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I've seen a small (as in maybe only 1/2 tall) upsidedown V shaped piece of flashing installed on the roof over such doorways...my guess is to direct the majority of water running down the roof to the sides of the entryway.
The small upside-down "V" made of flashing is just about the only "gutter" I have at my house, and that was to make sure I didn't drown when looking for my keys in the rain. It works well for me. I have a gambrel (not metal) roof, but the principle is the same - snow slides right off the steeper slopes... and yeah... you have to watch those occasional "avalanches" and where they land. Trust me, after one year you'll know where to plant shrubbery or put things! I have way too many pine and other trees to even consider gutters.
I've been kicking around the idea of a metal roof when this one gives up the ghost in about 20 years (it's fairly new). If anyone has any opinions on metal roofs, I would be interested to read them!
In Michigan we have the same issues with snow/ice on the roof and lots of metal roof homes. I have gutters all around my house with a metal roof and have no problems. The key is attic insulation & ventilation. If you're getting ice dams in your gutters, it's not because of the sun melting the snow on the roof, it's because you have too much heat escaping into your attic space and not enough cold air coming in through the soffits under the eaves. This melts the snow on the roof from below and when the water runs down & hits the cold gutter it refreezes, causing the dreaded ice dam.
My neighbors on both sides have the same roof, same gutters, same exposure to afternoon sun. Yet they both get massive ice dams every winter. When I bought my house I had the same problem the first winter. Turns out there was only 6" of insulation in the attic and the soffit vents had been sealed to "keep the heat in". That's exactly what you DON'T want. Any experienced roofer will tell you that your attic space should be as close to the outside temp as possible, winter & summer. I opened up the soffit venting & added 18" of insulation; the next winter there were no more ice dams. The snow stayed frozen on the roof, only melting when the outside temp got above freezing; the gutters didn't freeze up because of course they were above freezing temps as well.
The only problem is the weight of the accumulated snow on the roof. That can be an issue with heavy snows, but our snow is usually a drier fluffier snow. So even 2 ft of snow on the roof doesn't weigh much. I'd rather use a roof rake to remove some of snow if absolutely necessary, than have all the snow coming down on its own when you least expect it.
I know I would NEVER have a house without gutters. Yes, leaves & pine needles can be a pain, but it beats water splashing up on the siding or seeping into the basement/crawlspace. Since I have a basement, it is absolutely imperative to direct the water away from the foundation during spring, summer, fall, & winter. No matter how well constructed the house, EVERY basement will leak sooner or later if enough water gets along the foundation- it's simple physics. It only takes a little weeping moisture to get mold growing. The only houses I've ever seen with leaky basements are the ones without gutters, or they have the infamous "open ended" gutter that just cover the entryways.
I have a slate roof and it is identical to metal roofs when it comes to snow. The snow starts sliding off after the temperature goes above freezing. The gutters block the snow from falling down and will fail if the snow pack is heavy enough (over 24" of snow).
I bought a product called Gutter Champ and now when the snow gets too heavy, the snow slides over the gutter and and onto the ground. It also keeps leaves, needles, dirt, etc. out of the gutters.
I will try to describe a way to mount gutters that will work for both rain and snow. Look at the end of the roof and visualize how the rain drips off the roof and compare it with how the snow moves. The trick is to put the gutters low and close enough to catch most of the rain and be under the sliding snow & ice path. That way the rain will be caught and directed away from the house and the avalanche will not tale the gutters with it.
We have a roof that does not extend over the wall more than a couple of inches. On the two story side over the sliders to the deck we have installed a small one foot wide deflector the moves the drip line away from the house just enough to keep most of the splash away from the doors and walls. Not the ideal solution but it works fairly well.
Ice dams are created by warm roves. Insulate the attic from the house and vent the bathrooms and laundry outside the house not into the attic. That will save you a lot of grief. Not to mention heating bills.
If you are designing a new house put the entry doors on a gable end or add a small (I do not know what they call the small room with two doors on the side of the house with a small roof to deflect rain and snow slides to the side of the doorway) foyer (?) to protect the entry.
Another solution can be o place heat tapes on the lower edge of roof. I have about 12" of galvanized steel on the "drip edge" of my roof and it seems to take care of the wintertime freeze-thaw problems on its own.
Adding this to an existing roof should be done by a qualified roofer. Even with the steel, it is still possible to have ice dams pushing up the roof under the shingles. Even with the steel, freeze + thaw cycles brings ice rocketing off the roof, which could be a regrettable choice if a front walk runs parallel to your roof line.
It's New England, darned if you do, and darned if you don't! People in Florida are more concerned in sun infiltration, than ice problems that don't occur in a cocktail glass!
Keep thinking "In like a lion, out like a lamb!"
Last edited by Yankeehombre; 03-03-2009 at 05:45 AM..
Reason: 3rd grade speling mistakes
I have lived in big snow country and in areas of decking that get a lot of snow buildup or water from snow melt they cut an area of decking by doors and drop in a grate. This allows more melting water to go through the grate rather then sit on the wood deck and flow against the house. Just make sure the area under the deck is slanted away from the house so the water drains away from the foundation.
Sorry, I must have been sleeping to miss your question, dhou. I have always suggested that entry doors, especially with attached decks, not be placed under a drip line of a roof without protection. I also understand that this limits the locations of entryways.
The problem stems from water back splash or snow build up. The frame of the door, adjacent to the threshold, isn't meant to hold water back for extended periods. Often times, the sealant breaks down within a few years and water penetration is immanent creating wood damage, biological growth, as well as a very inviting atmosphere for wood destroying insects.
My suggestion would be to consider a dormer type roof structure over the slider at minimum if possible. A more costly resolution can be archived by roofing the entire deck, depending on it's size. Think screen porch if your visited by biting insects later in the day.
I have seen builders offset decks by an inch and a half with the use of spacers but, although this may help some, I highly doubt it will solve the problem. Metal rain diverters can help with run offs but don't tend to do the job with snow loads.
If you have a camera, take a shot of the deck, door and roof line and send it along. As they say, a picture is worth.........
We are getting metal roofing. I have been looking into it and from my reading I would suggest checking out the 'rainhandler' to prevent erosion and torrents of water. The only other solution is the covered gutters which are expensive
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*gutter-ice backup Problem
