Metal Roofing in Vaughan

Roof Experts installed two rows of tubular steel snow guards on the sloped snap-lock standing seam section of a commercial plaza roof in Vaughan, Ontario. The sloped roof section drained directly onto the flat roof below where HVAC units and air conditioning equipment were located. Every winter, snow and ice slides were burying the equipment, causing service disruptions and increasing maintenance costs.

Two rows of snow guards solved the problem entirely — equipment stays accessible, service calls happen on schedule, and the flat roof membrane below is no longer taking impact damage from snow slides.

The problem: snow and ice burying HVAC equipment

This is a common scenario on commercial buildings with mixed roof geometry — a sloped standing seam section above a flat roof where mechanical equipment lives. The sloped section performs exactly as designed: it sheds snow efficiently. But without retention, all of that snow lands directly on the flat roof below.

In Vaughan, ground snow load reaches 1.6–2.0 kPa per NBC 2020. Over a winter season, repeated snow slides off a commercial standing seam roof accumulate into large ice and snow masses on the flat roof — burying HVAC units, blocking air intakes, and making routine servicing impossible without first clearing the equipment manually.

The solution: two rows of steel snow guards

We assessed the roof slope, panel length, and equipment layout below, then calculated a two-row snow retention system positioned to intercept snow accumulation before it reaches the roof edge above the flat section.

Steel tubular snow guards in grey — colour-matched to the existing snap-lock panels — were installed on non-penetrating clamps that attach directly to the snap-lock seam ribs. No drilling through the panel surface, no sealants, no warranty issues on the existing roof.

Project details

• Building type: commercial plaza
• Roof profile: snap-lock standing seam, grey
• Snow guards: tubular steel, two rows, non-penetrating clamp-on
• Snow guard color: grey — matched to roof panels
• Installation type: retrofit — installed on existing roof
• Protected equipment: HVAC units and air conditioning on flat roof below
• Location: Vaughan, Ontario
• Snow load: 1.6–2.0 kPa per NBC 2020

Snow guards for standing seam roofs available through our sister company:
Steel tubular snow guards — Safe Roof Experts

Not sure how many rows you need? Use our snow retention calculator:
saferoofexperts.com/snow-guards-calculator/

Commercial snow guard installation across GTA

We install snow retention systems on commercial properties across Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Woodbridge, Concord, and the broader York Region. Retrofit installation on existing roofs — no disruption to building operations during installation.

Similar commercial project: see our Thornhill commercial plaza project where snow guards protected parking area and building entrances below.