S-5! ColorGard Calculator

The S-5!® ColorGard® snow retention system is the best on the market when it comes to holding snow on metal roof systems.

The problem is knowing how much ColorGard® and components are needed to make a complete system; in the past a trained snow retention specialist was your best option. (We are factory trained. If you need our expertise, call us at 770-405-1060 or email us at tech@rapidmaterials.com)

Now you can calculate your ColorGard® snow retention requirements yourself with our easy to use online ColorGard® Calculator.

In order to use the ColorGard® Calculator, you will need the following information at hand:

• Roof Panel Info
• Brand name or style (we can help with this)
• Material: Aluminum, zinc, copper, steel (galvalume or galvanized)
• Gauge or thickness of material
• Width of roof panel (dimension from panel rib to panel rib)
• Height of panel ribs
• Length of assembly
• Length of the eave of each roof area to be protected by snow retention (If you have a straight gable roof and you want snow retention on both sides, you would have two assemblies
• Length of roof panels.
• You don't need the length of each panel, just the length of the longest panel for each roof area to be protected
• Vertical Snow Load
• This should be the "Roof Design Snow Load".
• Because many existing structures (and new ones) do not have this data, a good starting point is to find the ground snow load for your location. The ICC (International Code Council) has a snow load chart available.
• You can also contact your local municipality's building codes department and they should be able to provide you with at least the ground snow load.
• It is important to note that ground snow load does not necessarily equate to roof snow loads, and certainly not roof design snow loads. The purpose of having this information is to determine the appropriate amount of snow retention devices to keep the snow retention device from separating from the roof and/or allowing the snow to slide. It does not determine the ability of the roof structure to support the snow load. When in doubt, it is always recommended that a structural engineer be consulted to determine if the structure is sufficient to support the load requirements.
• Roof Slope
• This is the roof slope in "pitch". This is given as feet of vertical rise in 12 feet measured horizontally. (or inches of rise for 12" of horizontal run)

As always, call or email us with any questions. 770-405-1060 M-F 8am-5pm. tech@rapidmaterials