Flat roofs and snow load: how much can it take?

lynski

As the title says Flat roofs and snow load: how much can it take? getting worried now.

40701085

Also what load can gutters take?!

They are starting to pile up on north-facing sides of houses & garages...

mike65

That was the question that was bugging me (corrugated plastic bolted onto wood beams) so I cleared off about one third of the snow this morning. Sadly its snowing again.

builditwell

In terms of a flat roof it really depends on what material was used to construct it. For example if very thin joists were used it reall wouldnt support very much weight at all even a person walking on it . If you have used proper joising like 9x3 or even 8x2 at correct centres with good sheeting it will hold out no problem to literally a hell of a lot of snow. As for the plastic sheeting covering its no harm to clear a bit off if your are concerned but again if the heavy joisting is used then u should be ok.

lynski

So a flat roof that is part of the house's original structure, that has no problem with 2 work men on it should be no bother - even under the over 1 foot of snow we currently have on it?

kodak

lynski wrote: »

As the title says Flat roofs and snow load: how much can it take? getting worried now.

whats the span? roof finish?

lynski

thanks so much for all the answers. it is about 20 X 30 feet. felt topped. we are a terraced house, but only about 12 feet of one side of this roof is attached to the house next door and, the more i think about this the worse i get, the other side joins to a pitch roof.
House shape terrace shape kinda like this, but not as pitched obviously __/|__/|__/|__/| and it is staggered instead of straight at the front. sorry for long post, but kinda worried about this

endasmail

lynski wrote: »

thanks so much for all the answers. it is about 20 X 30 feet. felt topped. we are a terraced house, but only about 12 feet of one side of this roof is attached to the house next door and, the more i think about this the worse i get, the other side joins to a pitch roof.
House shape terrace shape kinda like this, but not as pitched obviously __/|__/|__/|__/| and it is staggered instead of straight at the front. sorry for long post, but kinda worried about this

what size timber was used in the construction of the roof?
is there any evidence of sagging (bending) in the roof itself?

go out and measure them and then respond
people will be able to advise ya when they get them answers

dMaN24

Wet snow weighs more than dry snow (no really?)
And you would probably need up to a metre tall of wet snow for a normal roof to cave in.

Happened to a lot of buildings in Sweden last winter. That's why i remember it.