Desmond Tse has 20 years experience as a self-taught solo siding contractor. This summer he became a self-taught roofer. With 169,000 followers watching him on Instagram, “The Siding Guy” installed a composite slate roof on his home in Canada, along with ST 9 snow guards from Rocky Mountain Snow Guards.“I saw the DaVinci Roofscapes product at a trade show and fell in love with it,” says Tse, a resident of Edmonton, Alberta. “I had to have it on my roof. I knew immediately that it was time to transfer my siding skills up on the roof.

Due to the slick nature of synthetic roofing, Tse also knew that he’d need snow guards for his roofing installation. “We get snow from Halloween to May in Alberta,” says Tse. “Sometimes up to 48 inches in a season. With synthetic slate, I know that snow can avalanche off the roof as it starts melting. To help prevent that, I reached out to Rocky Mountain Snow Guards to ask for their recommendations for a solution.”

After evaluating the roofing plan for Tse’s home, the experts at Denver-based Rocky Mountain Snow Guards recommended Snow Tracker (ST) Series snow guards in a 9-inch length. The durable, low-profile snow guards were specified around the entire home. 198 of the snow guards were suggested in a Dark Bronze Kynar coated aluminum to complement the Castle Gray color of the Province^™ Slate roofing tiles.

As viewers watched around the world, Tse showcased a video of the installation of the TS 9 snow guards on the DaVinci roof. “The snow guards were very easy to install,” says Tse. “I can tell they’ll be beneficial in helping with the snow retention. “Synthetic slate roofing is relatively new in our area. We actually had neighbors who thought the snow guards were a visual design element. They didn’t realize they have a functional role to play on the roof.”

With the project now complete, Tse’s Instagram followers have been treated to an aerial drone overview of the finished project. And, although a dozen neighbors have asked him to re-roof their homes, Tse is keeping his feet on the ground. He’s sticking with his commitment to siding rather than making the switch to roofing.

Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, Inc. manufactures snow guards, snow fences and snow retention systems designed to protect people and property. The company provides free shipping of products to the 48 contiguous United States and offers free layouts and quotes for product placement. For details visit www.rockymountainsnowguards.com or call 1-877-414-7606.