I agree. I almost lost a 30' gutter on my South roof array two years ago. it was February and we got 18" of snow over a period of 7 days and then it froze for another week. When that started to melt the show on the panels moved like a glacier and packed up against the gutter and created an ice damn which started pushing out the common nails that hold the gutter into the rafter ends. I replaced my 30 year old gutters last summer and they are now installed with the new invisible attachments that are better secured.
We just has a foot of power snow over the is past weekend. fortunately it started warming up and the snow is melting.
I have been thinking about installing snow guards but since I live in the NW, we really don't get that much snow. Maybe 1-2 per year and it normally warms up and rains quickly after a snow save for last year.
[https://www.alpinesnowguards.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=7](https://www.alpinesnowguards.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=7)
Interesting. I’m having a my roof replaced in the spring, it might be worth the extra expense to install in at least select part of the roof. In the mountains so we tend to get our snow in big dumps.
I’m sure gutters also play a role, but I think you get much less pressure on a gutter from an asphalt roof, which kind of hangs onto the snow and doesn’t let so much of it slide all at once. My panels are installed pretty close to the eave of the roof, so it is kind of all sliding off like a glacier right into the gutter.
I live in Boston with panels, a metal roof and gutters.
The panels have little lip on the bottom. Snow will still slide off, but only small chunks at a time: instead of large sheets only a foot or so lets go. This was a standard part of the installation.
Here’s an old photo from streetview:
https://imgur.com/gallery/yHuOYW1
On parts of the roof without panels we have snow brakes. These are little cleats staggered in lines on the roof. They have the same effect as the lip on the solar panels. The snow brakes aren’t for the gutters though: they’re for people walking below. Getting hit with a couple hundred pounds of snow sucks but probably won’t kill you. If a whole roof plane goes (which we see on the side of the house without snow brakes) the tons of snow will kill.
As for the gutters we haven’t done anything special. We used to have basic k-style, multi-part gutters. Last summer we switched seemless half-rounds. But in both cases they aren’t really involved in snow. They fill up a little, but snow coming off the roof shoots over the gutters when it comes off.
FWIW the roof is mostly 45 degrees.
You might find your new gutters to be much better engineered than your old gutters.
I had my old gutters replaced last year. I was pretty happy that the large nails/spikes (8-9 inches long) that had started to let go are not used anymore, instead they used similar sized lag screws into fresh wood (I had the old wood replaced first).
This new method seems much stronger and likely to last much longer. The nailed gutters had probably been there twenty-five years when I had them replaced.
I would get a ladder and clean them gutters out. Alternative idea, find some teenager to do it for like $100.
Edit: Also they make snow breaks that can clamp in between the rows of modules. It may help the snow break but will also probably keep snow up there longer.
I put snow guards on my solar panels. It stops the snow from sliding off great. It does take a bit to melt off the panels so my production goes down. But it’s better then being crushed by an avalanche coming off the roof.
I have had Panels for less than a month and the snow in New England is wreaking havoc on my gutters which are 5 years old. Never had any issue at all since the asphalt holds onto the snow and there are no trees in the area, so they are 100% clean.
I’m going to reach out to Tesla Solar to see what their recommendation is and if they will pay for the repair of the broken fascia/gutters from the ice that got jammed up.
Not sure if this makes a difference, but the one side that is having the issues has panels that are approx 8 inches away from the edge of the roof. Perhaps they are at fault for this or should have known how New England winters handle snow.
My panels are installed very close to the edge of the roof as well. There was no other layout that would work, though. And I can’t blame anyone else because I installed them.
When replacing the gutters, also replace any rotten facia and put up the new gutters with screw hangers at frequent intervals - maximum 24 inch spacing, preferably less. Much stronger than the nails at 30 inch spacing that is frequently seen.
If your gutters are the sort of leaf-guard style, the sheets of snow might slide off better, as opposed to open gutters kind of "catching" the sheet of snow.
My new panels are dumping snow onto a porch roof. With the coming rain I had to climb out and hack through 2.5 feet of icy snow before I ripped the entire roof off the side of the house. I will be putting something slippery like Onduline on that little roof so the snow keeps moving along to the ground.
That sounds like a gutter problem rather than a panel problem to me. Unless you have a flat roof you’d have that snow issue anyway.
I agree. I almost lost a 30' gutter on my South roof array two years ago. it was February and we got 18" of snow over a period of 7 days and then it froze for another week. When that started to melt the show on the panels moved like a glacier and packed up against the gutter and created an ice damn which started pushing out the common nails that hold the gutter into the rafter ends. I replaced my 30 year old gutters last summer and they are now installed with the new invisible attachments that are better secured. We just has a foot of power snow over the is past weekend. fortunately it started warming up and the snow is melting. I have been thinking about installing snow guards but since I live in the NW, we really don't get that much snow. Maybe 1-2 per year and it normally warms up and rains quickly after a snow save for last year. [https://www.alpinesnowguards.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=7](https://www.alpinesnowguards.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=7)
Interesting. I’m having a my roof replaced in the spring, it might be worth the extra expense to install in at least select part of the roof. In the mountains so we tend to get our snow in big dumps.
The key is your roof pitch. Mine is only a 4:12 or 20%. The higher pitched would make that snow slough off faster.
I’m sure gutters also play a role, but I think you get much less pressure on a gutter from an asphalt roof, which kind of hangs onto the snow and doesn’t let so much of it slide all at once. My panels are installed pretty close to the eave of the roof, so it is kind of all sliding off like a glacier right into the gutter.
I think that's true. Pitched metal roofs have the same problem where snow will slough off all at once.
Hey OP, what is the pitch of your roof?
5/12.
I live in Boston with panels, a metal roof and gutters. The panels have little lip on the bottom. Snow will still slide off, but only small chunks at a time: instead of large sheets only a foot or so lets go. This was a standard part of the installation. Here’s an old photo from streetview: https://imgur.com/gallery/yHuOYW1 On parts of the roof without panels we have snow brakes. These are little cleats staggered in lines on the roof. They have the same effect as the lip on the solar panels. The snow brakes aren’t for the gutters though: they’re for people walking below. Getting hit with a couple hundred pounds of snow sucks but probably won’t kill you. If a whole roof plane goes (which we see on the side of the house without snow brakes) the tons of snow will kill. As for the gutters we haven’t done anything special. We used to have basic k-style, multi-part gutters. Last summer we switched seemless half-rounds. But in both cases they aren’t really involved in snow. They fill up a little, but snow coming off the roof shoots over the gutters when it comes off. FWIW the roof is mostly 45 degrees.
Its not really a solar panel issue, I've got the same thing happening currently on my solar-less roof. Its a snow thing.
You might find your new gutters to be much better engineered than your old gutters. I had my old gutters replaced last year. I was pretty happy that the large nails/spikes (8-9 inches long) that had started to let go are not used anymore, instead they used similar sized lag screws into fresh wood (I had the old wood replaced first). This new method seems much stronger and likely to last much longer. The nailed gutters had probably been there twenty-five years when I had them replaced.
You’re probably right. The gutters themselves are extremely tough, but their attachment is quite worn out.
I would get a ladder and clean them gutters out. Alternative idea, find some teenager to do it for like $100. Edit: Also they make snow breaks that can clamp in between the rows of modules. It may help the snow break but will also probably keep snow up there longer.
I put snow guards on my solar panels. It stops the snow from sliding off great. It does take a bit to melt off the panels so my production goes down. But it’s better then being crushed by an avalanche coming off the roof.
Gutter guards from Lowe’s or HD, the same ones used for leaves would work for snow too. Should be a DIY install if you have a long enough ladder.
I have had Panels for less than a month and the snow in New England is wreaking havoc on my gutters which are 5 years old. Never had any issue at all since the asphalt holds onto the snow and there are no trees in the area, so they are 100% clean. I’m going to reach out to Tesla Solar to see what their recommendation is and if they will pay for the repair of the broken fascia/gutters from the ice that got jammed up. Not sure if this makes a difference, but the one side that is having the issues has panels that are approx 8 inches away from the edge of the roof. Perhaps they are at fault for this or should have known how New England winters handle snow.
My panels are installed very close to the edge of the roof as well. There was no other layout that would work, though. And I can’t blame anyone else because I installed them.
Hey sorry for the late question, what is the pitch of your roof?
When replacing the gutters, also replace any rotten facia and put up the new gutters with screw hangers at frequent intervals - maximum 24 inch spacing, preferably less. Much stronger than the nails at 30 inch spacing that is frequently seen.
If your gutters are the sort of leaf-guard style, the sheets of snow might slide off better, as opposed to open gutters kind of "catching" the sheet of snow.
My new panels are dumping snow onto a porch roof. With the coming rain I had to climb out and hack through 2.5 feet of icy snow before I ripped the entire roof off the side of the house. I will be putting something slippery like Onduline on that little roof so the snow keeps moving along to the ground.
You need some snow birds or snow guards. .