roof snowmelt

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Still readily available and often specified for metal roofs in particular. A traditional solution that has worked for a LONG time.

Steve M.

Roof snowmelt

Am looking for information to melt snow to the point of sliding off a metal roof at an elevation of 10,000 ft. The snow will slide when warmed up with normal daytime warming, but the building owner is worried about pedestrians. The hotel has 5, 1500 sf roof areas. A new roofing job will put metal over plywood w/ horrizontal wood strips providing a space for tubing run on a reflecitve surface, maybe bubble/foil/bubble. I have asked around but can't find a source for the important how-to's for me to design the hydronics. How many BTU'S does a roof need? What size tubing (pex) and length of loops to properly deliver the BTU's. Anyone done this before?

Doug Wagoner

Stop the snow from sliding

off the roof. I remember my grandfathers huge barn having devices attached (I cannot remember what they are called) to the edge of the metal about 1.5' from the eve to keep the snow and ice from sliding off the roof. These divices did two things: 1. they saved the gutters from being ripped off the barn. 2. they allowed the snow to melt and drain into the cistern.

Kurt

Insulating factors

In Wisconsin we like to keep as much snow on top to help insulate the structure. We do run electrical snow dam melters for spring time.

Wax that baby

> Am looking for information to melt snow to the

> point of sliding off a metal roof at an elevation

> of 10,000 ft. The snow will slide when warmed up

> with normal daytime warming, but the building

> owner is worried about pedestrians. The hotel has

> 5, 1500 sf roof areas. A new roofing job will

> put metal over plywood w/ horrizontal wood strips

> providing a space for tubing run on a reflecitve

> surface, maybe bubble/foil/bubble. I have asked

> around but can't find a source for the important

> how-to's for me to design the hydronics. How many

> BTU'S does a roof need? What size tubing (pex)

> and length of loops to properly deliver the

> BTU's. Anyone done this before?



Wax that roof good. Then place a second coat and rub till it shines.

Steve M.

They want to heat the roof

that's the objective, and that's the info I need. Has anyone in ski areas had any real experience with this type of project?