Presti & Company, Inc. has been supporting Property Managers by visiting buildings and completing visual inspection to alleviate Tenant concerns about the weight of snow. We wanted to make the following chart available so that our Clients can better understand the nature and the potential magnitude of accumulated snow. It should be remembered that the snow load is only a portion of the total design load, which will include wind and dead loads. Dead loads are loads that account for the weight of the roof structure itself. While the total design load may be 2 to 4 times greater than the design snow load alone, the weight of the snow, if it exceeds the design snow load, may cause structural failure. If the blueprint and construction documents for the structure are available, they should provide the design snow load.
Clearly, poor materials, construction and post-construction maintenance can result in a weaker structure with an actual load capacity significantly lower than the design load. Therefore, proper materials and techniques should be followed for construction. After construction, proper maintenance is vital and any damage should be repaired as soon as possible. Knowledgeable professional assistance should always be sought.
Courtesy of The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
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