How Does Roof Heat Tape Work

They re hot wires that run up and down your roof to melt snow and prevent ice buildup on your overhangs and.

How does roof heat tape work. This video courtesy of raychem provides a short but informative understanding of how self regulating heat tracing cable sometimes referred to as heat tap. Heat tape is a generic term for a variety of cables and cords you can install on your roof and gutters to prevent ice dams or wrap around exposed pipes to prevent them from bursting in the winter. Heat cables also known as heat tape or roof ice cables are often the first things that come to mind for homeowners attempting to deal with ice dams. The roof heat cable is placed in key areas of concern.

As a result water continues to flow and there s no ice obstruction on your eaves valleys or gutters. The primary consideration with heat cables is the length of the cable. May not last more than a couple of years. Doesn t work well in extremely cold temperatures.

Heat tapes to stop ice dam back ups building leaks. And as the weather gets colder once the tape is plugged in it works to stop any precipitation from forming into ice or icicles. Heat cable heat tape heat wire they re different names that mean the same thing. Adding heat tapes along roof edges can melt holes through existing ice dams to prevent water back up and leaks into the building attic.

How to install heat tape deicier cable on your roof for eaves and gutters and downspouts for snow and ice removal. How to melt ice and snow on your eaves an. It describes proper roof ventilation placement amounts and other details. Other names for heat cables for gutters include deicing cables heated gutters roof heat cables and heat tape.

The term heat tape refers to another product an insulated electrical wire applied to water pipes to keep them from freezing and bursting. This article describes using heat tapes to stop ice dam damage. The type of heat tape used on roofs and gutters to prevent ice buildup is properly called heat cable. The type you use on the roof tends to be minimally flexible while the kind you use for pipes is thin and supple.

Heat cable is a similar product but it is designed for installation on the edge of your home s roof near the eaves.