Snow guards have been around for decades, but until recently there has not been a lot of change in the market. The traditional “L” shaped design was the standard for most of that time, and few people thought to challenge the status quo; however, recent innovations in snow guard technology show that the triangular design is far superior. Homeowners who already have a snow guard system in place may find it hard to make the switch over to the triangular guards, but there are some compelling reasons to do so.

Snow Retention

The first thing that you will notice about the triangular guards is that they are able to retain more snow than a “L” shaped guard. At their widest point an “L” guard may only be a couple of inches, but a triangular guard can be almost as wide as you want it. The standard sizes will see triangular guards come in at nearly three times as wide at their base as the most common “L” guards. This means that the guard holds back more snow, and keeps greater control over the snow and ice that slides down the roof than the “L” guards.

Failure Rates

Another issue that “L” guards tend to have is a higher than average rates of failure. With an “L” guard all of the pressure of the ice and snow comes along a single access, and this can cause movement to the point where the guard breaks free from the roof. On the other hand, a triangular guard distributes the weight of the snow and the pressure that it causes along multiple axes, meaning that they can hold many more times the weight of ice and snow before they start to fail.

Ease Of Installation

Finally, many of the older model “L” guards required screws or bolts to keep them in place on the roof. Most homeowners needed someone else to come and install them, and that raise the price of the unit considerably. The new triangular designs are meant to be installed with nothing more than an adhesive, and that means homeowners can do the work on their own. This makes the triangular guards not only easier to install, but cheaper as well.

Triangular snow guards from companies like Snoshield give your home the best coverage and the highest level of protection on the market. If you find that you need to have a snow guard system put in place, be sure to go with a triangular guard.