Snow on roof

[wire]

How much snow can you safely let accumulate over a 13' boler?

Can it handle a winter's worth of snow or do you need to remove it once in a while? Will the snow reach a maximum or will it keep on accumulating? My boler in stored in the open, however there is no winds blowing snow off it.

I was thinking of only removing it before rain was expected. My little spacemaker shed made of flimsy galvanized steel has been treated this way for the past 20 years and has stood up.

Thanks!

[Jon in AZ]

I doubt there's a definitive answer. Some snow is wet and heavy and some is light and powdery. Ours is typically the former, and I wouldn't let more than a few inches of that pile up.

The reality is that complete failure of the shell under snow load is an extremely rare event, usually compounded by loss of some of the original interior support. Short of complete failure, though, you can get deformation and minor surface cracks in the gelcoat, and freeze-thaw cycles can open up leaks, so I'd rather be proactive.

I like to check inside the trailer regularly during the winter for signs of water and rodents anyway, so that's a good time to clear some snow if necessary. It's a whole lot easier on a 13' egg than a 9' tall, 25' long, flat-topped sticky!

If you think it might pile up before you can get to it, you can always add a brace during winter storage. A square of plywood on the ceiling and a 2x4 post wedged tightly against it should do it. I'm assuming that your trailer is unmodified and has all the original support in place, including the post in the middle of the counter...

[Paul O.]

I would also say no more than a few inches. "a few" is as precise as I would want to make it. There are no long seams in the fiberglass shell, but the thawing and re-freezing can still have an effect on the vent or roof mounted AC seals. Keeping the snow completely off the roof would be my preference.

What is the maximum acceptable weight of snow on your roof? That is a tough question. And if you knew the number, how would you weigh it, besides. A long handle push broom is your friend.

[emij]

Living in the Denver Metro area, where we can go weeks with brilliant sunshine and then get 10+ inches of snow overnight (and sometimes unexpectedly!) this has been a huge source of worry for me. About a month ago my husband called Scamp and asked if they thought a heavy snow load could crush the roof. The answer was NO and that we shouldn't worry about it. That being said, I still worry about it. I would need that in writing with a warranty guarantee in order to feel okay about that being definitive. Because our Scamp is in storage, it is impossible to get over there to remove snow loads if the roads are not cleared and if the facility hasn't been able to clear the interior roads, we can't even get in. What we have noticed, once we can get over there, is that while the stick trailers all around the Scamp may have 6-8 inches of snow on the roof, our Scamp has slide piles all around the ground and up the sides, but no snow or traces of snow on the roof. It appears that the rounded shape has been allowing it to slide off. But again, I'm a worrier, so we put in a support like Jon suggested in post #2, and now I don't have to worry (as much )

[Jon in AZ]

A good coat or two of wax in the fall makes it slide even better.

[reeves99]

Removing snow is always the best option. But my trailer is out in the country where I can't get to it. So I put a central support post in for the winter just in case snow accumulates. Spread the load across the floor and ceiling be adding T's at the bottom and top of the post. At the ceiling I use a rolled up towel which protects the vinyl and adds just enough tension to keep the post in place. Wish I could add a photo but my trailer is out in the country covered with snow!


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[bullfrogeh]

Hi Phillipe; Our 1973 Boler was outside in the heavy snows of mid-northern Ontario for two years. It had as much as 8 inches of snow at times; but, I was concerned and removed it ASAP. There was no noticeable change to the shell structure at all. However I did build a garage in the third year, and high enough (9X12 ft door) to accommodate any of my planned future renos.

[reeves99]

Originally Posted by bullfrogeh

Hi Phillipe; Our 1973 Boler was outside in the heavy snows of mid-northern Ontario for two years. It had as much as 8 inches of snow at times; but, I was concerned and removed it ASAP. There was no noticeable change to the shell structure at all. However I did build a garage in the third year, and high enough (9X12 ft door) to accommodate any of my planned future renos.

Nice garage!
I read somewhere that door sag is caused from the thin FG shell settling and bowing outward at the middle. I figure snow would hasten that process, so I'm hoping the winter support post will delay it.



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[Carol H]

Originally Posted by wire

How much snow can you safely let accumulate over a 13' boler?

Can it handle a winter's worth of snow or do you need to remove it once in a while?

It all depends on how much a winters worth of snow amounts to

Below is a photo of a trailer that lived through 30+ years of a winters worth of snow in Vancouver - which most winters means no snow to some years where it can be a couple of feet for a short time...... this is what happened during a big snow year (about 2') we had a few years back.

Always best to play it safe and keep the roof as clear of snow as possible or use some 2x4's inside to brace the roof.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by emij

........ About a month ago my husband called Scamp and asked if they thought a heavy snow load could crush the roof. The answer was NO and that we shouldn't worry about it....

Really! Well, you can buy an upper shell from them if they are wrong.

It seems every year someone losses a barn around here to snow load. Rain on a snow covered roof is the worst as the snow just gets heavier. Two feet of powder, no worries. Six inches of slush is another story. As Jon suggested a good coat of wax in the fall and the snow comes off easy with a broom. Raz

[Paul O.]

We go to visit in Denver quite often (flying in winter) and just got back, pretty cold this time! We have seen all kinds of snowfall there, even in April, but I think the Scamp should be fine, especially with some bracing. Denver has so much sunshine that the snow slides off when the inside of the trailer warms up. Not like the perpetually overcast Vancouver or Vermont!

[Raz]

People buy insurance because they are betting they are going to lose Raz

[emij]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Really! Well, you can buy an upper shell from them if they are wrong.

It seems every year someone losses a barn around here to snow load. Rain on a snow covered roof is the worst as the snow just gets heavier. Two feet of powder, no worries. Six inches of slush is another story. As Jon suggested a good coat of wax in the fall and the snow comes off easy with a broom. Raz

That made me laugh! And I just can't imagine a snow load sitting on one of our eggs and not creating problems!

[emij]

Originally Posted by Paul O.

Denver has so much sunshine that the snow slides off when the inside of the trailer warms up. Not like the perpetually overcast Vancouver or Vermont!

I wondered if this might be why the snow seems to slide off so easily. Warm inside already when it begins to snow, and warms up quickly once the snow quits!

[Donna D.]

Those that haven't seen the rebuild, really need to read Norm's (NGrimm) thread. It's absolutely amazing what he did: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...oof-47443.html

[CampyTime]

When I had to store my Scamp here at home it's first winter in Western New York (last winter) we had a doozy of a season as most of you know from the news. I was out there some weeks twice a week getting snow off with my long handled snow broom. I honestly went "by feel." I allowed a couple of days of light dusting. But if it was wet heavy snow, I'd go out pronto either before or after work, drag out my step ladder and get it off. I really just went by what I knew to make me uptight or nervous, knowing the amount and quality of snow on the ground. I was quite prudent about it, choosing safe than sorry. And we had so much snow last year, suffice enough to say I was out there many a time, some in my pjs coat and hat, brushing off what I just felt to be too much. Never worried about a couple days dusting though.


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[Roger C H]

Wouldn't it help to have the tongue raised or lowered to form a slope for the snow to slide off better?
One could use those brushes sold for automotive use.

[CampyTime]

Hi Roger,

Yes that does help. I always had the nose of the trailer up a bit to help with snow slide off as you wisely suggest. But that's not enough for snow to just slide off all the time on it's own. We need many sunny days with elevated temps, and then sometimes it just turns slushy and sits on the roof, necessitating the snow broom routine.


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[Raz]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Those that haven't seen the rebuild, really need to read Norm's (NGrimm) thread. It's absolutely amazing what he did: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...oof-47443.html

Good for you. I tried to find that thread with no success. A jigsaw puzzle for sure. Raz






If you haven't read the thread Donna referenced, here's the before picture. Teaser

[MyronL]

Not good to wait this long...