De-Icing Cables for Winter
Ice dams are created when melting snow on a roof doesn’t completely flow off into the gutters. When the temperature falls, the consequential ice blockage creates a dam that further slows down additional melting of the ice, enabling it to get beneath the roof’s shingles and infiltrate the protective top layer of your home. The reason ice dams form in the first place is the uneven heating from beneath. Warmth circulates in the attic because heat increases. This melts ice on the roof, which dribbles down toward the gutter, but then reaches the cold edges of the roof where it freezes again, forming ice dams.
The old-school way to solve the ice dam problem was with a shovel and a lot of dangerous manual labour. But with technological advancements, you can cross manual labour off the list. De-icing cables are the solution to your ice dam problems. De-icing cables are electrical cables connected to the roof of the house. They aren’t visually distracting and hence won’t make a dramatic change as many people expect them to. Before investing in de-icing cables, it is recommended that you are well-acquainted with the benefits and functionalities of de-icing cables.
The Benefits of De-Icing Cables:
When properly installed, roof de-icing cables work quite efficiently, although they don’t often make much of a graphic change. The cables don’t completely clear patches of snow, but rather melt the ice in close proximity around them, providing sufficient space for water to run off into your gutter. This is an important distinction: ice dams may still form but they won’t block the flow of further snow melt, and that’s what shields your roof.
De-icing cables are only designed for adequate snowmelt to avoid ice dams from building up. How much exposure your roof needs with de-icing cables hangs on the shape and slant of the roof and the spaces where ice dams form. The cables aren’t efficient in extremely low temperatures (–10°F and below). However, ice dams won’t form at such low temperatures, so it’s rarely an issue.
Cost:
The bright side of the high electrical bill is the probable savings when your roof isn’t infiltrated by an ice dam. If you’re stressed about an ice dam condition, then investing in appropriately installed heating cables has the potential to pay beneficial returns by shielding your roof and the home beneath it! It is also more preferred over manual labour that never provides a permanent solution to your ice dam problem.
Installing De-Icing Cables:
You’re right if you are wondering if installing de-icing cables isn’t something you can do on your own. It’s never an advisable idea to consider working on your roof, especially in winter. Aside from the safety issues, de-icing cables will only work wonders if installed correctly. These are electrical cables that need to be associated to your household electrical system and which will function in connection to water, and hence, it is highly recommended to entrust this job to a licensed electrician or professional who has experience with this type of service.