i often see a series of bumps or spikes a few feet from the roof edge. i'm not sure if they are for melting snow from the roof, or for providing traction so that snow does fall off, or what. can someone tell me what they are called and what their purpose is? Thanks!
They're called "snow guards" or "snow stops" - their purpose is to minimize the chances of a sudden 'avalanche" of accumulated snow from the roof during wintertime. They are designed to keep the snow pack on the roof until it melts - thereby preventing damage to gutters, foundation plantings and people. They generally are more important when the roof material specified has a low co-efficient of friction - such as standing seam metal.
pfft. quizzical doesn't know what he's talking about.
they're used in towns with ninja like naruto. they started jumping around all over people's roofs, and when they smashed their clumsy feet against the shingles, the shingles peeled off. those things give the ninja an anchor so they can jump off the roof without damaging the shingles.
Those are eye music....sep....yur ...ruffrer ...couldn't write a melody.....or the would have been more erratic spacing. He gave you Architecture 101 roof snow guard detail.
snow guards. got it. thanks. :) and thanks for all the other answers too, very entertaining! What are y'alls' opinion on snow guards? completely necessary? eyesore? are there any alternatives? are they removable in the summer?
I like them because when used properly they illustrate the relationship between the roof and the human body walking/existing below.
Related: people who think they are eyesores are probably the same people who paint a downspout to match whatever color is behind it, resulting in a multi-colored downspout. *That* is an eyesore. A downspout is a thing, we need to accept it; I like the building to tell its own story.
I think they might also be called snow DOGS too - like shutter dogs.
Its important to keep sheets of ice from sliding off the building. A bigger deal on commercial standing seam roofs. All jokes aside this is one of those items that can get you sued or someone hurt. 1 inch of ice 40 feet long sliding off and hitting someone will ruin yours and their day. Look up Dallas stadium falling ice. Architect won but I bet they spent 6 figures to "win" and I'd be willing to bet there are snow guards now.
Snow guards are actually code in the mountains here... As is roofs that don't slope into pedestrian ways. Because you are talking an ice dam and I've seen them get over a foot thick and crush the front end of a car... Oddly enough, that issue is typically a ventilation and insulation problem. Interior heat melts the snow, the water rolls down the roof, then hits the cold eave at the overhang. It freezes there. Cold roofs don't do it.
Hot roofs with some radiant hot-water lines set under the roof material on the eaves? Aspen, CO heats the entire hardscape of the town... why not extend it to the roofs as well?
Most of the Rocky Mountain region is quite sunny in winter, despite the cold temps and snow - you could do solar thermal hot water - with a big enough storage tank you could easily go a week without sun, yet still melt all your snow and probably a good portion of the driveway, sidewalk, and hardscape.
What you are talking about is a snowmelt system. Basically the way the codes are written is that you have to provide snow stack areas for plowing OR a snowmelt system. Given the cost of land in Aspen and a lot of ski towns, snowmelt systems aren't too bad of an option, but it's due to the cost of land and trying to maximize it. Lots use heat tape... I hate that stuff though because I've done fire investigations where it was the source as well as it has a fairly short lifespan of about 5 years.
And I too have considered solar thermal with possibly a solar electric running the pump system and backup in-line heater on my own house; Also doubling it up in the summer to heat my pool. Can't think of a good reason it wouldn't work considering our storms hit and run leaving us with clear blue skies most of the time.
The problem with roofs is unlike concrete, you don't have much in the way of a thermal mass that can hold heat... You need something to conduct and store that heat generated.
It's much cheaper to just design it right. What you want is the bottom side of the roof deck over occupied space to be at or near the same temperature as outdoors regardless; Lots of ventilation and/or a true cold roof. Then things melt normally and consistently across the plain. Otherwise, heat loss from occupied space is melting the snow over those spaces, and it hits the overhang where it's the same temperature as the outside air... freeze happens creating ice dams. It's a particular problem given how folks like to use vaulted ceilings then the blocking and ridge is blocked with framing and insulation is seldom installed with hold-offs (prefabbed spacers to maintain the air void in the joist space).... Then they add humidifiers.... I've seen a ton of mold caused by condensation on the underside of the roof sheathing...
Aug 13, 14 2:34 pm ·
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bumps on lower roof?
i often see a series of bumps or spikes a few feet from the roof edge. i'm not sure if they are for melting snow from the roof, or for providing traction so that snow does fall off, or what. can someone tell me what they are called and what their purpose is? Thanks!
here is a good example: http://www.satjam.cz/doc/realizacekrytiny_img/100_0997-3.jpg
it is for the birds to sit on so roof does not get lonely.
They're called "snow guards" or "snow stops" - their purpose is to minimize the chances of a sudden 'avalanche" of accumulated snow from the roof during wintertime. They are designed to keep the snow pack on the roof until it melts - thereby preventing damage to gutters, foundation plantings and people. They generally are more important when the roof material specified has a low co-efficient of friction - such as standing seam metal.
pfft. quizzical doesn't know what he's talking about.
they're used in towns with ninja like naruto. they started jumping around all over people's roofs, and when they smashed their clumsy feet against the shingles, the shingles peeled off. those things give the ninja an anchor so they can jump off the roof without damaging the shingles.
they're also used to attach your safety harness when you climb up the roof to clean the gutter or do repair work.
*disclaimer: not responsible for any injury or death that may result*
Those clips are used to hold boards that roofers stand on, somebody forgot to take them down.
Those are eye music....sep....yur ...ruffrer ...couldn't write a melody.....or the would have been more erratic spacing. He gave you Architecture 101 roof snow guard detail.
snow guards. got it. thanks. :) and thanks for all the other answers too, very entertaining! What are y'alls' opinion on snow guards? completely necessary? eyesore? are there any alternatives? are they removable in the summer?
thanks!
I like them because when used properly they illustrate the relationship between the roof and the human body walking/existing below.
Related: people who think they are eyesores are probably the same people who paint a downspout to match whatever color is behind it, resulting in a multi-colored downspout. *That* is an eyesore. A downspout is a thing, we need to accept it; I like the building to tell its own story.
I think they might also be called snow DOGS too - like shutter dogs.
Its important to keep sheets of ice from sliding off the building. A bigger deal on commercial standing seam roofs. All jokes aside this is one of those items that can get you sued or someone hurt. 1 inch of ice 40 feet long sliding off and hitting someone will ruin yours and their day. Look up Dallas stadium falling ice. Architect won but I bet they spent 6 figures to "win" and I'd be willing to bet there are snow guards now.
Snow guards are actually code in the mountains here... As is roofs that don't slope into pedestrian ways. Because you are talking an ice dam and I've seen them get over a foot thick and crush the front end of a car... Oddly enough, that issue is typically a ventilation and insulation problem. Interior heat melts the snow, the water rolls down the roof, then hits the cold eave at the overhang. It freezes there. Cold roofs don't do it.
Mightyaa,
Hot roofs with some radiant hot-water lines set under the roof material on the eaves? Aspen, CO heats the entire hardscape of the town... why not extend it to the roofs as well?
Most of the Rocky Mountain region is quite sunny in winter, despite the cold temps and snow - you could do solar thermal hot water - with a big enough storage tank you could easily go a week without sun, yet still melt all your snow and probably a good portion of the driveway, sidewalk, and hardscape.
What you are talking about is a snowmelt system. Basically the way the codes are written is that you have to provide snow stack areas for plowing OR a snowmelt system. Given the cost of land in Aspen and a lot of ski towns, snowmelt systems aren't too bad of an option, but it's due to the cost of land and trying to maximize it. Lots use heat tape... I hate that stuff though because I've done fire investigations where it was the source as well as it has a fairly short lifespan of about 5 years.
And I too have considered solar thermal with possibly a solar electric running the pump system and backup in-line heater on my own house; Also doubling it up in the summer to heat my pool. Can't think of a good reason it wouldn't work considering our storms hit and run leaving us with clear blue skies most of the time.
The problem with roofs is unlike concrete, you don't have much in the way of a thermal mass that can hold heat... You need something to conduct and store that heat generated.
It's much cheaper to just design it right. What you want is the bottom side of the roof deck over occupied space to be at or near the same temperature as outdoors regardless; Lots of ventilation and/or a true cold roof. Then things melt normally and consistently across the plain. Otherwise, heat loss from occupied space is melting the snow over those spaces, and it hits the overhang where it's the same temperature as the outside air... freeze happens creating ice dams. It's a particular problem given how folks like to use vaulted ceilings then the blocking and ridge is blocked with framing and insulation is seldom installed with hold-offs (prefabbed spacers to maintain the air void in the joist space).... Then they add humidifiers.... I've seen a ton of mold caused by condensation on the underside of the roof sheathing...
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