Snow retention has a place on every pitch

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Slippery single-ply membranes are leading the call for change in commercial roofing design. 

When it comes to snow retention systems, most contractors picture steep-pitched residential roofs. But as Robert Alvarez of Anchor Products makes clear in this episode of the Roofing Road Trips® podcast, ignoring snow retention on commercial low-slope roofs could be a costly and dangerous oversight.  

Robert, a representative for Anchor Products and a former roofing contractor, shared insights drawn from over a decade of experience in the industry. His focus is now on educating contractors and building owners about the increasing need for snow retention on low-slope commercial roofs, particularly those with slippery single-ply membranes like TPO and PVC. 

“You can have a snowfall that’s very minor and still needs snow retention,” he said. “Even with a low pitch, that stuff will still slide off.” While there are no national codes requiring snow retention on commercial projects, Robert noted that some municipalities are starting to include it in specifications. And building owners may want to take initiative before a surprise snowfall becomes a liability. 

“The property owner is liable for anything, damage to people or property underneath the roof,” Robert said. “It’s something to be proactive about.” In one example, a school in Arkansas with only a 15-pound snow load had a fluke storm dump six inches of snow. The falling snow created enough risk that the facility opted to retrofit the entire roof with a snow retention system. 

“We're seeing a little bit of an uptick in people needing it and wanting it,” Robert said, touching on real-world cases, such as AT&T Stadium in Dallas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, where falling ice led to the installation of snow retention systems after the fact. “It’s just something we don’t think of down here,” Robert said. “But once it happened, they went ahead and put the investment in.” 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about the system design, installation process and how Anchor Products supports contractors!