While sloped roofs encourage snow shedding and reduce long-term loading, large commercial buildings often feature only flat or low-slope roofs. Clearing excess snow manually with shovels is an important responsibility. And when that happens, you want your team to be safe while also removing the snow in an effective manner that won’t damage the roof engineering underneath. Here’s a few tips from Double Black Construction on how to safely shovel snow off pre-engineered steel buildings.

In many parts of North America, heavy snowfall is not an occasional inconvenience – it’s a constant reality. Buildings in northern and cold-weather regions must safely support snow accumulation, ice formation and seasonal freeze–thaw cycles without compromising structural integrity or long-term performance.

Snow weight is often underestimated. Light, dry snow may add only a few pounds per cubic foot, but wet, compacted snow can exceed 50 pounds per cubic foot. Over time, this weight increases as snow melts, refreezes and absorbs additional moisture. Without proper engineering, these forces can place significant stress on a roof system.

Snow rarely distributes itself evenly. It tends to collect at key parts of a roof system. As heat escapes through the roof, underlying snow layers melt and refreeze, increasing density and trapping water. The most severe condition occurs when rain falls on a snow-loaded roof, pushing loads closer to the weight of water itself. 

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