A MegaDome fabric building is designed for snow to slide off the roof to the ground when the sides are fully cleared. Frequent snow removal from the sides significantly reduces the need to clear the roof membrane. Proper preparation before winter also makes maintenance easier throughout the season.
However, excessive snowfall or other circumstances may require you to remove snow from the roof membrane.
Why clear snow from the building?
Roof snow removal helps prevent any risk of collapse. The Régie du bâtiment du Québec also emphasizes the importance of proper winter maintenance in one of its official statements.
How to Manage Snow Accumulation?
Regular visual inspections allow you to monitor snow accumulation on and around the building. Snow accumulation can be:
- Evenly distributed across the entire surface;
- Uneven from one side to the other;
- Uneven from one end to the other.
When to clear the roof membrane?
We recommend regularly clearing snow from your building, especially in the following situations:
- When snow accumulation exceeds 16 inches (40 cm);
- When snow is significantly higher on one side than the other or exceeds 48 inches (1.2 m) from the lower part of the membrane.
How to Safely Remove Snow?
- Do not perform snow removal alone.
- Wear proper safety equipment.
- Avoid standing directly under the snow load.
- Do not use heat sources that produce toxic fumes.
How to clear the membrane without damaging it?
⚠️ Snowfalls can occur at any time during the snow clearing operation.
Necessary equipment:
-
- Plastic shovel with no sharp edges to prevent membrane damage;
- Tractor equipped with a snow blower to properly clear the sides;
- Boom lifts for taller buildings or larger accumulations;
- Safety boots and harness.
Recommendations:
- Do not push the membrane with a sharp or hard object.
- Do not remove snow from the inside.
- Do not place a heat source near the membrane.
- Do not scrape the membrane.
Steps :
- Clear the snow off the sides with a tractor equipped with a snowblower stand about 6” (15 cm) in from the building. Remove all the snow on the ground;
- Clear the roof by starting by the center of the fabric building to avoid creating an imbalance. Place the shovel flat on the membrane to avoid damaging it. Remove the snow from the bottom to the top of the membrane. The snow will slide on the ground;
- Repeat step 2 on the other side;
- Go to one of the two ends after you remove snow from the entire centre section;
- Go to the other end of the building. Repeat step 2 for both sides of this end;
- Repeat the procedure in the same way for the rest of the membrane always alternating both sides;
- Remove snow from both sides to reduce the accumulation of snow on the membrane.
These instructions are also found in the owner’s manual.
Presence of an Ice Layer on the Membrane
An ice layer may form on the membrane. You must never scratch it to try to remove it. The ice layer formed directly on the membrane does not compromise the security of the building. It breaks and comes off with the force of the wind which causes the membrane to move slightly or melts with the heat of the sun.
Questions
We invite you to contact our customer service for all questions. Our experts will be happy to help you to properly maintain your building in winter.