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metal roof, snow on deck, gutter question
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Posted by vicster (My Page) on Wed, Nov 1, 06 at 15:45
| Apologies in advance for the long post...
We are in escrow on a vacation home in the Sierras in California and we've never had a home where there's snow. The home has a metal roof that is 11 years old and a deck in the back of the home that's accessible through two sets of sliding glass doors. The metal roof slopes down towards the deck (as opposed to a gable roof that slopes to the sides of the house).
The seller had a composition roof installed on the end of the roof together with heat tape and a plastic gutter and a downspout that also has heat tape. The reason he gave is that he didn't want snow shedding off the metal roof onto the deck where it could possibly injure someone (he had a hot tub on the deck and I guess he didn't want snow landing in the hot tub... we won't be keeping the hot tub) and/or damage the sliding glass doors.
We had a home inspection done and there were no issues with the sliding glass doors or the roof but the gutter is cracked and the recommendation was to reinstall a seamless metal gutter and then reinstall the heat tape.
It was also recommended by the inspector that we consider replacing the first one or two boards of the deck closest to the house with metal grates so that the snow doesn't hit the deck and splash up against the house. With the metal grates, the snow/water will just fall through.
1. How can snow shedding off the roof damage the sliding glass doors?
2. I've read about the ice dams that can build up with gutters and because this is a vacation home and we won't be up there all the time, we would hate to have a problem happen when we're not there. Should we remove the gutter altogether and just let the snow either stay on the composition roof or shed onto the deck?
3. Should we have the metal grates installed as the inspector suggested?
Any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: metal roof, snow on deck, gutter question
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| "1. How can snow shedding off the roof damage the sliding glass doors?" Given the right weather, snow can turn to ice. On our 4 year old house with a regular ole shingle roof, at least once a winter, a big chunk of 1/4 moon shaped ice slides off our roof and thankfully crashes in the yard. 1/4 moon shaped because it is what built up on the upside of our furnace flue. Metal grates? I have only heard of them when the surface is level to the ground. They are for drainage. You say "deck" so I am confused. It sounds like the house has many different roofing materials. Having lived with snow my entire life I would say no, but I don't live in California and your house inspector said it was ok. Heck, I also never heard of plastic gutters, here they are either metal or if you have a historic home they might be wood. |
RE: metal roof, snow on deck, gutter question
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| The grate may help to keep snow from piling up next to the house, but it may also add some drainage problems. As would removing the gutters. While removing them may alleviate ice dams, it would also mean that rainwater comes down right next to the building (through the deck). Unless your grading and drainage next to the house are very well thought out, that might end up being a heck of a headache. Unless there are signs that the current arrangement is causing water and ice related damage, I would just replace the gutter as recommended by your inspector and leave it at that. |
RE: metal roof, snow on deck, gutter question
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| thanks. fortunately, the house is on a downslope and so the land under the deck slopes down and away from the house. does that change your opinion? |
RE: metal roof, snow on deck, gutter question
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Hi,
Over here on the east coast, we use "snow birds" to keep snow from sliding off of our metal roofs. They clip to the standing seams, or are screwed down. In the Sierras, perhaps they use larger devices to deal with sliding snow.
Casey |
RE: metal roof, snow on deck, gutter question
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I'm not familiar with the weather pattern where this house is, but removing the gutters would also create a drip line, which may add wear and tear to the deck if there is a lot of rain.
Does this side of the house face south? If so, would you want to use the deck on a sunny winter or spring day? In that case, melting snow and the drip line it creates in front of the doors might be an inconvenience, as might icicles.
A grate along this drip line would help, since then you also don't have to worry about constant splashing against the siding and doors where water might get into places where it shouldn't be. |
RE: metal roof, snow on deck, gutter question
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| Thanks Chris. The deck/back side of house faces North and front of house faces south. We're more likely to use the deck on a spring day than a winter one. |
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