Before the melted snow runs off the roof, however, it refreezes right near the edge, over the eaves. After repeated freeze-thaw cycles over the course of the season, a thick barrier of ice forms along the roof overhang.
Once this dam has formed, any snow melting on the roof collects and puddles behind it. Eventually, this trapped, standing water works its way beneath the shingles, causing leaks and, in many cases, extensive and expensive damage.
Once bitten, twice shy: Indeed, the homeowners most likely to take measures against ice dams are those who ignored the risk in the past and wound up paying the price. Affordable, easy-to-install de-icing cables offer perhaps the most direct and effective protection. Fastened into position over the eaves and often within the gutters as well , these cables output heat to prevent melted snow from refreezing before it has the chance to run off the roof, into the storm drainage system, and finally into the yard.
De-icing cables are designed for use primarily with the most common roofing material—asphalt shingles. You must account for the size and, more importantly, the shape of your roof.
Plus, there are environmental variables to consider, such as the solar orientation of your home and the prevailing wind direction. Finally, bear in mind that features vary from one product to the next. Plus, when you factor in the expenses associated with interior flooding or leaks, replacement furniture and flooring, damage to walls and ceilings, and other related costs, heated gutters are a very wise investment in the preventive maintenance of your home.
There are some heated gutter products which are sold in hardware or home improvement stores. However, if these systems are installed improperly, they may not perform the way they should — meaning that you could be dealing with ice dams and the related issues anyway.
In addition, Moonworks can make sure that your attic is properly insulated so as to provide even further protection against the formation of ice dams. For a free, in-home estimate , you can contact us , or call Moonworks at Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Request a Quote. What exactly are heated gutters? What is an ice dam? How do heated gutters work? How do heat-gutters self-regulate? But even if your roof is well ventilated and properly insulated, melt water needs a continuous path to safely drain off the roof.
This is how roof heat cable products can protect your roof. It can also protect your family and customers.
In frigid temperatures, especially at night, water in gutters and downspouts can back up and refreeze before it can drain. Without a clear runoff path, melt water can spill over from backed-up gutters and downspouts onto walkways below, creating icy hazards for you and your family or customers. For a complete prevention system, install heating wire inside gutters and downspouts to ensure that melt water has a clear, continuous drainage path from the roof to the ground before it has a chance to refreeze and cause damage and dangerous conditions.
Heat trace cable is safe for metal, plastic or wooden downspouts and gutters, and it will not overheat, even if overlapped. Cable is available in both and voltages. Choose a preassembled cable, available in lengths between 6 and feet, which plugs into a standard grounded outlet.
For larger projects, rolls of cable are available in quantities from 50 to 1, feet. For maximum efficiency and effectiveness, a complete gutter and downspout de-icing system includes a sensor and controller.
Manual systems are available, but they are not recommended. An investment in protecting your home today can prevent costly winter weather damage to your home tomorrow and in years to come. Before winter hits, contact Warm Your Floor for expert advice on the right de-icing solution for your commercial or residential project!
My condo has de-icing cables on the roofline. This may depend on the brand of de-icing cables that you have. If this is a self-regulating cable made by Nuheat, then this should automatically send fewer electrical paths when the temperature rises.
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