Preparing Your Metal Building For Snow

Canadian winters are no joke. If you want your metal building to last through the colder months, you have to make sure it’s outfitted properly to handle the snow. Metal buildings are innately stronger and more durable than their counterparts made from traditional building materials, but you still need to make sure your metal building can handle the worst of the worst.

Fortunately, preparing your metal building for heavy snow is pretty simple and can be accomplished by virtually anyone. You just have to know what to do. From prefab garage kits in Saskatchewan to residential metal building kits, learn how you can optimize yours to withstand heavy snowfall.

Why Preparation Matters

The integrity of your structure is probably the first thing on your mind, but steel alone is usually enough to keep you safe in that regard. Your other consideration should be general safety, not only for yourself, but for other people who come to or near your building. Make sure the approach to your building is pedestrian friendly and won’t become slippery with snow and ice. You also have to mitigate the formation of dangerous icicles around the edges of your building’s roof.

Measuring the weight of snow is also tricky, as not all snow weighs the same in comparison to its volume. You can look out for  a few signs that let you know the snow weight on your building is a bit too much. If you find doors and windows difficult to open, the snow might be putting too much of a burden on them. You may also hear creaking noises throughout your building or, at worst, sagging and bending of your roof and walls.

Mitigating Damage

You can do quite a few things to ensure your building can last through the heavy snows. Consider which direction the wind typically blows before deciding where to put your building on your building site. Make sure your primary ridge line faces the prevailing winds, so you don’t have to deal with uneven snow piling on your building. You could also plant some evergreen trees in the way that partially block your building from snow carried by the wind.

You also need to consider where your entryway and walkways will be before you orient your building. Leave the space outside of the slant of your roof open so the snow and ice has a safe space to fall and collect. Keep your walkways at a safe distance, and make sure your entryway is underneath an arch, so ice and snow doesn’t gather below.

What About Gutters?

Gutters are an essential part of any building to properly direct rainwater after a storm, but are they a good idea to have for snowier areas? Of course, they’re still necessary, but you have to take extra steps to maintain them if you don’t want them to cause additional damage due to snow.

When the weather outside is below freezing, any water in your gutters can become frozen and create what’s known as an ice dam. This will block your gutters and cause even more snow and ice to accumulate on top of your building. Always make sure your gutters are clear to prevent water and snow from piling up, and it might also be a good idea to install heating cable to prevent freezing, just in case.

Designing a Snow-Proof Metal Building

If you’re looking for steel farm buildings for sale or residential metal building kits, Metal Pro Buildings has everything you need. You can design your very own prefab kit with our engineering team, and we’ll send you all the necessary materials for construction, without the need of special tools or even experienced labor. Contact us today to learn more about our prefab garage kits in Saskatchewan.

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