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.
