Roof heat tapes are an insulated wire that warms when plugged into an electric outlet and can avoid ice dams. They're comparable to an exterior extension cord except they may be generally gray in color and don't have a female plug at 1 finish. They are on the market in lengths from 20 to 140-feet. Ice dams report.

​

Some models do not have a thermostat so they heat continuously once plugged in. They really should only be plugged in when ice and snow harm is expected. These units are sufficient for properties exactly where individuals are about to monitor the status of snow and ice on the developing.

Other models are self-regulating so they only heat when temperatures go beneath a specific level. These are superior for commercial installations or residences exactly where the roof is out of sight and nobody is going to be in a position to check ice and snow circumstances.

To remove ice dams on your low pitch roof, you might have to have to run the heat tape from the gutter the majority of the way up the roof. This scenario could take very a bit of heat tape to work appropriately. You will not want the spaces between the wires to become as well far apart or there could be mini ice dams forming in between them.

​

Despite the fact that I sell roof heat tapes, I attempt not to recommend them. I'd favor many people to insulate and ventilate their attics to stop ice dams. Do not function on the issue, but operate on the lead to.

​

Ice dams form when heat from both the sun along with the attic-melt snow during the day. Then the snow/slush slides down the roof till it hits the overhang and gutter. Since there is certainly no extra heat from the home, the slush freezes, commonly at night. Many warm days, cold nights, and adequate heat from the home causes a monster ice dam to form.

The genuine trouble occurs when a warm front moves in, and snow up on the roof melts. The water cannot get more than or below the ice dam and backs up under the shingles. Or the point of entry by means of the roof is normally appropriate more than the exterior wall. A great number of men and women encounter water 'raining' appropriate inside the middle of their windows or inside the soffits in the kitchen.

​

You could stop this from happening by ventilating the overhang along with the roof so warm air can rise to bring in fresh cold air. This can help maintain the roof cold so the snow might be less apt to melt. Then add insulation to the attic to trap warm air inside the room beneath. I look into twelve inches of insulation to be the minimum for an attic in Michigan.

Some attics are inaccessible or have too low a pitch producing ventilation and re-insulating impossible. These should install roof heat tapes. Every person else need to pay alot more now for the venting and insulation and reap the savings in heat bills for years to come.