What’s My Snow Load? – Check Your Address
Enter any address to see your ground snow load free — the ASCE 7 design snow figure (in psf) that drives your roof’s structural requirements. Then get the full report: what the number means for a re-roof, addition, or solar, plus your whole property’s risk picture.
Free Snow Load Lookup
Enter any address – your ground snow load free, roof context in the report
Get your snow load report & roof context
Enter your email to see what your ground snow load means for your roof — re-roofs, additions, and solar — plus your home’s full property risk: flood zone, storm & hail exposure, roof, and radon, with what each factor means, on the next screen.
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How it works
Enter an Address
Type any US property address into the form above.
We Look Up Your Ground Snow Load
We geocode your address and read the ASCE 7 ground snow load for your area, in pounds per square foot (psf). In mountainous “case-study” regions there’s no single mapped value — we say so and never invent a number.
See Your Snow Load & What It Means
Instantly see your ground snow load free; enter your email for what it means for a re-roof, addition, or solar, plus your home’s full property risk.
Why your snow load matters
Your ground snow load — measured in pounds per square foot (psf) — is the amount of snow weight a building code expects your area’s roofs to carry. It’s the starting point building officials and structural engineers use to set your roof’s design snow load, which drives how a roof must be framed, how a re-roof is speced, and whether an addition or rooftop solar array is safe to permit. A home in a heavy-snow region can be required to carry many times the load of one in a mild climate. This tool reads the ASCE 7 ground snow load for your area free, then pairs it with your full property risk so the number actually means something — no phone calls and no signup.
How homeowners use their snow load
Plan a re-roof: your ground snow load is a key input a roofer or engineer needs to spec the structure
Vet an addition or solar: added roof loads must be checked against the design snow load before a permit
Gauge collapse risk: high-load areas need attention after big storms and deep drifting
See your full picture: pair your snow load with flood, storm, roof, and radon risk for the whole property
What ground snow load is (and isn’t)
- Ground snow load: the ASCE 7 mapped snow weight for your area in psf — a county/state baseline indicator, not a measurement at your exact roof.
- Not your design snow load: engineers adjust the ground value for roof slope, exposure, thermal factors, and drifting to get the design snow load used on a permit. Only that calculation sets what your roof must carry.
- Case-study regions: in mountainous areas ASCE 7 maps no single value — a site-specific determination by the local building authority or a structural engineer is required. We show “site-specific determination required” and never invent a psf figure.
- Not an engineering stamp: this is a lookup against published snow data, not a substitute for a structural engineer’s design or a building department’s ruling.
A note on accuracy
This is a free lookup of the ASCE 7 ground snow load for your area — a county/state indicator, not a point-exact value and not an engineered design load. In ASCE 7 case-study regions (typically mountainous terrain) there is no single mapped number at all; the ground snow load must be set by a local, site-specific determination from the building authority or a structural engineer, and we will never fabricate a value where one isn’t mapped. The design snow load actually used to permit your roof is set by a structural engineer, who adjusts the ground value for slope, exposure, drifting, and thermal factors. Always confirm the figure that governs your project with your local building department or a licensed engineer.
Ground snow load based on ASCE 7 snow hazard data. This product also uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API for flood-zone context in the full report, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency’s website(s).
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the ground snow load for my address?
Enter your address above. We geocode it and read the ASCE 7 ground snow load for your area — in pounds per square foot (psf) — the same snow hazard data building codes use. The result appears free in seconds; the full report adds what the number means for your roof plus your whole property’s risk picture.
What does ground snow load in psf mean?
Psf is pounds per square foot — the weight of snow a code expects roofs in your area to carry per square foot of surface. A 30 psf ground snow load means the mapped snow weight is 30 pounds on every square foot. It’s the baseline figure an engineer adjusts to set the design snow load your roof is actually built to.
What if my area is an ASCE 7 case-study region?
In mountainous “case-study” regions, ASCE 7 does not publish a single mapped snow load — the value varies too much with terrain and elevation. When your address falls in one, we show “site-specific determination required” instead of a number. Your ground snow load must be set by a local, site-specific determination from the building authority or a structural engineer. We never invent a psf figure.
Why does my snow load matter for my roof?
Ground snow load is the starting point for your roof’s design snow load — how a roof must be framed and reinforced. It governs re-roofs, additions, and rooftop solar, and in heavy-snow regions it’s a real snow-collapse consideration. A higher psf means a roof must carry more weight, which affects structure and cost.
Is ground snow load the same as design snow load?
No. Ground snow load is the mapped baseline for your area. A structural engineer adjusts it for roof slope, exposure, thermal factors, and drifting to calculate the design snow load actually used to permit and build your roof. This tool shows the ground value; only an engineer’s calculation sets the design load.
How accurate is this snow load lookup?
It reflects the ASCE 7 ground snow load for your area — a county/state indicator, not a point-exact value and not an engineered design load. In case-study regions there’s no single mapped number, so we say a site-specific determination is required. Always confirm the figure that governs your project with your local building department or a licensed engineer.
Is this really free?
Yes. The ground snow load lookup is completely free — no credit card and no hidden fees. Enter your email to also get your full property risk report (snow load context, flood zone, storm, roof, and radon) at no cost; a deeper paid report is offered but never required.
How do I use BuildFolio’s free snow load lookup?
Enter any US property address in the form above — no signup or account required. The tool resolves your address, reads the ASCE 7 ground snow load for your area, and shows it free, then gives you what it means for your roof and your full property risk on the next screen. Results appear in seconds.
Ready to find your snow load?
Get your free ground snow load lookup by address from ASCE 7 snow data — then what it means for your roof and your full property risk report — in seconds. No signup.
Find My Snow Load