Winter is here, and with winter comes snow.  Heavy snows or repeated snow storms can cause excessive packed snow or ice on a pre-engineered metal building roof which can impose unusual and excessive loads on any building structure.  Blowing and drifting snow as well as rain on snow can also produce significant and potentially dangerous load increases on a building.  An excessive accumulation of ice, snow or snow mixed with rain can cause a building to be loaded beyond its design capacity which creates a risk of building damage or collapse.

Be aware of warning signs inside a building that may indicate excessive snow or ice accumulation, including purlin deflection, the popping of ceiling tiles in dropped ceilings, and unusual noises.  If any of these situations occur, you should contact Kessel Construction immediately for assistance.  As a general contractor, we are able to assist you in remedying these situations.  If a roof is in danger of collapsing, the building should be evacuated immediately.

There are certain procedures for proper snow and ice removal from a building that must be followed.  In addition, if there is any building damage or collapse due to excessive snow there are measures that need to be followed as well.  Butler Manufacturing Company has specific protocols to adhere to should you encounter either of these scenarios.

Most importantly, safety should be number one on everyone’s list when dealing with excessive snow buildup on a roof.