snow load roof question

Wile E

Well-known Member
OK
We just had a large dump of snow and I have about 15 or so inches on roof trusses, for a house.
Here are the specs,
32 foot span,
5/12 pitch, 24" on centers with 1/2" plywood, 1 layer of asphalt shingles.
Should I worry?

I want to wait until tomorrow to rake the snow off, it will not be as cold.
 
What were the trusses rated for as far as dead load and live load, (snow) Do you have load bearing walls in the interior of the house?
Around here code calls for a combined working load of 60#/sqft. That is free span. Your issue would be the size of the material in the trusses. All 2x4 construction or do they have 2x6 material in them.
If you have room particions running perpendicular to the trusses, and fairly close to the center support beam in your celler, to transfer some of the load down to beam and columns, I wouldn't get too conserned.
Loren, the Acg.
 
Yes,
I have walls running perpendicular to the trusses,
All 2x4 construction.
The house was built 16 years ago and there have been snow falls of large amounts, just not as big as now.
Thanks for calming my fears.
I will rake some snow tomorrow off the roof.
 
Listen to what your house is telling you. In 77 I bought a house. That winter, the south half of the house was covered with many ft of snow. Wind came out of the north. The house was talking big time, all kinds of weird sounds. I got on roof with shovel and pushed the snow off.

Many houses, that year had there roof's collapse, especially flat roofs, roofs with many layers of shingles, pole barns with metal roofs, trusses on 8 ft.

Is your house talking to you?
George
 
Sounds like its cold and light powder snow...ya I would take a bit off before it rains and gets heavy, if its cold and using a rake you'll be plenty warm when finished.But look at it this its much better than moving the wet/heavy stuff.
 
I would get some of the weight off sence they are 2x4s on 2 foot centers, One side of my house has a 5/12 pitch and I used 2x6s on 12" centers and the other side of roof is steeper and its 2x6s on 16" centers never worry about snow on roof.
 
Over the night I heard a few creek sounds,
It could have been the window frames making noises, I dunno.
I will be raking snow off later today.

I have not seen snow this deep in one dumping since the blizzard of 77/78. I was an young school kid then.
 
Blizzard of 77/78 is the one that I was talking about too. Not sure if we didn't got more snow this time. However the snow of 77/78 was a dryer snow that drifted more. I have pics of this year's wet snow sticking to trees. Looks like larger than softball sized snow balls on trees.
 
I was a carpenter builder all my life.
It partly depends where you are as the truss will be built for different live loads. By the great lakes or Iowa. In all my life I have never removed snow from a well built roof and do not recall anyone I know in the business doing it either.

Do you have a reason to be worried that you have not told us?

Do you get ice dams?

Based on what you have told us do not worry.
 
It all depends on what they were engineered for, there is NO way to determine that here. I got engineered work sheets with my trusses when I ordered them.
 
Basically no real ice dams, but if I left the deep snow there for 3 weeks then yes, a heavy layer of ice say, 5" thick would be at the eves. But, I raked off the first 4 feet of snow off the west side of the house. Tomorrow I will do the east side of the house.
I am smarter now then 10 years ago, and I was able to get a roof rake a few years back, they sell out quick in blizzard conditions. A roof rake is the cheapest tool you can buy for what it does. Beats the crap out of using a ladder and a shovel.
 
This guy didn't worry either :shock:
mvphoto2421.jpg


mvphoto2422.jpg
 

Your initial situation is not a problem, but you should remove snow from both side at the same time. Trusses are designed for even loading, and drifting snow is a worse problem when one side gets a drift and the other side gets a little. My experience is that the first and second storms are not a problem but then they settle and freeze and then there is a rain event predicted and then it is very difficult to remove the snow.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top