A metal shingle having a body with left, right, top and bottom parts. The body is substantially planar and rectangular and has a front, a rear, left and right sides, a top and a bottom. The left and right parts extend from the left and right side respectively. One of the left and right parts is folded over the front and the other is folded over the bottom. The top and bottom parts extend from the top and bottom respectively. One of the top and bottom parts is folded over the front and the other is folded over the bottom. In use, the shingles are positioned in each of side-to-side and top-to-bottom abutting relation so that adjacent sides are interlocked. The body defining a hollow adjacent to one of the interlocking top and bottom parts.

A mounting device or clamp is provided that can be secured to a roof joint without damaging the roof joint. Two roof panels can be joined at a roof joint that extends away from the roof. The clamp has a body with a slot to receive the roof joint. An insert of the clamp is rotatable relative to the body from a first position to a second position. The clamp body can be positioned over the roof joint, and the insert can rotate or pivot from the first position to the second position relative to the body to secure the clamp to the roof joint. In one embodiment, a body of the clamp has a first arm that is concave and the insert has a concave portion to engage the roof joint. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the insert can be connected to the clamp body such that either a first projection or a second projection of the insert faces a roof joint.

An apparatus for heating structure or areas adjacent such structure, such as a roof on a building for example, exposed to varying weather conditions and methods of making and use of the apparatus. The heating apparatus can include a heating element and heat supplying components. In one embodiment, the heating apparatus also includes a heatable cover panel and fasteners or other fastening components or materials for securing the heating element and cover panel to the structure. The heat supplying components may include one or more heater cable or heater cable sections penetrating one or more heater cable channels in the heating element. The apparatus may also utilize various insulating and other materials, including paint on exposed surfaces of the apparatus.

A snow removal device for removing snow from a roof surface includes a multi-angled tool comprising a plurality of panels. The panels include a first panel portion configured to dig into the snow, a second panel portion connected to a trailing edge of the first panel portion, the second panel portion being angled to compact a small amount of snow between the tool and the roof surface, and a third panel portion connected to a trailed edge of the second panel portion, the third panel portion being configured to slide over the compacted small amount of snow.

A retention system may comprise a bracket, a bar system, a seal and a bonded washer. The bracket may have a first portion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portion may be operatively coupled together at an angle θ. The bracket may also have a texture. The bracket may define a mounting surface. The bar system may comprise a bar installable in the bracket. The seal may be installable in the bracket and disposed beneath the mounting surface. The bonded washer may be installable on and compressible against the mounting surface.

A snow guard structure has the configuration in which a first frame body holding a ridge-side end side of a solar cell panel and a second frame body holding an eaves-side end side of an adjacent solar cell panel are fixed to a roof surface such that spaces are formed under their bottom face portions, and a snow guard fitting includes an upper abutment piece abutting against upper face portions of the two frame bodies, a lower abutment piece abutting against bottom face portions of the two frame bodies, an external thread member extending upward from the lower abutment piece and penetrating through the upper abutment piece and fastening the upper abutment piece and the lower abutment piece by screwing with an internal thread between the two frame bodies, and a snow guard portion extending upward from the upper abutment piece.

A snow guard structure has the configuration in which a first frame body holding a ridge-side end side of a solar cell panel and a second frame body holding an eaves-side end side of an adjacent solar cell panel are fixed to a roof surface such that spaces are formed under their bottom face portions, and a snow guard fitting includes an upper abutment piece abutting against upper face portions of the two frame bodies, a lower abutment piece abutting against bottom face portions of the two frame bodies, an external thread member extending upward from the lower abutment piece and penetrating through the upper abutment piece and fastening the upper abutment piece and the lower abutment piece by screwing with an internal thread between the two frame bodies, and a snow guard portion extending upward from the upper abutment piece.

A mounting device (100) for installation on a hollow rib of a panel is disclosed. The mounting device (100) includes a mounting body (102), an insert (160), and at least one clamping fastener (180). The mounting body (102) includes an upper section or base (104), along with a first leg (112) and a second leg (122) that each extend downwardly from the base (104) in at least generally diverging relation to one another. The first leg (112) includes a first projection (116) positionable in a recess on one sidewall of a rib, while the insert (160) includes a second projection (164) positionable in a recess on the opposite sidewall of this same rib. The clamping fastener(s) (180) extends through the second leg (122) of the mounting body (102) and forces the insert (160) in the direction of the first leg (112) of the mounting body (102).

A roof ice melt system and method of making and use to reduce or eliminate water from puddling or not running down the ice melt system and off of the roof. One embodiment of the roof for the roof ice melt system can has a slope of between approximately 0.5/12 and approximately 2.5/12. The roof ice melt system has a heating element and heatable cover panel having a a primary heating element cover section, an upper roof contacting section, and an intermediate cover section extending between the primary heating element cover section and the upper roof contacting section. The intermediate cover section is sized so that it extends downwardly along the roof, rather than horizontally or higher, from the upper roof contacting section toward the primary heating element cover section.

A fluid deposition system is provided. The system comprises one or more electronic processors, and one or more electronic memories each electrically connected to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored therein. The processor(s) is/are configured to access the memory or memories and execute the instructions stored therein such that the processor(s) is/are configured to: determine whether one or more predetermined criteria are met for initiating deposition of fluid onto an area of interest; when it is determined that the criteria is/are met, determine one or more operating parameters of the fluid deposition system to use in the deposition of the fluid onto the area of interest; and following the determination of the operating parameter(s), generate one or more electrical signals to cause the fluid to be deposited onto the area of interest in accordance with the determined parameter(s).