Conway, New Hampshire receives an average annual snowfall of 80 inches. And this was creating a problem at the North Conway Walmart. Dangerous snow slides began falling on patrons of the Walmart because the small plastic snow guards devices that had been installed on the store’s roof were no match for the snow volumes in this region. Store management needed to close off areas around the front entrance to prevent a dangerous incident. Then Walmart’s Construction Management group, in coordination with BRR Architecture of Bentonville, AR, and general contractor, Bast Hatfield of Clifton Park, NY contacted metal roof contracting specialists Jottan-Jorel of Evans City, PA to find a safe solution.
Once the team had thoroughly assessed the problem and reviewed available options, they recommended the S-5! ColorGard® bar/rail system. They chose the ColorGard system because, like all S-5! systems, it had been load-to-failure tested by an independent third-party laboratory to ensure it would perform in these conditions. Additionally, load tests for the ColorGard system had been verified using the same type of roof material, from the same roof manufacturer, and with the same product configuration used at this Walmart location.
The sub-contractor and manufacturer were able to use the product-specific testing from S-5! to engineer a precise solution for the North Conway Walmart location. ColorGard can be installed year-round, regardless of temperatures or weather, and because of this, the installation for this project proceeded immediately. Thanks to a system with the proven capacity to withstand the massive New Hampshire snow loads, the North Concord Walmart was quickly able to confidently and safely reopen the front of their store without catastrophic failure and significant injury or loss.
Once installed, the new S-5! snow guard system provided the store with a greater level of safety for patrons and employees from the dangers of avalanching snow. Installation was completed in a matter of days and will perform for the life of the roof.
ColorGard snow guards feature finish-matching that lasts the life of the roof because it is the same material as the roof. Easily install any time of the year; or retrofit the ColorGard system to an existing roof or incorporate it in the new roof design.
