Snow storms can be hazardous and continue to be dangerous even after they’re over. It builds up in parts of the world where snow is expected and falls continuously. While this buildup can cause road closures and power outages, it also affects buildings, ancient ones.
Older buildings tend to be more fragile when it comes to snow load. All buildings are slowly decaying over time, but taking tens of thousands of pounds of snow load yearly speeds up that process. Corrosion, deterioration of materials, and general lack of maintenance on older infrastructure are the main factors for the weakening of buildings. When heavy snow loads pile on or around buildings, the immense pressure exerted can cause cracks and deformities. If the snow is not cleared correctly, the chance of collapse rises, which can be dangerous for people in or around the building. Buildings built acutely or with sloped roofs are usually “brushed off” due to the hopes or beliefs that the snow will just slide off naturally. While snow can slide off the roofs, it is common for heavier loads of snow to stick due to sheer weight. Because of that, older infrastructure, especially infrastructure built more acutely or slanted, does not receive proper maintenance, which can lead to failure to support properly or close buildings, leading to catastrophic failure and endangering the public.
Truckee, California, is known for the great deal of snow they receive year-round and for the older, more archaic town. The large amount of snow and older buildings require maintenance to ensure no threat is posed to the public or employees. Luckily, Truckee does an excellent job of clearing off the roofs and keeping the snow levels and danger they pose at a minimum. Truckee High School was recently remodeled, adding a new section and improving existing parts. However, only some parts of the building were enhanced. Due to the older parts of the building remaining the same, they have a higher chance of collapsing when snow is piled on top. The school also has horizontal roofs, so snow can’t slide off naturally, which is good, seeing as students and teachers are constantly present. However, because of this, large amounts of snow must be removed quickly. If snow isn’t removed in certain areas, it can pose a threat, as happened recently on March 5th. Due to the snow load, many classrooms and a central part of the school were shut off, forcing students to reroute to their classes. Luckily, the school cleared it quickly, re-opening the shut-off parts. Even though it was rid of so quickly, it still posed a significant threat.
In total, if you are in an area that receives snow year-round, maintain old infrastructure to ensure your safety and that of others.
