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Installing roof heating cables is an excellent way to solve the problems of ice gathering on your building. These cables are also called heat wires and are considered an efficient solution in solving ice buildup on the valleys and overhangs of your roofing structure.
When ice gathers on your building, it can lead to damaging effects on your property. Ice buildup can make way through the shingles of your roof, even if it is in perfect shape, and this can lead to broken watertight seals, which can be a headache for you and your household.
Heating cables are electrical cables that are installed to the rooftop to help with ice defrosting. These cables generate steady heat to the building, and they can be fitted to any property size.
Important Information
You should keep in mind that roof deicing heating cables are constructed for the sole purpose of melting ice that has already gathered from snowfall. For that reason, if there is a massive ice buildup, make sure to execute an excellent snow removal on top of your building, before you install the heating cables to put a stop to further ice gathering on the rooftop.
The Benefits of Installing Roof Heating Cables Include
1. Helps your Gutters Run Smoothly
Gutters help to ensure that your home has a proper water runoff, but ice can cause havoc to your channels that can lead to cracks, or sometimes complete damage. Installation of heating tapes will reduce the buildup of ice, and therefore helps your gutter to flow efficiently.
2. Prevention of Roof Sagging
Sometimes, when snow falls heavily, it can cause heavy loads and excess weight on your roof, which can lead to sagging and damaging. This can also cause leaking from the top of the house. When heating cables are correctly installed, it can prevent the gathering of excess, by reducing the amount of weight on the building, which then ensures that the roof last longer. The link below has some tips on how to prevent this from happening.
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/causes-sagging-roof-line-102148.html
3. Prevention of Ice Falling
Ice dropping down from your rooftop isn’t only damaging the roof, but can also be dangerous to the people who occupy that home. Opening your doors and windows, and also changes in the temperature can result in glaciers dropping inside the house, and this can lead to slips that can cause severe injuries.
4. Puts a Stop to Water Damages and Mildew
The gathering of water from snow and foul drainage can cause havoc, and immediately the mold settles in, it will begin to spread, and this can cost you a hefty sum of money to repair the damages. The installation of heating cables can help to stop the gathering and water buildup completely.
5. A Rest Assured Feeling
Once you have successfully installed heating cables, you begin to get a relief that your roof has been taken care of in the long run. Unlike some of your home maintenance, a correctly installed roofing cable can last a very long time without any unexpected damages. You do not have to face the challenges of glaciers on your home floors, the rooftop snow clearing, and the expenses associated with them.
Below are some few other benefits of installing heating cables
- They are a much cheaper option compared to fixing the damages caused by ice dams on your building.
- Heating cables can be seen as a temporary solution for replacing the roof.
How to Apply Heating Cables on the Roof?
Heating cables are applied on the building by coiling it back-and-forth in a zig-zag manner along the roofline hedges, and also the gutters. These are electrical cables, so when plugged to an electric circuit, they warm up, and this prevents melted snows from freezing up as soon as it reaches the overhang section of the roofline. Instead of freezing up and causing ice dams, the water drops to the floor. You can check this website for a detailed guide on how to install heat cables on the roof.
When to Install a Heat Cable
The perfect time for getting a heating cable installed is during the spring. During this time, the roof is mostly clear of ice and melted snow, and you do not have to worry about ice gathering and all other sought.
It is only right to say that these cables are a good fix for various ice problems; you only need to install them before it starts to snow.