Heat tape for roof.

[Steve-Maine]

I"m having a new roof installed in the spring. I"m planning on installing heat tape. what is a good brand to buy. I"m sick of cleaning the edge back after every storm here in Maine. thanks

 

[Mark - IN.]

Steve,

I've used heat tapes on plumbing before, but never heard of them being used on a roof. With plumbing, I simply wrapped around the pipes, then wrapped in isolation so wouldn't be exposed. The heat tapes that I always used only lasted a couple or few years though. Never seemed to be of any quality to make a permanent installation. Living up in Maine where your weather conditions are probably far more extreme than here in Indiana, you may be onto something that may become lucrative for yourself if you get it right. Never know how these things might turn out.

I had a friend decades back, a roofer that moved to Dallas and was asked to bid on doing a copper roof for the big guy from Coke back then, and he'd never done one, and way under bid and got the job. He ended up putting his trucks, equipment, home in hock to do the job, and explained to the Coke guy, whom understood and paid what was right. My friend broke even on that job, but did such a good job that he ended up doing copper rooves in the Dallas area and made a fortune off of it.

Never know how these things may turn out. You do a good job on your place, and it DOES seem like a good idea, you may find yourself doing it...

Good luck anyway.

Mark

 

[JDemaris]

I've installed roof-eave heaters on many houses. All I installed were steel wire grid heaters or metal-sheaveded cable - not tape.

 

[paul]

Really, with a new roof, you should do it right.

Insulation, air gap, ventiliation.

The heat tape is kind of a stop gap solution to an existing problem. It would be better to fix the problem.

I presume your problem is the ice dams, which come from the roof getting just a tad warm compared to outside air and building up that layer of ice across the bottom foot or 2 of roof where it cools down again. This year is one for the record books again for that issue here, shows up every few years real bad.

The house has a new addition with better construction and insulation, and that section does not build up. The older portion does, same slope and shingle etc. It would be good to cure the problem, not treat the symptoms if you are rebuilding it anyhow.

Paul

 

[Steve-Maine]

J Demario. Just what I'm looking . Which brand do you use and do you run it down the downspouts too? Thanks
Steve

 

[MarkB_MI]

In the Michigan upper peninsula, many of the houses have metal roofing over the eaves. It sure looks weird, but I guess they don't get ice dams.

We have a poorly designed roof that is subject to severe ice dams. I use Frost King de-icing cables, which should be available at your local Home Depot. Note that it takes a lot of cable, check the package for instructions on how to calculate the length you need.

When you re-roof, you probably already know to use adhesive rubber underlayment over your eaves. It's called "ice dam" around here. Don't skimp on it. And make sure your attic is well-ventilated and well-insulated. Warm attics are the main cause of ice dams.
Frost King de icing cable from Home Depot

 

[Bret4207]

Whatever you do, don't just plug it in and leave it. The power bill will kill you. And remember that water that melts because of poor insulation/ventilation that gets to the gutter may well freeze again in the gutter and tear it all down.

 

[DGinVT]

We have a metal roof on the house and barn. Both shed snow very nicely. When the sun is out the metal heats and the snow slides off. They cost more but you won't have to worry about it for a long time. Get a good contractor that specializes in metal roof installation

 

[Michael Soldan]

When we roof we use ice and water guard,a three foot width all along the edge. Another poster has suggested what may be the problem..heat..getting up into the attic area and causing melting and making snow stick and build up,the inside of your attic should be the same temperature as outside,if its not you will have eaves troughs full of ice and icesickles in which case you don't have enough ventilation or you have heat loss into your attic. A heat tape should not be needed..this is just my opinion

 

[Brian G. NY]

JDemaris,
That looks exactly like my installation; even the
shingle color.
I installed them about 18 years ago and they're
still working.
I did as shown in the picture.... ran the end run
along bottom of gutter and down the downspout to
ground level. The cable must go down the downspout
to keep it flowing.
I only plug them in when I see ice beginning to
build which isn't too often thankfully.

 

[Wile E]

When you redo the roof put plenty of that water/ice shield 6 feet up from the eaves, 2 layers. I have a roof rake and when the snow gets 12" or deeper on the roof it is time for my workout. It will get real tough when I am in my sixties.

 

[showcrop]

I had new roofs put on about 8 years ago. I wish I had put metal on.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Bret, de-icing cables that are properly installed will protect gutters and downspouts. That's what I have. Because of all the snow, I had to leave mine plugged in almost every day since late December and it does show on the electric bill.
You can get thermostats that will keep heat tape turned off above forty degrees, but that doesn't help much if it's 20 degrees but there's no snow on the roof. A better choice if you're not going to be around is a special controller for roof cables that only turns them on when the temperature is below freezing AND there's snow on the roof. See the link below.
Easy Heat RS 2

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 03:56:33 02/22/14) Bret, de-icing cables that are properly installed will protect gutters and downspouts. That's what I have. Because of all the snow, I had to leave mine plugged in almost every day since late December and it does show on the electric bill.
You can get thermostats that will keep heat tape turned off above forty degrees, but that doesn't help much if it's 20 degrees but there's no snow on the roof. A better choice if you're not going to be around is a special controller for roof cables that only turns them on when the temperature is below freezing AND there's snow on the roof. See the link below.
Easy Heat RS 2

I'm sure if you run the heat into the gutter and downspout that it will work, but I've never seen more than one or 2 people think to do that. Personally, proper insulation and ventilation of the roof are the answer for me. But, if you're stuck with poorly insulated and ventilated roofs, you do what ya gotta do!

 

[MarkB_MI]

Bret, it makes no sense to not heat gutters if you have them. The cable installation instructions explain exactly how to do it so the cable is suspended in the gutter rather than touching it.

I wish I could fix my problems with more insulation and ventilation, but I have a poorly designed (at least for Michigan winters) roof that has a large roof area feeding into a couple of valleys. To compound matters, much of the roof is over a cathedral ceiling so there's no way to add insulation. Add two foot eave overhangs and cables are the only practical solution. Oh, and I didn't mention that the builder ran a vent stack almost in the middle of a valley; I did take that out, but it gave me no end of aggravation before I did.

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 06:43:23 02/22/14) Bret, it makes no sense to not heat gutters if you have them. The cable installation instructions explain exactly how to do it so the cable is suspended in the gutter rather than touching it.

I wish I could fix my problems with more insulation and ventilation, but I have a poorly designed (at least for Michigan winters) roof that has a large roof area feeding into a couple of valleys. To compound matters, much of the roof is over a cathedral ceiling so there's no way to add insulation. Add two foot eave overhangs and cables are the only practical solution. Oh, and I didn't mention that the builder ran a vent stack almost in the middle of a valley; I did take that out, but it gave me no end of aggravation before I did.

I'd lay down 2" strapping and put metal over it with ridge vent. That would be a permanent solution, but I'm not a big fan of shingles anyway.