The Howard Company's Blog

Wind Load and Snow Load and Drive-Thru Equipment

September 7, 2023 / by Ty Fleig

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First, let's start with some simple definitions. Wind load is simply the pressure in pounds per square foot exerted on a structure by the wind. Similarly, snow load is the amount of downward pressure on a structure from the weight of snow or ice.

Why do you have to pay attention to wind and snow load?

Determining how wind and snow load may impact the installation and selection of product(s) is important for safety and permitting. The installation and product should be structurally safe per a combination of the International Building Code (IBC), along with state and local municipal codes. The consequences of not passing permit requirements can be expensive and time-consuming, resulting in missing the planned store opening date. Remaking the foundation, altering a foundation, or switching out a product after installation is also expensive and time-consuming. This article will cover what goes into making permit drawings, who makes them, products/foundations, how standards are created, how existing foundations can be used, how to plan for wall-mounted permit drawings, and how snow and wind loads can be accumulated and impact each other.

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What Do I Need To Know About Receiving My Shipment?

April 6, 2023 / by Sara Sina posted in Drive-Thru, Indoor Menu Boards, Installation, Expert Insights, Sara Sina, Delivery

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At The Howard Company, we do our best to package all our products and ship them in a way that they arrive to you in perfect condition, ready to use or install. Here’s what you need to know about receiving small items (UPS) or larger items (Freight) that you have ordered from The Howard Company.

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Guide To A/B Testing With Digital Displays

February 1, 2023 / by Brian Ward posted in Digital, Drive-Thru, Convenience Stores, Restaurants, Menu Boards

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Do you have multiple drive-thru lanes? Does each lane have at least one digital screen?

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How Much Does a Drive-Thru Cost?

January 25, 2023 / by Jean Jones posted in Drive-Thru, Gary Kurtz

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If you have been on our website looking at our drive-thru equipment, it is very likely that you are wondering, "how much is this going to cost?" It is a very normal and reasonable question that we get from potential customers every day. The short answer is, "it depends," but that probably does not help you much. To put some meat on that bone, we decided to answer it here: "How Much Does a Drive-Thru Cost?" In this article, we cover:

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Non-Traditional Drive-Thrus Popping Up Everywhere

November 3, 2021 / by Jean Jones posted in Drive-Thru, Convenience Stores, Restaurants, Expert Insights, Jean Jones

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Imagine the typical drive-thru restaurant layout - a box on a busy street, perhaps on a corner, an entry and exit driveway, a marked out drive-thru lane wrapping around the building, with the menu board towards the back and the payment and pick-up windows on the side. Next, imagine the typical drive-thru restaurant type - a QSR or a coffee shop. Now imagine that these descriptions do not fit your business. Drive-thrus are popping up in more and more places, in what a few years ago would have been considered very unconventional. Here are some examples:

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