roof ice dams

[pudgybear]

Has anyone had any experience with putting the heating tapes on their roof, this winter was the worst here in MICHIGAN ( that i can remember ),,,,, how are they attached to the roof and how do i connect power to them, is there a web site i can go to that can help me? Are they 110 or 220 volts? which would be better?

 

[CheckeredFlag]

I live in Mid Michigan

honestly our Condo Assn put them on years ago, and ripped them off when we put new roofs on just recently

They really didn't do the job

 

[Professur]

They're a stopgap measure to not having done the roof insulation right. Save your money and address the real problem ... warm roof and cold eves. It's almost always because your insulation is touching at the eves. They make styrofoam trays to push it away and let the roof equalize.

 

[Chad G]

i agree with the previous post. it seems the largest ice damns this year are found on houses that have poor/improper insulation. the ice buildup is likely form heat escaping.

 

[fteufert]

To help remove an ice dam, take a pair of nylon stockings, fill it with rock salt (diameter of a pringles can, or larger), and lay it on the roof.
The salt will melt the snow, and create a channel for water to drain down.

 

[gatchel]

Also seal and air leaks from the conditioned space to the attic. This can also be a cause. Plus, it will save you money in the long run.

 

[Scud67]

I have them installed on my house and it makes a world of difference. I have them set up on internal switches (lighted) so all I do is flip the switch to activate them when needed. I do not use the locally available ones at HD, Lowes or the local hardware store - they are cheap and unreliable. I use ones from here: http://www.heatersplus.com/roofcable.html - I do not recommend using their "control unit".