With winter coming, those who live in snow and icy climates will want to begin preparing their home’s roof. You will want to make sure the top of the roof is clean and free of any leaves and debris. Next, you will want to clean out your gutters and tend to any roofing damage that you may have. However, even with your best efforts, you will still get snow and icicles developing on your roof. Ice dams are a particular problem for roof tops. If you want to combat snow and ice dams this winter, Nickerson Roofing will share more about ice dams and how heat trace cables can help you fight snow this winter.
What Usually Causes Ice Damming?
When there is a lot of snow falling along with consistent sub-freezing temperatures, your roof will develop a thick layer of snow. Snow should not set on the roof for too long a period of time. In an ideal situation, the same temperature or colder outside air would help to melt the outside layer of the snow. However, this doesn’t usually happen. The warmer temperature within the home, heats up the attic and roof. This melts the bottom layer of the snow instead of the top layer. When the snow melts from the bottom up or under the snowpack, the water flows off to the edges and often refreezes, creating what is known as an ice dam. Over time the ice dam will build up and prevent the melting snow from running off the roof properly. These ice dams can cause a number of problems for the roof and also damage the gutters. Icicles can also form due to the ice damage which are very dangerous.
Will Heat Cables Prevent Ice Dams on Roof?
Heat trace cables, or also known as heat cables, heat tape, or heat wiring, are heated cables that help prevent ice dams from forming. Heat cables are designed to melt the channels where ice dams tend to form. Heat cables are often installed along the valleys of the roof, on low angles, along the eaves and edges of the roof. Often heat cables are also installed along chimneys and skylights. These heat cables ensure that all of the snow and ice melts and not just the under layer of the snow that causes ice dams. Heat cables do not prevent ice dams from developing, but instead it helps to get rid of them and or minimizes the amount of ice buildup. Snow is a tough element to combat and due to the natural warmth of a home’s interior, ice dams are a major problem. To ensure the snow melts in the proper channels of the roof and reduces ice dams, heat trace cables are the answer.
Roof Repair, Replacement & More in Truckee, Mystic, Tahoe City, Kings Beach & The North Lake Tahoe Basin of California
With proper installation of heat trace cables on your roof, you will have less snow and ice developing on your roof. You can prevent ice damage that causes roofs leaks and other types of roofing damages. With heat trace cables you will have less chances of icicles forming. If you want heat trace cables or other snow management systems to combat snow this winter, contact Nickerson Roofing today.
