3 Reasons Park City Homeowners Should Consider Heat Cable

With winter in full effect in Park City, we have already started to see problems arise on some Park City homes. Every year we are called to hundreds of homes in Park City for roof-related issues that are caused by snow and ice.

Snow and Ice related problems can often be avoided with the installation of self-regulating heat cable. Let’s take a look at 3 reasons why you should consider getting heat cable on your Park City home.

1. HEAT CABLE PREVENTS ICE DAMS

Ice dams form on homes from a unique interaction between the differences in a roofs temperature & snow.

Typically, your roof is warmer above your living areas due to heat escaping from inside of your home. Any roof areas that overhang on the outside of your house will be colder; usually they maintain the outside temperature.

The warmer roof area above your home will cause snow to melt and make water run to edges of your roof where it will freeze if the temperature outside is below 32 degrees.

By installing heat cable on the eaves or edges of your roof, you can prevent snowmelt from refreezing; making it so ice dams can’t form.

Heat cable is the simplest solution for preventing ice dams and eliminating the effect that causes ice dams.

2. HEAT CABLE EXTENDS YOUR ROOFS LIFE

When water thaws and freezes over and over, it can find its way behind shingles and into small cracks.

As water freezes, it expands and can turn a small crack in a shingle into a serious leak area.

Additionally, as ice dams build and slide off of a roof, shingles are usually torn off in the process, leaving a vulnerability in your roof system.

By having these areas covered with heat cable, you never have to worry about ice dams that will decrease the lifespan of your roof.

3. SELF REGULATING HEAT CABLE ONLY TURNS ON WHEN YOU NEED IT

Unlike constant wattage heat cable that can be found at big box stores, we use commercial grade self-regulating heat cable.

Constant wattage heat cable draws power whenever it is turned on, making it more expensive to operate throughout the year.

Self-regulating heat cable uses temperature sensors to only fully turn on when it is needed; when the temperature drops below 40 degrees F. This makes self-regulating heat cable more affordable to operate during the winter.

Once the temperature goes above 40 degrees, and the heat cable will drastically reduce the power it is drawing.

Additionally, self-regulating heat cable is continuously switching on and off while it is heated, this also helps reduce the power drawn by the cable.

CONCLUSION

Every year, we help hundreds of homeowners solve their ice dam and snow-related roofing problems. The best solution for solving ice dams problems and extending the lifespan of your roof is to install self-regulating heat cable on the eaves of your roof in problem areas.

By using self-regulating heat cable, you ensure that you lower the costs of operating heat cable during the winter because your heat cable only runs at its peak when you need it.