Do Gutter Heaters Work

Gutter heaters don t prevent ice dams.

Do gutter heaters work.

Gutters and downspouts are made from wood vinyl or any of several different metals including aluminum galvanized steel stainless steel and copper. Once even a thin layer of ice is frozen over the covers the water has nowhere to go but continues to freeze into multiple layers of ice until a huge ice dam forms. If you are experiencing ice dams it may be a ventilation and insulation issue within your home. Heat cables work best when installed inside of the gutter.

Before the melted snow runs off the roof however it refreezes right near the edge over the eaves. This allows you to fairly compare prices of an 80 foot cable with a 90 foot cable. As you can see ice dams are an internal heat loss problem. Heat tape is a protected electrical cord that when used in gutters and pipes can stop them from freezing also known as gutter heat cables or gutter heaters heat tape helps to prevent ice dams from forming.

Gutter heaters mean you can flick a switch and forget about the snow fall. Therefore when snow on the roof starts to melt it will hit a warm gutter guard and a warm gutter allowing your gutters to only deal with water and not ice. This method combined with gutter guards works great because when you put the gutter guard on it traps all the heat inside allowing the whole system to stay warm. Which system do you chose.

When heat cables are installed on the roof s edge a few additional challenges are created and the same problem remains that when the melted snow hits the cold gutter it will likely refreeze and build on top of your gutter. What gutter heating tape does for your gutters and roof. An illustration and helpful explanation on how home rain gutters and downspouts work. Gutter heating systems prevent roof damage during the winter months.

The least expensive way to go is a very simple system where a heat cable is applied to your gutters and then is run down the downspouts of your home preferably near an outlet. Wood gutters are virtually obsolete except in restoration work. To simplify comparisons calculate the cost of each cable per foot. Heat tape or heating tape is another name for a heated electrical cord that runs through your gutters.

Homeowners may think that zig zag cables on the roof and heated gutters are effective at preventing ice dams however this is not the case. If you live in a warmer climate like san antonio gutter heat tape is an easy solution to frozen gutters that can also increase the gutters lifespan. Warmed by heat rising up from below accumulated snow on the roof begins to melt. Without gutter heating snow lands on your roof and can turn to water due to the heat that your roof generates.