How to Install Ice-Melting Roof Cables | Ask This Old House

[@ericwimmer3230]

One problem with those cables you got at the hardware store is they can't produce enough heat when temperatures drop below 20 degrees out. You will need self regulating cable for the colder temps. Don't forget to not let that cable touch itself. If it does it will over heat the core at the contact point and burn out.

[@boots7859]

Just FYI, for your downspouts you are supposed to use spacers every 6" to prevent the cable from touching and overheating.

[@AlexB-ts8oo]

Cracking up when he installed the clips, you know he don't install them so softly and delicately when the camera ain't on.

[@AA-wc3tw]

They're doing it slowly and deliberately for those people who cannot understand how to do it. Some people cannot do the simplest of things unless spoonfed.

[@AndrewRappL]

I looked into heat cables but the problem I found was they don't last very long. My neighbor's cables had failed after about 3 years and the warranty on most seem to be about a year. I would buy if I could find one with a 5 year warranty. These are just a bandaid; the proper solution is to insulate the roof, but I found that can be very expensive for vaulted ceilings. A contractor wanted 15K to foam insulate my vaulted roof with closed-cell foam (includes demo, foam, drywall, painting).

[@wasatchheatcable8757]

you should consider Self Regulating heat cable. 10 year warranty. You will need to have someone experienced install them though. We also sell self regulating heat cable plug and play kits ready to go if you need one.

[@vince6829]

Nice job. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@robkemp7291]

Japan has walkway..roof..floor insulation done. Time to bring in those tech.

[@luisbernal5510]

As a gutter guy and roofer these are the worst to both install and remove. Also if u don’t have any gutter guards these this will just trap so much trash into the gutter and downspouts. After a while they will also split and just stop working.😅

[@Maxid1]

This answered almost all of my questions. But he was slippery about how much it cost to run it. Probably less expensive than roof repair but no mention of the actual power usage when it's on. He did give the cable length but didn't mention the wire gauge. Wouldn't take too much to find the item and calculate the draw.

[@Maxid1]

Doug Reed Thank you. I missed that.

[@briancnc]

+Maxid1 One of the systems I saw on amazon says 5 watts per foot, which is right on par with his 300 watts for a 60' roll of cable. I don't think he mentioned cost because your kWh cost will vary greatly by region. In my state electricity runs at an average of about $0.17 - $0.18 cents per kWh. So for this application of 60' in theory it would cost around $7-8 a day to run for a 24 hour cycle. But considering this system has IO and it will only run if the sensor cable gets wet I am sure it's much less, only during peak snow storms. And from my own experience with repairs and getting up on the roof to get rid of snow and ice, I sure would rather pay the electric company $7 rather than getting up on a ladder in the frigid cold to barely solve the problem!

[@Vizkos]

Old comment, but figured I'd chime in. He said 60 ft long and consumes about 300 watts when its on. I'll bump that up to 350W for estimate's sake. Assuming you live in an area where its damn cold roughly 1/3 of the year and snows frequently, you can estimate that this would be running ~10 hours a day averaged across the year. That translates to around 101 kw/h a month. The most expensive state that I can see is MA, which has rates of $.21 per kwh in 2018, that means it would cost around $240/yr to operate with the numbers I've given according to this site: michaelbluejay.com/electricity/cost.html. Multiply by how many you need for your house, looks like he covered maybe ~8 ft, plus the gutter, so maybe ~14-16 feet without gutter, it can add up fast.

[@johnemanon5286]

If the sensor and sensor cable are extra which brands are the most reliable?

[@surfdogdude]

Has anyone used this on solar panels?

[@ginihop6075]

Do the cables come with the sensor or is that something separate.

[@malibumaali]

seperate for most depends which kit you buy

[@mykhalable]

Won't snow just make those clips holding the wire to the roof fall off?

[@dersurfer01]

mykhalable o

[@NordeastMarie]

No. But trying to rake snow over the cables may loosen or pull them out. Had this for years on an eastern facing roof. Easy to re-attach in the Spring.

[@Snaffer01]

It can't. Snow will not pull on the wires because the wires melt the snow as it comes close to it (or in contact with). The snow turns to water and just water alone can't pull the clips free.That's my view on it anyways ;)

[@radicalgreek99]

It doesn't effect the wires or clips

[@philliptaylor5981]

Um....properly insulating the attic....priceless

[@scottlandis5953]

Stop water backup under shingles

[@bobf3598]

Only issue with those cables, is over the hot summer months the intense UV of the sun and heat from the shingles is gonna degrade the cables and over time, be a fire risk.

[@luptonpittman6520]

Bad install. Bottom of triangles are supposed to form drip loops which extend into gutter. And the sensor wire goes in the gutter, not along the roof edge. How was this video approved for viewing????

[@heroknaderi]

Incredible

[@Megolfah1]

I have talked to the Sentry people about the controller and they never indicated to me to install the sensor line like you did, is that actually the way it will work????

[@luptonpittman6520]

Nope. He did it wrong.

[@iAmSpyNz]

my heating bill came in, was a rough one hahaha any other recommendation long term?

[@jackbnmbl7]

Insulation and ventilation are your friends.

[@maverickb9465]

How can I check if the sensors are working?

[@chenhufeng]

where can I buy that sensor?

[@HeadingForTomorrow]

On flat roofs, is it better to have the snow it serves as insulation?

[@matthewhoward8116]

HeadingForTomorrow it can make your roof collapse…

[@Timetraveler1111MN]

Umm 🤔 no your have not have ice 🧊 dams that causing interior damage. I imagine you wouldn’t have also were not talking about snow it’s ice dams. So your wrong to this point.

[@yermanfa]

Can you apply these to a metal roof?

[@Techmatt167Official]

If you can find a way to attach those clips, sure!

[@hangc10]

what about the snow above where the wires are wired?

[@malibumaali]

its not to melt all the snow its to prevent ice dams at the base

[@woodstream6137]

Shingles allow the water to "shed" off the roof. The eaves on a roof are cooler than the rest of the roof. An ice dam at the edge blocks the water from draining and it goes back up and under the shingles.

[@irafair3015]

I hate to sound negative but it seems like just more to go wrong. How durable is this system? How well does it hold up to wind damage, hail storms, or tree branches accidentally falling in them, etc.? Just like in modern cars you just have more to break and more to pay for when it does.

[@jackbnmbl7]

Durable enough. The issues you listed are all non factors. If they damage this cable then your roof has been damaged and needs replacing anyway.

[@sleeman72]

It’s a compromise. Much better this than an ice dam and infiltration

[@hdrider05]

Whats the product?

[@amyleemarshall3279]

How can you attach clips on an old roof that clips keep detaching and cable drops.

[@BWeezy-sw1wy]

Try tar

[@RickDrew]

Running inside the downspout will cause the cables to fail within a year or so. They are constantly damp and literally rot away.

[@sleeman72]

A downspout in not constantly full of water

[@matthewchin6454]

Especially a heated one

[@jackbnmbl7]

Why do all of these videos show home with gutters? Many old houses have no gutters so changes installation?

[@theamerican4609]

Do electricians actually respond to calls for this service?

[@luptonpittman6520]

Hopefully not this one. He did it wrong.

[@boots7859]

I just did my 44' run with a 240' Prime Kit for $100. Includes 3 valleys and 2 downspouts which run to a remote lift station. Ran them about 10-11' down and up, so about 22' per downspout. Pretty easy for any average person, just read the instructions on your kit, and not necessarily follow this vid's install methods. Also, get your triangle rise and run, and just use a tape measure to locate all the clip locations with blue tape or a chalk. And remember drip loops are required.

[@VideosbySteve]

damns ice.

[@danschenck9442]

where do you buy the clips and heated cable?

[@arisacharya4895]

Any home center or online

[@AA-wc3tw]

Google is your friend.

[@Totalrandomness2011]

Can you install this under the shingles instead of on top?

[@susanfrombflo8368]

No. They're designed to melt the ice, not heat the shingle.

[@luptonpittman6520]

Lol

[@PDFx1a]

Interesting to see the "pro" do it wrong. There should be a loop at the bottom of the clip, otherwise expansion and contraction of the cable will gradually pull the cable out of the loop in the clip. Also, you're suppose to use the wire part of the hardware at the top, to create the loop, not just at the bottom to hang the gutter cable. The loop also helps to get the horizontal cable further down into the gutter. This guy shows the instructions about 3/4 of the way through the video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2Owq6lsgquSrJI

[@fd3871]

i'm fairly certain the cable won't expand and contract that much. in any case, you can see at 2:04 both the sensor and the heating wire are secured by bending the metal on the clip over the wire.

[@loveiseverything7]

Direct burial wire in conduit?🤔

[@mainlawcafewv7681]

Better to build a roof that cannot ice dam.

[@stephensnell1379]

That would prove very costly indeed

[@ronjones4107]

That's great if you're building a new house. If you're using heat cables you have an old house! 🤔

[@AA-wc3tw]

Not everyone can afford re-design and re-construction of a roof on their existing home. SMH. Must be nice to be rich.

[@jasonmay2889]

wat hapins when you get a new roof

[@NordeastMarie]

My roofers left the cables in the gutters that they removed and reattach. We bought a new package of clips off of Amazon then re-attached.

[@dougsmith3987]

My teacher told the class that the outlet Shouldn't be gfci since its out of reach form anyone but why the breaker?

[@dougsmith3987]

is it really needed? its out of reach form any human

[@dougsmith3987]

and im almost sure the code dosent care about peta

[@dougsmith3987]

Is it mandatory by code ?

[@Honeybearsphone]

Yes anytime power is in a wet or damp location or where it may come into contact with water a GFCI is required by code

[@Tablesaw818]

Those who can't do teach. Just remember that. Your teacher is a bonehead

[@Mihogan]

300 watts? Jesus that's like 25 bucks a month

[@pasdepseudo446]

you can switch it to off when not need ...

[@luptonpittman6520]

That’s less than a dollar a day to prevent water damage to your home 🤔

[@Wyn61]

$25??? WHO CARES! Fixing Roof damage, new drywalling, re-painting, possible mold issues.....you can't afford NOT to do it!

[@evelynperez7576]

I don know. I don ticnk ist nesesario. I will put thta in my home. No. Its fire risk

[@gpslightlock1422]

I'm surprised the snowflakes don't melt when you do that.

[@joeferaco9896]

Gutters are the culprit when it comes to ice dams ,no gutters no ice dams

[@SibleySteve]

Wrong. I tried that. Snow turns into ice quickly in Michigan even when the roof is raked, it slowly builds up while I am at work, and the ice dam is not easy to break even with roof safe chemicals. I had an ice dam that was heavy enough to destroy my gutter on a warm day when the ice dam fell, so I thought, cool, no more ice dams. Boy was I wrong. I've tried everything, roof rake, chemicals, gutterless, now I'm going for the wires. Insulation as a solution is easier said than done.