this will ensure that no matter how much weight there is on top, you will not have any problems with it sliding off. Preventing snow from sliding ensures your shed roof can handle all that weight without any issues. It would prevent damage to the sides of the shed and any injuries if someone were to walk on top of it.
Proper Snow Removal
A ladder can be used in conjunction with shoveling to remove the heavy loads of snow. Using an extension ladder will prevent heavy loads from falling onto the roof and causing damage. Tie down the bottom end so that it does not shift while you are working on it.
A combination of blowing and shoveling is another good way to prevent damage from heavy snow. Blowing the top layer off with a leaf blower, then removing anything left by hand or with a shovel will keep your shed roof safe. Consider using an extension ladder as well so that you can reach any spots without too much trouble.
Use Retention Systems
Gutters and downspouts can be a good way of preventing damage from heavy snow loads. Make sure these are clear so that no ice dams form, which will cause the roof to cave in. The icy dams can cause leaks or water backing up under the shed if the retention system is not installed correctly.
These are some of the many ways of protecting your shed roof from heavy loads during those snowy days this winter season. Try a combination of these different approaches before you do anything else about your shed. Snow loads can be dangerous, but with the proper protection, your shed roof will stay intact no matter how much snow falls or comes sliding off it that day.
