Predictive Monitoring Technologies for Snow

If you own or manage a large property in a snow-prone area, you’re likely aware of how damaging snow can be to roofs. While snow looks light while falling from the sky, it can actually be astonishingly dense when it packs together, creating a heavy burden on your building’s roof. You need to remove the snow if it doesn’t melt away on its own quickly enough – but how do you know when it’s time?

Take the guesswork out of snow removal by utilizing predictive monitoring technologies for snow load. Rather than overpaying for frequent removal, these monitoring systems warn you when you can no longer allow the snow to pile up.

How Snow Load Monitoring Works

The weight of snow varies drastically from day-to-day. When fresh, snow layers tend to be lighter since they’re composed of more air pockets. However, as snow accumulates, those snow pockets shrink, and more of the snow layer is composed of water, creating a denser, heavier load.

Predictive monitoring technologies measure the ratio of water vs. trapped air (Snow Water Equivalent) to estimate the overall snow load’s weight with impressive accuracy. Since the monitoring system operates 24/7, you can receive real-time email notifications whenever the weight becomes dangerous.

Benefits of a Snow Roof System

Winter can put a serious strain on your building, especially when snow keeps piling up on your roof. In fact, the vast majority of wintertime building failures across North America are caused by excessive snow and ice.

There’s nothing you can do to stop snow from falling from the sky. However, you can ward off property damage with a snow roof system. The following are just a few reasons why it’s worthwhile to invest in a professional snow system for your roof.

Reduce Snow Removal Costs

Stop overspending on frequent snow removal services. Instead of guessing when to remove snow, you can know exactly when it’s time with expert monitoring. A rooftop snow monitoring system can cut overall snow removal costs in half.

Prevent Roof Failure

Roofs are built tough, but heavy, dense snow can push your property to its limit. Unfortunately, property owners often don’t catch the early warning signs of trouble, especially during the winter, when snow and ice can conceal visible damage. A snow roof system helps you avoid such expensive damage by warning you early on.

Experience Around-the-Clock Peace of Mind

With 24/7 monitoring and instant email notifications, the right rooftop system will give you complete peace of mind. Never again will you have to stress and debate yourself over whether to schedule snow removal.

How Professionals Determine the Weight of Snow

Though it often appears in movies and TV as a light and fun winter wonder, snowfall comes with some serious downsides for roofing when it accumulates enough weight. To tell the difference between a picturesque natural decoration and a potential disaster, property owners need to know how much the snow on their buildings weighs. Unfortunately, this process can be complicated for individual companies to undertake.

The weight of snow depends largely on how much water is in it, or how packed-in it is on a surface. Visually similar areas might contain much more dense deposits, and measurements can change as quickly as the weather. For these reasons, the best protection against potential damage comes from something called deflection monitoring. This technique is:

• The Ideal Standard for Many Experts
• More Accurate than Other Methods
• Usable in Real-Time Around the Clock

It works by employing a series of sensors that measure the displacement (deflection) of supporting roof joists.  These sensors let monitoring parties know exactly when and where snow removal is needed, and direct snow removal action where it's required. A balance of safety and efficiency, and an excellent investment for any property that deals with snowfall.

Make Successful Roof Snow Removal Plans

Snow is one of the most common sources of trouble for countless roofs. While a little is no issue for well-constructed properties, even a moderate amount left to sit can cause major problems over time. This is why making effective roof snow removal plans is essential for businesses and organizations during the winter. Below are some of our top tips for proactive roof care when it comes to managing snowfall:

Consider Snow Weight -- Not all snow is the same, and the most critical factor when it comes to your roof tends to fluctuate with regional and time-specific differences. The amount of water stored in snowfall depends largely on its density and two properties that might be under very different levels of stress.

Always Choose Caution -- It’s much easier and less expensive to consult professionals than it is to repair the damage after waiting too long for removal. If you see any signs of trouble, such as visible strain or leaks, get help as soon as possible.

Employ Active Monitoring -- Modern technology makes it easier than ever to avoid disaster. With special sensors placed under the roof deck, you can get real-time alerts and always know when it’s the right time for removal.

How Much Roof Snow Is Too Much?

Snowfall built up on the roof can quickly transform an industrial landscape into a peaceful winter wonderland. Though the presence of snow on the roof is beautiful in its own right, there’s a limit to how much snow a roof can support. Accumulated snow can get extremely heavy and can lead to significant structural issues, including roof leaks, interior water damage, ice dams, and even total roof collapse. Fortunately, the experts at Safe Roof Systems have put together some helpful roof snow load measurement tips to help you understand how much snow your roof can handle before danger ensues.

Roof snow load code requirements follow local ground snow load data.   Refer to your builder or engineer for your Live Load requirements.  To Illustrate how much snow can weigh consider the following examples:

• Fresh Snow - 1 foot of freshly fallen snow equals 8-10 pounds per square foot.
• Accumulating layers of Snow - 1 foot of old, packed-down snow is equivalent to 22-25 pounds per square foot.
• A Mixture of Old and wet snow - 1 foot of water-soaked and compressed snow can weigh as much as 35-45 pounds per square foot.
  

Closely monitoring the amount of snow building up on your roof is essential if you wish to avoid structural issues. Your building will be safer if you’re aware of when to mitigate the problem safely with effective snow removal services.

Rely on Safe Roof Systems to determine the load capacity of your roof with roof snow-load measurement tips. Keep these in mind to prevent structural issues.

Using a Roof Load Calculator to Measure Snow Load

That falling snow looks so light and fluffy, it’s hard to believe that too much of the white stuff can cause a roof to collapse. However, it can and does happen, especially when you’re considering the buildup of ice and snow over the course of a long winter. The smart thing to do is protect your investment in your business building with a roof load calculator.

The snow load up on the rooftop is determined by many variables. This includes everything from the roof’s shape and slope to wind exposure, and even the snow on the ground. You must also take the type of snow into consideration. There are the light, powdery flakes, and the wet, heavy snow. And, don’t forget about the ice.

The weight of snow on the roof’s structure is not something you can judge by eye. Instead, we recommend using a monitoring system. Such a system takes into consideration the variables that can occur in the amount and type of snow, as well as the type of roof you have overhead. Once you’ve figured that out, you can make arrangements for raking that snow off of the roof.

Using Numbers to Tell When It’s Time to Shovel

Those frozen bits of water that make the landscape so beautiful and magical in the winter can be a heavy burden for businesses. This is especially the case when your business building is large or has a flat or slightly sloped roof. As snow accumulates on these types of roofing, it stays put instead of sliding harmlessly to the ground. This requires you to be alert and diligent to prevent problems with your roof. And, those problems can be costly as they range from leak repair to roof replacement.

You have two factors to consider here -- the amount of snow and/or ice on your roof. You can’t forget about the ice because it’s heavier and can do far more damage. During the winter, chances are your roof is covered with both. We recommend you make use of formulas and technology to get an accurate estimate.

A roof load calculator is one method. Another is a calculator built into a monitoring system. That way, you have the numbers you need to make smart decisions, such as when to send a crew out to start shoveling roofs. A small investment in a monitoring system now saves you big money on roofing repairs and replacement in the future.