Heated Gutter Cable Installation-Easy Heat Cables

Installed these on the roof last weekend and wanted to share my experience in case anyone was considering trying these out to prevent ice dams in the gutters of your house.

[@NorthernChev]

Your idea for running it on the flood light and installing a colored bulb so you will remember that it's on was fantastic. I have to remember that!

[@Grow1Percent]

The flood light is a BAD idea, not GFCI protected. Use the suggested device which has a temperature AND MOISTURE sensor which will automatically turn on and off the heat cables when needed - thus making is energy efficient as well as safe. Search for "Easy Heat RS-2 Automatic Roof De-Icing Cable Control" Built-in humidity sensor. Turns system on when there is water and when temperature stays under 4º C.: Another Product description Control expense and energy use in electric roof cable protection automatically with Roof Sentry (RS-2). The RS-2 requires two conditions to be present before it energizes roof deicing cable: cold temperatures (ON, 38-degree F, OFF, 48-degree F) and the presence of runoff water from the roof in contact with its sensor wire. If only one of the conditions exists, the control will not energize the cable.

[@iair-conditiontheoutsideai3076]

Way too much amps through that socket that is not safe at all I highly do not recommend that

[@roblakey9581]

"I followed most of the instructions..." and that sums up the mantra I've used on quite a few projects over the years. Occasionally I have attempted to test the boundaries of both my health coverage and life insurance at the same time.

[@theschoolpsych]

Rob Lakey Haha. Glad you’re still here! Chad

[@roblakey9581]

Good video also. Much appreciated! Just picked up the same model last week and was wondering about the results.

[@mtn.trouncerssocal784]

Thank you for sharing. I was hesitant about trying to install one myself but now I'm going to attempt it!

[@walectube]

2021 Chicago, got frost king menards. Just left them a top of snow by gutters. Helped a bit. Wish I had them installed earlier

[@ajpello2003]

ur install and review was how all DIY videos should be. thanks alot!

[@justjoe9008]

I've learned that Nothing attempted is in Vain. This is a great Video. I just did this in Winter with 1 + ft of snow and 3 " of ICE on Flat Roof. I removed the already formed ice with a Pressure washer using very warm water. Once ice was removed from gutter, I did a Zig Zag pattern every 18" cable attached to gutter and to 2 x 4 8 with plastic Ties. Set Weights on top of 2 x 4 x 8 to keep them set, with cable resting flat on ice. Ran the Cable inside the Gutter laying on the Gutter. Checked back next day! working great, fixed the cable once more to lay them Flat on the ice. Working Great! used 80' of cable. Well worth it. This Video is Great! Ty.

[@theschoolpsych]

Thank you for taking the time to comment Joe! You did a much better job of your installation that I did! I lived and learned which is why I posted the video so that others could learn from my mistakes. Chad

[@eddieo9424]

Thankyou everyone. Iam thinking of doing this . Never t ruth died it before .thanks as gain

[@aesarawolf]

Great idea using your outdoor lights and a green light to let you know they are on. Great video! Very helpful. Had $24,000 damage from ice dams the year before and I did all the repairs. Thank God for Allstate!

[@theschoolpsych]

That’s a lot of damage! Glad insurance covered it! Thank you for taking the time to comment! Chad

[@marlowe3800]

great video ,thanks for making a very informative and in such a way that even thiugh it is intimidating,it can be done.great job.

[@theschoolpsych]

Thank you! Appreciate the comment. Chad

[@100chuckjones]

very informative. before and after, it will help when I tackle this myself. from one homeowner to another, thank you.

[@stevev.3653]

Thanks for making & sharing your video. I'm just starting to design my installation and learned a lot from your success and even more from your mistakes. The eaves in front of my house are 6' so I have to go about 7-8' above the gutters to where the ice dams form on the roof. I found a formula online to help me calculate the amount of cable I'll need. Your video showed me the importance of running the cable in the bottom of the gutter and ALL THE WAY to the bottom of the downspouts. I'm confident that your ice problems will disappear if you fixed those 2 errors. Again, thanks for your time and advice!

[@theschoolpsych]

Steve, I have made sure they have gone all they way down the downspouts this go round. I am waiting for a good snow to see how much difference it makes. Thank you for the kind comments and let me know how yours works out. Chad

[@IMGreg..]

It's insulated wire, they won't short out. I use to run the wire draw and extruder that makes that stuff way back in 1980's. Drop the cable deeper into the down spout so the water doesn't freeze before it exits, if you have the cable go all the way down.

[@NorthernChev]

You sounded disappointed at the end when you checked how it was working after your next big snow. One thing of note: Most people who buy these think it's purpose is to eliminate ice on the eves and gutters. This is not it's purpose. The purpose of heat tape is to provide a PATH, or channel, for the water to flow off the roof and therefore preventing it from "backing up" behind an ice dam and seeping into the house under the shingles. It is NOT intended to completely eliminate the buildup of ice across the eve of your house and gutters. The eve will STILL have ice on it (there is nothing you can do about that; nor do you NEED to) but the water will NOT build up behind it because it has a "path" to follow from the top of your heat tape curve to the edge of your roof, as clearly shown in a zig-zag pattern in your "after" footage here. Although, yes, you still have ice build up all over the eve, the water (which is all you're trying to control) has an easy path off the roof and is NOT being built up behind a solid dam of ice all the way across the front of your eve. If there is any room for improvement it is, as you said, in the placement of the tape INSIDE your gutter. But again, do NOT be disappointed when ice builds up in the gutter. Ice in the gutter is NOT a problem if the water has a path to flow away, even if it is through, or over, an iced up gutter.

[@eagle18hls]

Tip, you'll gain more surface melting area per area of wire by placing at the bottom of the gutter(aluminum is very conductive w/heat.)if you boil the water inside the gutter, it should be warm enough when the downspout freezes and dams upward to melt a pathway. That said, this theory has holes in it at extreme temps. It's all science and physics. ;P . One more tip is to hang your christmas lights while your up there. Your welcome.

[@breadfan9]

Also. If they temp gets below 20 then they are not as effective due to low power output.

[@NorthernChev]

@@breadfan9 As long as the wire maintains a temperature above 38 degrees F (which it does) the snow will not form ice near the wire regardless of the ambient temperature.

[@TheDailyPracticeBlog]

@@NorthernChev when factoring in energy use in extreme northern climates, would you argue this is still a practical solution or does something better exist out there? What a headache! The bad news is I just spent $12,000 on 5.5 inches of closed spray foam to avoid this problem, but my roof structure is so complicated with hips, valleys, and dormers that the spray foam guys could not spray the rafter bays perfect, as they could on a new construction simple ranch roof assembly. In fact, I’m even getting an ice dam in the middle of a valley, and I’m a religious roof raker. I rake at least 8-10 feet beyond the eaves. Word to the wise, if you want a maintenance free home, buy a simple house with a simple roof structure, like a ranch!

[@breadfan9]

@@NorthernChev Um No. If the temps fall below 20 it does NOT work. Ice forms around it, then after the ice becomes too much it start to override the system and it cant keep up. Come over to my house and see

[@garmiellis]

Very helpful, thanks bro. I can now install the kit and pay attention to details that didn't work 100% in your installation.

[@theschoolpsych]

You are welcome, thank you for the kind comments! Chad

[@DavidFarmbrough]

The ice dams look just like my roof now, and I have those heated gutter cables. Thanks for the tips about how to connect them to the tiles.

[@carlmic7]

Great video. I have Ice dams now, and I am tired of going up on the roof to dump ice melter! I will take your advice, and I appreciate your experiment.

[@theschoolpsych]

Thanks for posting Neil. Good luck with your project. Chad

[@eshawn97]

Thanks for the very nice video, your work and commentary.

[@theschoolpsych]

Deek206 You are welcome and thank you for posting. Chad

[@Timetravel1111]

Thanks 🙏 it’s extra warm autumn in Minneapolis 70F rest of week 45 so even though it’s 18 mph winds were gonna do it. Because it’s best to put clips when it’s warm to less damage to shingles.

[@meawoodsman8321]

Thanks for making the video, it answers lots of questions.

[@theschoolpsych]

You are welcome. Thanks for posting. Chad

[@theschoolpsych]

You are correct and I have noticed that this year. I plan to redo it this summer and post a video update. Thanks for posting. Chad

[@Huntetown]

thanks for sharing, living in Eastern Canada we had issues with ice dams for the first time and are looking for options to avoid it. It freaks me out to have my husband going up on the roof with all the ice there. I already found the product on Amazon to show to him :)

[@theschoolpsych]

Good luck with your project. Thanks for posting. Chad

[@michelletague2789]

Thanks so much for such a great video!

[@deniskostyrin5658]

Hey dude. Thx for sharing your experience. You did a good job... You just had to mention that this cable prevent all over the problems with the Ice Dam if you installe it really correct!!! Anyway, perfect video for a beginner handyman (at list you know that it takes 2 hours). :)

[@1974rabj]

Thank you for making the video. It was very informative. Winter is just around the corner and was wondering what could be done to combat the ice damming on our house. Take care.

[@theschoolpsych]

You are welcome. I hope you have no Ice-dams this year. Good luck. Chad

[@stevefick3919]

We have an issue over our front door with ice damming. The roof has 2 large "peeks" on either side of the front door area forming a valley right at the front door. Of course the snow blows right down the valley and collects over the door. When the sun comes out, the snow melts and runs over the eaves and you get large icicles and a large ice damn over the door. Well you can imagine what happens when the ice is melting in FRONT of the door. Ya, you guessed it! Me, my wife and my son have almost killed ourselves. I'm worried about the mailman or the paperboy wiping out and getting hurt. Great video! I know I can get 3 different lengths of cable kits from Canadian Tire. I'll just have to figure our which one is best. This is the only spot that we have trouble with, and of course it has to be right over the door! Bad design, Mr. Architect!

[@Polamish]

Great video. Love the follow-up

[@theschoolpsych]

Thanks! Appreciate the comment! Chad

[@scottaef]

You should run the cable all the way thru the downspout otherwise you will have re-freezing where the heater cable ends.

[@Ravetildawn420]

+Scott Horne true story

[@brandsteven]

Hi Chad, Great video. I am in the process of putting the same cables on my roof. I have a low pitch roof and don't have shingles so it is tricky. I will make a video of it when it is installed.

[@HRMcKee]

excellent tutorial of how to do it thanks

[@sluggomagoo]

Enjoyed your experiment. I've thought about doing wires. I don't know where you live but, I live in New England and I'm elbow deep in snow. They say the only way to prevent ice dam is to keep the heat from your house escaping through the eaves of your roof and keep the floor of your attic well isolated. LOL. That's a tall order giving the laws of physics. A good roof rake works wonders if your worried about water getting into your house. I've got two and I use them once a week. The wires don't cost that much and lining the gutters with them a couple of times sounds like a good idea. Also I was told to do the entire down spouts. I don't like the zigzagging on the roof because that melting effect by itself could only add to the problem. Both together seem okay but I'm thinking lining the gutters should be well enough to reduce the ice dam.

[@theschoolpsych]

I agree. The zigzagging did not work and I have taken the wires all the way down the gutters now and they are working much better. Chad

[@honestlynate7922]

I recently purchased these they're going to be going up tomorrow on Christmas Eve lol before we get any more bad weather. I also purchased the avalanche snow removal system. It was really easy to use for now. I could see when I get retirement age that that would be a problem so it's just time for better insulation when I can afford it

[@theschoolpsych]

Yes, we have re-insulated our roof and it has helped tremendously. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Chad

[@dogleghobag]

We have these installed on a sloped roof along the bottom 4 feet so now the ice just dams higher up and leaks down a different wall :)

[@theschoolpsych]

Bummer. They are not perfect by any means. Chad

[@youmbgtube]

Thanks for the video and all the comments. I just put my cable on this week. I planned everything well but I don't like that the cable in the gutter is higher than I would like. I made the gutter loop as close to scale as their video and instructions. Possibly I can bend the loops over the gutter down? Or use a metal hook to lower the top cable an inch?

[@theschoolpsych]

Sweet. I'm in the process of redoing mine this year and will be updating my video too. Can't wait to see yours. Let me know when it's up. Chad

[@lexdrama]

The reason why they were not completely working was because you did not put cable through your downspout. The reason why your gutters were full of ice was because your downspout froze and water wad no where to go. by putting it through there it will keep your gutters flowing. A Plus Exterior LLC

[@theschoolpsych]

You are correct. I have since done that. Chad

[@pathughes1950]

The tape MUST go to the very bottom of the downspout to prevent the downspout from turning into a solid tube of ice. That weight of ice in the downspout can easily rip it off the house.

[@nickpinnetti4107]

I would also make sure your attic is insulated properly and the roof is vented especially at the soffits. ideally your roof shouldn't be melting that much snow. look at other houses in your area that don't have ice damming issues and see how much snow their roofs retain. should give you a good idea as to it being an insulation/venting issue.

[@patrighton5734]

great video,i'm in the same boat with the ice dam,going to try the heated cable try to get through this winter next winter attic work!thanks again!

[@theschoolpsych]

Good luck. Hope your project goes well. Chad

[@patrighton5734]

hey how much cable did you end up using?

[@theschoolpsych]

pat righton Oh crap I forget how many feet i used. I think it was 150 or 200 ft. I used 2 cables. I haven't updated my video yet but I re-did the cables last year and just laid them in the gutters and took them all the way down all my downspouts and that actually worked better. I just had to make sure they were separated with the hardware and didn't touch. The snow did pile up a little more, but there was always a clear channel for the water to drain when it melted and it worked better than tacking them to the shingles I think. You may want to try that first. It was easier. Just make sure you go all the way down each downspout and make sure the cables lay flat in the gutter. That took me some time since I had to weave the cables under all the hangers but it worked well. Chad

[@patrighton5734]

theschoolpsych Ive watched a lot of videos and learned some things like i have 22 feet of gutter so i bought a 30 foot cable just for that and learned in my case to bring the cable up higher on the roof to the cooler part of the attic and since I'm just using this for one winter i wont be shutting the cables off much at all,id rather pay the higher power bill then replace sections of roof wood,as far as the downspouts go I'm going to take them off for the winter as long as the water is headed for the ground.I have one roof that's one story like your house is and i use a roof rake when it snows and to get rid of the ice i used heavy rock salt and it kept the ice away great believe it or not, i had to do this because i had a water leak in my kitchen so hoping the cables do the trick!

[@theschoolpsych]

pat righton Pat, thanks for the update. I never thought about taking the downspouts down. Good idea. I should have done that.

[@AAAA-mk6lj]

Thanks alot man for sharing...good Job

[@theschoolpsych]

AA AA You are welcome! I hope it helped! Stay warm this winter! Thank you for taking the time to comment. Chad

[@Frehleyacedude]

Great video. Thank you!

[@theschoolpsych]

You are welcome. Thanks for posting. Chad.

[@50Something]

Much appreciated, thank you!

[@theschoolpsych]

You are welcome. Hope it helps. Chad

[@carlschumm3618]

Great Video Chad. I just ordered some cables from Amazon + TAX and am hoping this will solve my problem as well.

[@theschoolpsych]

Great. Let me know if they work for you. Mine are working so so. They are definitely better than nothing. Chad

[@LukeLGK]

Great video!

[@theschoolpsych]

Thank you for posting! Chad

[@joenissan]

What you have to remember is these cables are not meant to completely melt the snow. They're only meant to melt a path for the melting to drain off the roof so it won't back up under the shingles and into your house. The closer together you run the cabling, the more it'll melt. If you want to be sure the gutters and leaders stay clear also, you'll need to make at least two runs...down and back, to be sure the ice melts and water runs freely. Same goes for the leaders and downspouts.

[@theschoolpsych]

I agree. I have learned this the last couple of years. Thanks for posting. Chad

[@Propointmedia]

Great video!...Thanks.....I have a rubber membrane on my front porch roof and there isn't much pitch to it either. How would I attach the cable since there are no shingles or is there a different option for this type of roof?

[@gregmarquis1886]

Thanks for making the video. I have the same problem as you. I just bought the same product, but i have about 10 inches of ice at the edge and iceles. I dont know how to install it if the roof has ice on it.

[@richardvoller511]

It took two 200-ft cables to cover one side of our 3-bedroom ranch. With the overhang being almost 48 inches, it took a lot of cable to cover the affected area. No big snow yet to see how effective the heat cable is, but it has to be better than what it was without it. Our shingles were pretty well stuck together and it was difficult to get the clips to connect to the shingles.

[@theschoolpsych]

Awesome. I hope it helps. Thanks for posting. Bring on the snow! Chad

[@THETOPGLOCK]

Very informative Great job!

[@katiesutton]

Hey Chad, Thanks for this super helpful video. My electrician won't deign to such a lowly task as cable installation so I think it's gonna be me and the hubby and you have removed the intimidation factor for me so thanks! Anyway, we just had the winter from Hades here in New England. We had massive ice dam damage in our house adn I am literallly JUST finished fixing everything in our house and now I'm onto preventive measures. I am having more insulation blown into my attic and other parts of the house but I also think I want to install gutter cables. I am not sure where you are and whether you had the bad winter but I'm wonder how the gutter cables worked out for you in winter 2014-15?? Also, have you had any issues with putting the cable in the valley? We have all sorts of fun elevations on our roof and we had dams created by the valleys too - someone on here commented about roof damage from cables in the valleys.

[@brianm6141]

Lay them flat in the gutter and run them down the downspout.

[@WG02451]

I feel your pain. Got a new roof installed last year along with new gutters in the fall and figured I'd be all set for winter. Wrong. Ice Dam City. I definitely have to consider these cables to help. I have leaf guards on my gutters though so I'm not sure how well that will work out. Thanks for your video!

[@theschoolpsych]

I haven't updated my video but I re-did them all and Just laid the cables in the gutters only, and that has worked for me. The snow piles up, but the cables always provide a channel for the water to make it to my downspouts now. Make sure you use the hardware to keep the cables from touching each other andI also put the cables down the downspouts too which is very important. Chad

[@WG02451]

theschoolpsych Thanks for the heads up!

[@mttrips4429]

Paint your gutters and down spouts black. Ice melts by itself. I know someone who did this. It works.

[@theschoolpsych]

That is a really good tip! Thank you for taking the time to comment! Chad

[@raymondsimpson3759]

greatjob

[@oldguysrock2170]

The light is a great idea. The heat cable does not need to be on all the time. When ice builds up, turn it on until you see the roof. Then it can be turned off. The ice dam will always come and go, melting water channels is the idea.

[@theschoolpsych]

Thank you for commenting. Others have said I’m crazy for doing that light thing! Chad

[@oldguysrock2170]

@@theschoolpsych : I live in a wooded rural area with a lot of power outages. My detached garage has an exterior light with no on off switch. It runs a 40 watt LED 24-7. If I have an outage, I run my generator. If I see the light on, I know the power is back on as the garage runs on a different breaker box and meter. Just one of those little things that makes my life easier.

[@nfl305]

good video thanks for posting

[@theschoolpsych]

N.R. F. You are welcome. I hope it helps. Chad

[@johnallhandselectric5431]

Remember this installation requires GFCI for your power supply!

[@Yevpet]

no it dosnt

[@HRMcKee]

i just finished your video and i think i learned its a waste of time zig zaging - on my fouryeight foot long house, i think that i will just run the cable back and fourth then finish by going down the downspout ? what u think?

[@detroitpyro2859]

Thanks man saved my ass this video did!

[@theschoolpsych]

You are welcome! Glad the ass was saved! Thanks for taking the time to comment! Chad

[@markmileshik2139]

good video, unfortunately I didn't look at it before I installed mine. I made my end loops shorter so that gutter cable (installed below brackets) hangs in the middle of the gutter. I have same problem with ice build up at the gutter inside corner (bottom of the valley). I am thinking of paralleling gutter cable for 5-10 feet on each side of the corner. (spaced back and forth loop for 3 strands) How did you solve it?

[@exaymssik]

thanks for this

[@jamesm568]

I need those shingle clips to secure coaxial cable for TV antennas.

[@skthit21]

Great video. I wonder if it will be a problem in using it with gutter guards. I guess it would since they are usually made out of plastic material so it might cause it to melt or even cause a fire. I will have call them and ask about it to be 100% sure. Again, great video.

[@Sharp_Mann]

I would think that the plastic gutter guards would have to be removed. I don't see how you could get all the V loops down in the gutters without removing the guards. As for melting, I think you could find out from the manufacturer the MAX temperature that the cables can reach. My initial guess is that they won't be hot enough to melt plastic under very cold weather conditions, but that's only a wild guess. I would also think different cable (or different brands) might have different power ratings. What is critical, though, is to make sure you are not over-loading your circuit so you don't end up with constant breaker tripping, or blown fuses.

[@ciripeti]

You should have lead the cable in the bottom of the channel, instead of 1 single cable, should have lead 2 cables 20W/m. Next time I suggest you to use DEVI heating cables, we have the support to install them.

[@theschoolpsych]

ciripeti Great tip! Thank you for taking the time to comment. Chad

[@jakesheebs]

Thanks, i'll be trying this in a couple weeks, i see you are saying to lay it down in the gutter, do you have a pick of what it ended up looking like? Did you leave up during summer ? Is this a winter only install.

[@justkeepinitrealyo]

Just bought 830 ft on Amazon...installing in the next few days. Will update.

[@theschoolpsych]

Good luck. I hope it goes well. Chad

[@marcoperez6952]

Get the sensor that works with this kit. It turns it on at 32°.

[@skipwilliam5639]

you can buy a plug end that has a thermostat in it that it will only turn on when the temp is at a certain temperature so it turns on and off that way .. And lay the wire on the troff not hangng off the hook...And run it all the way down the drain

[@theschoolpsych]

Skip William Those are excellent tips! Thank you for taking the time to comment! I learned from my mistakes on this first try. Chad

[@skipwilliam5639]

@@theschoolpsych its all good i love to watch a few videos and hey ya live n learn right . I just put mine up tonight and I hated those clips I think half will fall off

[@theschoolpsych]

Skip William Yeah those clips were super cheap and flimsy! I do remember that! Hope yours is more successful! Chad

[@radsan3006]

Very informative Chad! I'm in the process of figuring out how much cable I need, and then I have to find out if my outlet outside which is on a 15amp circuit is going to handle all that electricity. Would you know off hand what the required amperage is for the length you had put up?

[@theschoolpsych]

Unfortunately I do not. Not being an electrician I probably should not answer that. I will say that I was told by multiple commenters below that where I plugged it into the light was not appropriate. However I never had an issue with it being plugged in there.

[@hairyyeti21]

need to go underneath brackets... there will be a tunnel in the eaves for the water to go...

[@kfl611]

And maybe some heated cable along your drain pipe so the melted water can run down the drain spout - and not just melt off and hit the ice in the rain / drain spout.

[@kkoup35]

Great video - thanks! Dumb question - is this something you would remove in the Spring and then install again come winter? How easy is this to remove without damaging your shingles? I sometimes see this on houses in my area but aren't sure if it's meant to stay on all year (like folks who keep their xmas lights up). Thanks again!

[@theschoolpsych]

I think they are meant to be up all year. I leave mine up. They are not that hard to remove though and do minimal damage to the shingles. But I'd leave them up. Chad

[@Grow1Percent]

The Heat Tape or wire is a good idea, however, the "reminder" flood light is a BAD idea, unsafe, not GFCI protected. Use the suggested device which has a temperature AND MOISTURE sensor which will automatically turn on and off the heat cables when needed - thus making is energy efficient as well as safe. Search for "Easy Heat RS-2 Automatic Roof De-Icing Cable Control" Built-in humidity sensor. Turns system on when there is water and when temperature stays under 4º C.: Another Product description Control expense and energy use in electric roof cable protection automatically with Roof Sentry (RS-2). The RS-2 requires two conditions to be present before it energizes roof deicing cable: cold temperatures (ON, 38-degree F, OFF, 48-degree F) and the presence of runoff water from the roof in contact with its sensor wire. If only one of the conditions exists, the control will not energize the cable.

[@donnastarkey7619]

thank you. I know what you mean about most installation manuals being useless. wish I had your s:)

[@GreatGooglieWooglie]

very helpful thanks - random question: do your french doors open out to the deck or do they open into the house? we're about to put french doors and do a wrap-around porch almost exactly like yours!

[@theschoolpsych]

They open in and I wish they opened out. Chad

[@theschoolpsych]

First of all I love your screen name Max! Did you get it off your hair dryer like Homer? The cables can touch the gutter, they cables just can't touch each other. I'm in the process of redoing mine and will update with a newer video. The zigzag pattern did not work as well as advertised. Will probably put most of it in the gutter and right on the edge parallel. Chad

[@bccron]

Did the zig zag go up the roof to the interior wall of the heated spaces so it does not freeze above the tape?

[@babyh2121]

Great vid! We had ice dams this past winter, so looking to tackle this job when it gets warmer out (Chicago, IL). Question! When you ran the cable through the gutter, does it necessarily need to be “suspended?” In other words, can the wire just rest inside and at the bottom of the gutter? The intent is just to make a path for snow melt to flow. I’m not sure why the cable needs to hang. Could you shed some light on that?

[@theschoolpsych]

I’m not sure why it said it had to be suspended? But that’s what the directions stated. When I redid them a year later I laid it down in the bottom of the gutter and it did just fine. One tip that I messed up on is to make sure that you go all the way down the downspouts with the cable. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Chad

[@bccron]

How did you put the zig zag W's on the level roof areas from the ladder or need to get on the roof to reach up there?

[@mrfenderguy1]

Nice

[@tenthdimension9836]

Why does everyone wait until it's cold and the shingles are real brittle before they do this. Do this in a nice fall day when the sun is warm and the shingles are pliable.

[@bigalsguttersandlandscapes909]

One of the reasons you still had the icicles in the back and I'm a downspout is because you didn't want the heat cables all the way down the drain pipe

[@Gr33nRunnin]

Be careful when running heat cable in valleys. I do roof repair on the side and 9/10 times the issue is people have heated cable in the valleys of their roof and it cause leaking.

[@victorfonseca306]

Great instructions,thanks for posting. I was thinking of removing the gutter this winter and running just the heated cables on the roof. Do you think removing the gutter is a good approach?

[@theschoolpsych]

That might work but seems time consuming. Chad.

[@NorthernChev]

+victor fonseca The purpose of gutters is to reduce hydro-logic pressure and seeping of water into the basement or foundation of your house. This function is no less important in the winter as it is in the summer. I would not recommend the removal of your gutters. The eve or "overhang" you have between the exterior wall and the edge of your roof is the largest contributing factor to an ice dam. Not your gutters. Ice forms in the gutters due to the temperature differentiation between the roof over your living space and the overhang.

[@victorfonseca508]

+NorthernChev Thank you for your reply. Just that every winter I have had leak inside the house, everyone always tells me remove the gutter... This would only be for the two to three months during the winter. What if you don't have a GFI outlet outside close to the area the cables are to plug into? Actually my outside outlet is pretty far from the roof and would need an extension.

[@bigalsguttersandlandscapes909]

The reason they didn't work all of the wait is because you're supposed to run a wire all the way down to the bottom of the downspout otherwise the water has nowhere to go and it will freeze up and sit in the gutters again

[@80goal]

I have similar problem in one side. I don't understand why the zigzag.. I would install it stright inside the gutter in the side I'm concerned. I think I'll do it today...

[@aaronmiller112]

I used to have ice buildup so I took all of the insulation out of my attic so the heat from the house keeps the roof and gutters thawed out all the time. It is awesome except my furnace runs all the time now and my gas bill is $450 instead of $200 in the winter months.

[@andrew86-82]

So the extra cost of 1 month of gas you could have something like this installed. Not very smart or efficient to remove your insulation imo.

[@dubyajayyo]

Andrew Arbeau I don’t think he was being serious.

[@VladTheImpalerTepesIII]

@@dubyajayyoI hope he was not serious because in heavy snow his method is exactly what causes ice damming.

[@richardvoller511]

Thanks for your video. I'm getting ready to install my Easy-Heat cable. We have a ranch style home and have had some real ice dam problems in the past and I 'm hoping to learn from your experience the best way to install the cable. I have leaf guards on my gutters and I'm not sure what I will do with those. I may have to take them off. Thanks again.

[@theschoolpsych]

Thanks for posting Richard. Let me know how it goes. I hope they help. Chad

[@loripowlishen6236]

Richard Stamm How did the Easy-Heat install work with your gutter guards? I'm thinking about installing both and don't know which to do first. Thanks.

[@dreamingcode]

+theschoolpsych good you address the most important queston? did u see a spike in your electric bill??

[@theschoolpsych]

+dreamingcode Yes a small spike. Especially with a hard winter. Chad

[@dreamingcode]

theschoolpsych Thanks!

[@ArashikageNinjaClan]

You made it look very easy to do-it-yourself . Do you take the cables off the house during the spring, summer and fall?

[@theschoolpsych]

+ArashikageNinjaClan I leave them in. Chad

[@dd-ge4ix]

Good video but the when u said sorry for furnace noise that is your central air and it should not run in winter ur thermostat is wired wrong just had the same problem

[@theschoolpsych]

d d It’s a heat pump too. We have electric heat. Chad

[@MrCinimod93]

thats a lot of watts to be drawing trough that cheep light adapter might want to consider having a switched outlet installed up there

[@theschoolpsych]

You and others have pointed that out. I have fixed that. Thank you for posting. Chad.

[@timinwisco4921]

Chad... Thanks for posting. So that I understand.... After the video, you changed the concept and took out the zig-zags and just went straight through the eaves, gutters and that's it?? and you feel it works better?

[@theschoolpsych]

Yes that is correct. It took me a while to run the cable underneath all the gutter hangers though. Now the cables just lay flat in the gutters. I also made sure the cables went all the way down my downspouts. That was a key component. The water now has a complete channel to drain when the snow melts. It looks like there is a lot of snow in the cutters sometimes but they are always draining well. No back-ups. Make sure you put loops all they way down your gutters. Chad

[@SoilentGr33n]

@@theschoolpsych Thanks for the update, bought a house last year and the previous owner's installation made the dams even worse.

[@ike545454]

Good job on this. I have read you want 220 volt? Any thoughts?

[@luptonpittman6520]

No

[@Randy_84]

Wonder if it kept tripping your breaker. That's a lot of length for a small outlet

[@theschoolpsych]

Randy S. Interestingly it has never tripped my breaker. Thank you for commenting. Chad

[@bigalsguttersandlandscapes909]

The real purpose of those is just to get the water out off of your roof and give it a place to escape so it does not leak in your house you will always have the ice and also it would have helped if you would have ran that cable all the way down the downspout

[@theschoolpsych]

You are correct. I have since corrected my down spout error! Thanks for taking the time to comment! Chad

[@imdeplorable2241]

I was told to run the cable in the downspout to below the frost line. Also I would have made the loops LONGER and run the cable closer to the bottom of the gutter. PS --- The eave is under the overhang of your roof. That thing you called an eave is actually called a valley. Kudos for getting up there and actually doing the job, though.

[@theschoolpsych]

Mike T Yes, I did both those suggestions and working much better.

[@Larry7652]

Cool video. Thx. I live in northern Wisconsin and bought a cottage with a valley in the roof, and I found an old empty box of deicing cable. I have a question for you. It sounded like you called and air-conditioning unit a furnace. Was I mistaken? Is that what I would call reversed air? I had a few of those units on my yacht but I've never seen it for a house.

[@theschoolpsych]

Yes it's a heat pump. Does heating and cooling.

[@Larry7652]

So your heating bill is all electric !!! Efficient ? Where do you live? This rather entrigues me because you don't see this here in Wisconsin. You burn LP, Natural gas, or wood. Electric heat is too expensive.

[@theschoolpsych]

+Larry7652 we live in Ohio and yes all electric. Our electric bill is quite high in January and February but averages about the same as we paid for heating oil in the end. Nice not to have a flame in the house. The heat pump shuts off at below ten degrees and switches to emergency heat with a coil in the house. The heat pump is just not effective at those temperatures and below.

[@TalklikeAPirate]

I have seen the heating units and cable on many houses here in NEPA but never on a "yacht". How long is your yacht and where would I locate them on a 26ft. sailboat?

[@Larry7652]

+TalklikeAPirate the conversation is in regards to reverse air heat. Not the cables.

[@danatara69]

do you have to remove all the wiring in the summertime or can you just levee it on the roof all year long

[@theschoolpsych]

Brian Price I leave it. Chad

[@maryoconnor1979]

I am at my wits end on trying to thaw out my gutter. I actually wrapped a heating pad but to no avail. My problem is that I have a flat roof on a stucco house. The roof drains right into the gutter and I have a huge ice dam this morning with 12-15" icicles handing down.

[@Path2Insanity]

use salt, make sure the water has a place to go. any sitting water will freeze

[@ajp0007]

Mari. You could put a heat cable right in the gutter and then down rhe downspout, Leave enough wire at the plug end so you can plug it into an outlet when it snows. This will provide a channel for the ice to travel as it melts. I leave it plugged in when it starts to snow until my roof is clear and that could be a day or 2 or 3 after the snow stops and with alittle help from the sun

[@strollar]

Turning your ac off in the winter may help you keep your electric bill a little lower 😎

[@theschoolpsych]

strollar Haha. It’s an electric heat pump AC combo. It does both. All electric at our house. No open flames.

[@joedenizen]

You really should have run the heat strip all the way down the down spout so that there is a way for the water to run all the way down to the ground. Mine and others that I know in my area will freeze solid in the down spout causing the gutter fills and the melt runs over causing icicles to form the length of the gutter.

[@lindawinfield130]

If I have screens as in Leaf Guard, can I put cables up or is it not possible to do this when one has gutter coverings.

[@theschoolpsych]

Linda Winfield I would think that would not work. Some of it needs to be in the gutter. Chad

[@shagmens]

Hi, i hv the leaf guard too. Did you use this product at all? If so what did you do?

[@benkuxhouse787]

you might want to try to put some kind of plywood protector over your AC unit I've seen snow collapse and destroy an AC unit

[@theschoolpsych]

Good point! Thank you. Chad

[@gsb0b]

anyone else curious as to why the a/c is on ?🤔

[@theschoolpsych]

gsb0b It’s an electric heat pump but excellent observation! Chad