But no measure addresses the issue quite as directly as installing a course of de-icing cables.
If an ice dam forms despite your best efforts, ice-and-water barriers often prove to be a valuable safeguard, blocking the intrusion of water into the home and thereby mitigating the worst damage. If the heat cable is going to be placed without anyone’s assistance, be sure that the roof is clear of snow. It will have to be placed in a zigzag pattern on the lower part of a roof and possibly along the gutters. For instance, attic insulation and ventilation can help to control the temperature of your attic, which in turn decelerates snowmelt. This type of ice melting heat cable is one that is more widely used but may require the help of an electrician or roofing specialist. Of course, there are other steps you can take to protect your home. As O’Brian notes, “The basic stuff simply plugs in and turns on.” But if you’re concerned about energy savings, “opt for a system that self-regulates in keeping with the temperature outdoors.”Įxperts at are on hand to help you find a de-icing system that suits both your needs and your budget. Finally, bear in mind that features vary from one product to the next. Plus, there are environmental variables to consider, such as the solar orientation of your home and the prevailing wind direction. You must account for the size and, more importantly, the shape of your roof. If you’ve got, say, metal roofing, special considerations come into play.
Eventually, this trapped, standing water works its way beneath the shingles, causing leaks and, in many cases, extensive (and expensive) damage.ĭe-icing cables are designed for use primarily with the most common roofing material-asphalt shingles. Once this dam has formed, any snow melting on the roof collects and puddles behind it. After repeated freeze-thaw cycles over the course of the season, a thick barrier of ice forms along the roof overhang. Before the melted snow runs off the roof, however, it refreezes right near the edge, over the eaves. Warmed by heat rising up from below, accumulated snow on the roof begins to melt. Ice dams form in winter, in the days and weeks following heavy snowstorms. This deicing method is designed to help prevent ice.
Heat cables for roofs install#
There are several ways to do this, but homeowners seeking the greatest protection often opt to install de-icing cables along the roofline. Heat wire is an electric heating cable that produces heat, also referred to as heat tape and heat cable. Therefore, the key isn’t to eliminate ice dams after they’ve formed, but rather to prevent them from forming in the first place. Often, it’s not until after the damage has been done that a homeowner even becomes aware of the problem. Making the phenomenon all the more menacing is that unlike many other home disasters-a downed tree, for instance-ice dams aren’t obvious threats. It measures both temperature and moisture to turn the system on or off in response to changing weather conditions.Of all the hazards that strike fear into the heart of the average homeowner, surely ice dams must rank near the top of the list. The use of a temperature and moisture sensing control such as EasyHeat’s RS-2 is highly recommended. Keeps gutters and down spouts open and clear for water to flow. Prevents dangerous icicles from building up over pathways and doors. The ADKS cable plugs into a standard 120 VAC GFCI protected three-wire grounded outlet. The ADKS de-icing cable is installed over the unheated portions of the roof above the overhang or into gutters or downspouts to create an ice-free pathway for melting water to drain. Ice dams can form on roofs, eaves, dormers, roof valleys, gutters, skylights and downspouts and can cause shingle damage, water leakage into the roof, damage to insulation, moisture leakage into walls and ceilings, and gutter or downspout problems. Ice dams are frozen ridges of melting snow that stop the water from flowing off the roof. Keep your gutters and downspouts flowing all winter long! Prevent ice dam formation and the costly damage it can cause by installing the EasyHeat ADKS kit.