Gonna do a big interior remodel for a new client, but part of the scope is to fix all the badly-built stuff with her roof, specifically the ice-damming and related leaking that is going on, mostly valley-related.
We are going to approach the budget limit with all the stuff we need to do inside, and so there is no way we can tear off the roof, or put a new cold roof on top, or tear off all the inside finish and go at it from the underside. Even a strip off of roofing and valley flash, so as to do I&WS overkill, then back on with new shingling, won’t really solve it.
The heat loss will still occur, and create the icycles and dams, which are monstrous.
I am thinking of doing some high-end heating, using this kind of stuff. See here: http://www.bylinusa.com/roof_ice_melt/RIM.html
The local rep for these guys has done major installations on all the big old stuff all around the Cornell campus, down in Ithaca, and I have gone down there to see it in action in early spring. Pretty impressive.
Do any of you have experience with it?
Edited 10/14/2006 9:27 pm ET by Gene_Davis
Replies
I used heating cables for several years on our garage roof, before I figured out that a snow rake would do the job better and cheaper. They have a couple of problems that this product may or may not take care of:
1) Your standard cables will only last 3-4 years before they succumb to sun and weather. The product you flagged appears to be better protected and may (or may not) last longer.
2) To be effective they have to be turned on at the right time, and to save power they need to be turned off when not needed. A simple thermostat won't do the job, since the conditions that require cables depend on temperature, sun angle, and snow depth.
I've yet to see a heating cable system actually work well, and they never last more than a few seasons. Between the installation, operating cost, and high maintenance required to keep the system running, it seems like good money down the drain since they haven't addressed the real problem(s), heat leakage, poor attic insulation/ventilation, etc. Plus, think of all the new holes you'd be putting the roof to fasten the system in place. What about the costs to repair future interior damage when the system fails to perform. What happens after the big blizzard of '07 when the electricity goes out for 3 days?? I'd recommend to the client that they consider shifting priorities, or otherwise find adequate budget to address the root cause. If they need a stop gap measure to get them through the winter, I recently saw a product (forget where) that looks like a sand tube but is a fabric tube that is filled with ice-melt granules. The product is placed on the roof just above where ice dams occur and the ice melt granules slowly dissolve, supposedly eliminating ice buildup.
I've used heating cables. This system isn't that. Meant for big time commercial usage, and many years of service, it is so heavy duty it almost makes you ashamed to use it on a dinky house.
The outdoor thermometer housing and mount are a sight to see.
Why is there a major heat loss, and why can't that be fixed? Finished attic?
Gene,
I can't imagine a customer would commit to undertaking a large interior remodel,knowing that there were serious roof issues of ice damming-and not want to address those first!
Why would they want to spend a sizeable sum on renovation and then roll the dice on whether it's ruined this Winter by water intrusion.
I'd enlighten them as to priorities -fix the roofing issues first then tackle the inside.
Perhaps the system you linked to would work,but why risk it.