This guide will teach you how to use the Calculator app and what pitfalls to avoid. Please pay close attention to the details surrounding the Roof Section Input Form portion of the app to ensure accurate measurements are used. Undersized measurements can result in the warranty being voided.

Quick Start Guide:

Most customers complete a roof layout in 20–30 minutes.

1.      Measure each roof section.

o   Measure your roof sections as shown in Figures 3–5.

o   For detailed measuring instructions, see the How to Measure Your Roof section of the Installation Guide.

2.     Choose a bracket model.

o   Select the Snow Arc Guard™ model you want to use.

o   The default model is 015 SAG Oval.

3.     Create one roof section at a time.

o   Select the roof shape that best matches the roof section.

o   Enter the required dimensions.

o   Repeat for each roof section that requires snow retention.

4.     Review each generated layout.

o   Confirm the layout matches your roof before continuing.

o   If a roof section cannot be represented by a single shape, divide it into multiple roof sections as described later in this guide.

5.     Select bracket color and review your order.

o   Gloss Black is the standard color.

o   Custom colors require additional lead time and pricing.

6.     Submit your Order Request.

o   The calculator automatically determines:

§  Bracket quantity

§  Adhesive quantity

§  Layout drawings

o   If Technical Review is required, Sands Works will review your roof before approval.

Getting Familiar with the Calculator

Before creating your first layout, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the main sections of the Snow Arc Guard™ Roof Calculator shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Recall Existing Quote or Order

If you have previously submitted an Order Request or completed a purchase, you can recall your existing quote or order using your Order ID and email address.

Recalling an order allows you to:

·       View the current order status.

·       Review previously entered roof sections and layouts.

·       Download previously generated layout PDFs.

·       Continue editing eligible orders that have not yet entered production.

Roof Section Calculator & Layout Preview

This is where you build your roof layouts one roof section at a time.

For each roof section:

·       Assign a descriptive section name.

·       Select the roof shape that best matches the roof section.

·       Enter the required measurements.

·       Specify the roof pitch.

·       Repeat for every roof section requiring snow retention.

As measurements are entered, the calculator automatically:

·       Generates a layout preview.

·       Calculates the required bracket quantity.

·       Calculates the required adhesive quantity.

·       Adds the estimated brackets to your order summary.

Completed layout drawings can be reviewed individually or downloaded together as a single PDF before submitting your order. A copy of the approved layout PDF is also included with your order confirmation email.

Shopping Cart / Quote Summary

The Quote Summary provides a live overview of your order.

It displays:

·       Selected Snow Arc Guard™ models.

·       Estimated bracket quantities.

·       Adhesive quantities.

·       Color selections.

·       Bulk pricing discounts (when applicable).

·       Estimated project total.

Review this section before submitting your Order Request or proceeding to checkout.

Product Selection & Order Options

This section allows you to customize your order after your roof layouts have been created.

Here you can:

·       Select the Snow Arc Guard™ bracket model.

·       Choose the bracket color.

·       Specify custom color requests (when available).

·       Review optional order settings.

·       Add installation notes for Sands Works.

If you already know how many brackets you need—for example, if you are purchasing inventory for future installations—you may skip the roof layouts and purchase brackets directly. Please note that layout-related warranty coverage applies only to projects that use an approved Snow Arc Guard™ layout.

Contractor Options

Contractors have access to additional features, including:

·       Warranty Transfer — Transfer the product warranty to the property owner after installation.

·       Bulk Purchasing — Purchase inventory to keep brackets on hand for future projects.

·       Technical Review Requests — Request assistance for complex roof geometries or unusual installation conditions before installation begins.

Figure 1 - Snow Arc Guard™ Quote App – Start Page

When viewing the Snow Arc Guard App as seen in Figure 1, you can scroll down to see the Product selection menu as shown in Figure 2. This is where you will select the color you prefer for your Snow Arc Guard™ brackets.

• NOTE: colors other than Gloss Black may or may not be immediately available for purchase. Lead-time can increase by up to 6 weeks.

• Lead-times are always displayed in the Quote Summary. 

Figure 2 - Snow Arc Guard™ Quote App – Product Selection + Customer Information

Figure 3 – Panel Length measurements example

Figure 4 – Eve Width, Ridge Length, and Referrence measurements

Figure 5 - Roof Pitch measurements can vary, always confirm roof pitch per surface

Using the Roof Section’s Autogenerated Layout Preview tool

Labeling your Roofing Sections & Selecting a shape:

• Label each roof section as something you can recognize.  Often times, just adding North, South, East, or West can help customers tell which layout they calculated.

• Select the roof shape that matches the section being entered (See Figure 9 for examples).

• Use separate roof sections when one roof area cannot be accurately described as a single shape.

• Measure each section separately and enter each section as its own roof section.

Measurements needed:

• Panel Length is the distance from the upper roof edge or ridge area down the slope to the lower roof edge as seen in Figure 3.

• Roof/eve Width is the horizontal distance of the Eve. Measurement examples can be seen in Figure 4.  Measure the full roof section width from the left edge of the section to the right edge of the section.

• Ridge Length measurement examples are shown in Figures 4 & 9.

• Some complex roof section shapes require additional Reference Measurements in order to receive a custom layout from Sands Works. After submitting your Order Request, you will receive an email receipt. Simply reply to the email receipt with photos of the roof section in question to get custom layouts. It’s okay if you don’t know which measurements you need, a response will be sent indicating which measurements are needed to produce a custom layout.

• Roof Pitch is the most significant measurement of all measurements taken. It influences the # of brackets required the most. Figure 5 shows how one house can have more than one roof pitch. Here are two ways to enter in your roof pitch:

  • OPTION 1: Using a long straight object, a level, and a Digital Angle Finder (DAF).

    • Place the level on a flat surface until the level bubble is centered.

    • Turn the DAF on and place it on the level to confirm it measures level.

    • Lay the long straight object (48” minimum length) on your roof surface pointing from the eve to the Ridge of the roof. The object can be anything straight and stiff; such as a curtain rod or a straight piece of 2x4x8’ wood or similar. Be sure to wrap sharp ends with tape or something to prevent scratching of the roof surface.

    • Place the DAF on the straight object and measure the roof Pitch (Let’s pretend it was 18.3° for this example as seen in Figure 6). Repeat for other roof sections.

Figure 6 - Roof Pitch - Digital Angle Finder (DAF) + level + straight object

• OPTION 2: Using a long straight object, a level, and a tape measure.

  • Measure the length of the straight object and write it down somewhere (let’s pretend it’s a 48” long piece of wood for this example). This will be the Run dimension for all your roof sections

  • Place the straight object + level on top of a roof section pointing from eve to ridge.

  • Lift up the end nearest the eve until the level shows it is level. At this moment measure the vertical distance from the bottom of the straight object to the surface of the roof section. This is the Rise dimension for this roof section (let’s pretend the resulting vertical measurement was 16” for this example).

  • You can now enter in the measured 16” vertical (Rise) and 48” horizontal (Run)  dimensions for this roof section. The roof Pitch angle is then automatically calculated by the software.

Figure 7 - Roof Pitch - Tape measure + level + straight object

Important: Incorrect width can change bracket count and spacing. For example, entering 20 ft when the actual roof width is 25 ft can produce an under-designed layout and may void warranty coverage.

If the roof has unusual geometry, obstructions, valleys, hips, transitions, or nonstandard conditions, request technical layout review before purchasing or installing

Custom Layouts & “Technical Review Required” indicator

The app may identify conditions that require Technical Review either due to being requested, layout is abnormal, or a custom Sands Works layout is requested. Do not install from an unfinished or unresolved layout if the app indicates review is needed.

If you have complex roof shape geometry, then Sands Works can provide you with custom layouts upon request. Custom layouts should be followed exactly.

Technical layout review means Sands Works reviews submitted roof inputs and layout conditions for Snow Arc Guard™ bracket placement. It is not a structural roof evaluation, roof inspection, code review, or professional engineering certification unless Sands Works expressly states otherwise in writing.

Using Multiple Layouts for a Single Roof Section

Some roof sections contain offsets, valleys, dormers, or other features that cannot be accurately represented by a single calculator shape, as shown in Figure 13.A.

In these cases, you may be able to divide the roof section vertically into two or more simple shapes and create a separate layout for each portion of the roof, as shown in Figure 13.B. Together, these layouts represent the complete roof section.

When using multiple layouts:

• Divide the roof into logical shapes with clearly defined boundaries.

• Ensure each layout accurately represents its portion of the roof.

• Install each layout exactly as shown on its approved layout drawing.

• Do not overlap layouts or omit areas of the roof.

If you are unsure how to divide a complex roof section, submit an Order Request and select Technical Review. Sands Works will review the roof geometry and provide guidance or a revised layout if needed.

Recalling your Quote/Order – Order Tracking

At the top of the app page, use the “Recall an Existing Quote” feature to reopen an existing quote/order request or purchase.

Ways to recall your order/get the codes to access your order:

1. If you have the original email receipt, just click the link at the bottom of the email to automatically open the website and load the order.

2. If you have the Order ID and the Token code written down somewhere, just enter it into the two fields and click “Recall Quote” (see Figure 8).

3. If you have lost the email and codes, you can email info@Sandsworks.com with your name and address. A copy of your order receipt will be sent to your email.

After recalling a quote or order, you can review its current status including any shipping information. Always review your roof inputs, layouts, and bracket quantities before ordering, reordering, or installing. If roof conditions changed or measurements were corrected, edit the layout before using it. If you have a locked layout because you already paid for your order, contact Sands Works to modify/update the layouts for your order.

Figure 8 - Order Recall Feature - "Recall an Existing Quote"

Figure 9 - Rectangles and Inverted Trapezoids

Downloading Your Layouts as a PDF

You can download your Layouts in three separate ways.

1. After completing the calculator workflow, you can download the auto-generated PDF layout drawings before submitting your order.

2. After Submitting an Order Request or making a Purchase, you will be redirected to a Receipt screen where you can download the PDF file.

3. After a successful Purchase or Order Request is completed, an email receipt will be sent with all the Layout drawings inside one PDF.

It is highly recommended to print the PDF before installation and bring it to the roof or have it open electronically on a tablet or similar device. The PDF layout is the installation reference and is part of the warranty requirements.

Keep a copy of the PDF with order records and installation photos.

Generated Layout Summary

Generated layouts show bracket row locations, bracket spacing, and bracket center locations for each roof section.

Dimensions reference bracket centers, not bracket edges.

Do not estimate spacing by eye. Use the printed dimensions and measure from the section centerline or other layout references shown on the drawing.

If the drawing shows multiple rows, install each row at the row location shown (see Figure 10). Do not combine rows, remove rows, or move rows unless Sands Works provides a revised layout.

Figure 10 - Double Row Example

Snow Depth Setting

The default Snow Depth setting is 16”.  This covers most houses in the USA.  If you already know the required snow depth setting for your ZIP code, please enter it here. If you do not know your Snow depth, just mark the checkbox (see Figure 11) to request Sands Works to define your Snow Depth for you based on your ZIP code.  You will receive an email once Snow depth has been updated.

Figure 11 - Review Options menu

The calculator uses the customer-entered snow depth to calculate how many brackets are required for any given roof section.

Enter the snow depth that should be used for the layout (see Figure 12). If you are unsure what snow depth is appropriate, confirm local conditions, project requirements, or request help before ordering.

Understating snow depth can produce a layout with too few brackets or excessive spacing for actual conditions.

Figure 13.A - Conjoined Layouts for a Single Roof Section - Shape is too complex for standard layout shapes. Divide complex roof sections vertically into two or more simple roof sections that can each be represented by a calculator shape when possible. 

Figure 14 - Enable Warranty Transfer

Figure 15 - Warranty Transfer Screen