(Host) As if your driveway and sidewalk aren’t enough to shovel – Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture is urging farmers to make sure their barns don’t collapse from the weight of all the snow.
The state says many agricultural buildings are designed for a total roof load of 50 pounds per square foot. Doug Friant is one of the owners of Vermont Timberworks – a Springfield firm that’s been designing timber frame homes and barns for almost 25 years. He says paying attention to your building’s roof is vital.
(Friant) "At our own shop as a matter of fact a couple years ago – we weighed a section – a one by one section of snow. And this roof was designed for 50 pounds per square foot. That section weighed over 100 pounds a square foot so it was twice the design load, so shoveling is terribly important."
(Keck) In older barns, Friant says it’s also common to find that support braces have been cut away to make extra room. He says that can add to a structure’s vulnerability – especially with all this snow. According to the Department of Agriculture, a roof can lose it structural integrity in about 30 days if not cleared.