Snow Fences: important winter protection

When it snows and is quite cold in winter, snow inevitably stays on the roofs of houses. To prevent large amounts of snow from sliding off at once and damaging vehicles parked in front of the house or even injuring passers-by, it is often a good idea to install a suitable snow protection system.

Snow guards, which are attached to the edge of the roof, are particularly frequently used for this purpose. Their installation is not too complex and high quality snow fences can mark with a long service life.

The most important facts about snow fences at a glance

• Snow fences prevent uncontrolled sliding of snow in the form of so-called roof avalanches.

• There is no Germany-wide obligation to install a snow fence system.

• But since snow fencing systems are mandatory in some areas, owners should find out what their municipality's specifications are.

• Independing on locally applicable regulations, installing a snow fencing system is often helpful in preventing property damage and personal injury.

• Those who are unsure about installing snow guards should hire a roofing contractor to do so.

• In addition to snow fence systems in the form of a grid, there are also snow fence hooks, snow fence pipes and snow fence beams.

• Common materials used to make snow fences include titanium zinc, aluminum zinc, and hot-dipped galvanized steel.

Should roofs be fitted with a snow guard?

Generally, there is no applicable law that explicitly requires homeowners to install snow guards. However, in some states or even municipalities, there may be corresponding regulations that stipulate the requirement to install a suitable snow protection system.

Besides that, homeowners should keep in mind that, even without clear requirements for snow guard installation, they are responsible for the so-called traffic safety of their home.

This means that they are responsible for preventing avoidable hazards emanating from the building. This includes, but is not limited to, roof avalanches. For this reason alone, the installation of a snow guard is definitely recommended, especially for homes without a front yard.

Alternatives to lattice snow fences

Snow fences are not the only protection systems available. In addition, there are, for example, so-called snow stoppers. Snow stoppers are also called snow sensors and are placed at specific intervals across the roof. On the one hand, they distribute the weight of the snow more evenly, and on the other hand, they ensure that it does not slide off the roof in large quantities, but instead thaws in a controlled manner.

The installation of snow stoppers is particularly useful on very steep roofs. In addition, especially in areas with high snowfall, it makes sense to combine them with snow guards to provide optimum protection against roof avalanches.

In addition to grids and hooks, there are also snow protection systems in the form of pipes and beams. Both of these options work in the same way as a snow guard and are also mounted on the edge of the roof using appropriate brackets. Snow protection pipes are made of metal and are usually 30 to 35 millimetres in diameter. To prevent roof avalanches from leaving, two parallel snow protection pipes are mounted on the brackets.

Snow beams are also snow protection pipes. However, with a diameter of 120 millimeters or more, they are much thicker, which is why, unlike pipes, only one snow protection bar is attached. Incidentally, snow bar holders can be equipped not only with thick metal pipes, but also with round plastic bars.

What to look for when buying snow guard?

It is important that the snow fences of your choice are of good quality and have adequate stability. After all, they may need to be able to withstand a fairly heavy load during heavy snowfall. Therefore, it is not very wise to make your purchase decision simply based on price and possibly have to replace the snowmaking system again after only a few years.

The purchase decision should be made based on price.

A quality snow fence is characterized by high stability and good weather resistance. Common materials that generally guarantee a long service life are, for example, aluminium-zinc, hot-dip galvanised steel or even titanium-zinc.

Depending on the desired appearance, the snow hooks and grates, including their holders, can of course also be purchased in coloured variants or painted yourself with a suitable colour to visually harmonise with the rest of the roof as well as with the roof drainage system.

Installing the snow guard correctly

Installing snow guards is simple. Even the subsequent installation is usually no problem. Those who dare not do it all because of the height or the work itself, can and should have a roofer install the snow fences. If it is known from the outset that a snow guard system is needed, it is of course a good idea to have it installed when the roof is covered.

Snow guards are installed near the edge of the roof. To do this, they are attached to the roof with appropriate brackets. As they are bolted to the rafters, some tiles may need to be temporarily removed when they are installed.

The actual snow guard is hung in the brackets, aligned and finally secured in place with screws as well. In order for the snow protection system to fulfil its function, it is of course important that the grilles have the appropriate length. It is therefore advisable to measure in advance if the exact width of the roof is not known.

Buy cheap snow fences from our online store

If you want to equip your roof with a snow guard, our store is the right place for you. Here you will find high-quality snow fences, with which you can counteract uncontrolled sliding of snow.

Purchase your snow fences conveniently online. We will deliver your order quickly and reliably to your desired address, so you can quickly begin installation. Of course, when you shop at our online store, you can count not only on low prices, but also on the high quality of your new snow fences.