Mechanicsburg, Pa.-based SnoBlox-Snojax has introduced SnowBreaker, a polycarbonate snow guard that minimizes the dangers of rooftop sliding snow and ice by slicing the wintery mix into smaller pieces so it can safely come off a roof. Designed for metal roofs, SnowBreaker can be mechanically fastened or adhesive mounted. Because adhesive mounting requires at least 50-degree Fahrenheit temperatures for 30 days in order to cure properly, a peel-and-stick version has been made available for year round application when those weather conditions are not possible. “SnowBreaker is extremely pleasing to the eye, easy to install and a very cost-effective way to help prevent damage caused by the sudden release of snow and ice,” said Brion McMullen, President and CEO of SnoBlox-Snojax. SnowBreaker initially functions like a typical snow guard by anchoring the frozen mass of snow and ice on a roof. But as metal roofing panels heat in the sun or warmer weather and the frozen mass begins to melt, SnowBreaker slices it into safer, smaller pieces before reaching the roof’s edge. The product has a forward cutting edge and tucked-back rear support that together form a triangular, pointed shape that acts like a fin to break up the snow and ice.
“This can be especially beneficial in areas where unusual winter weather conditions can sometimes exceed the roof’s snow load design,” McMullen noted. “It also can be a cost-cutting solution to install avalanche control in just isolated roof areas to break up the snow and ice rather than the conventional way of retaining it across the entire roof until it melts.”
Installation of SnowBreaker can be utilized above doors, walkways or other high-traffic areas where large chunks of falling snow could be hazardous to pedestrians below. “We always have had customers wishing to use our snow guards in isolated areas and just over doorways,” McMullen explained. “Until the introduction of the SnowBreaker, this application has been discouraged by our company because most snow retention systems are designed to work as one system that spans the entire roof to hold snow on a roof. We have found a way, with SnowBreaker, to allow that snow to safely tumble off a roof in small pieces.” Order SnowBreaker-and any other snow guard items-at www.snoblox-snojax.com.
