How Much Heat Tape For Roof

What kinds of ice dam heat tape exist.

How much heat tape for roof. Heat tape is a generic term for a variety of cables and cords you can install on your roof and gutters to prevent ice dams or wrap around exposed pipes to prevent them from bursting in the winter. Heat cables also known as heat tape or roof ice cables are often the first things that come to mind for homeowners attempting to deal with ice dams. Use our heat tape calculator to determine how much heat tape you need or search our faqs to get your questions answered. Other names for heat cables for gutters include deicing cables heated gutters roof heat cables and heat tape.

Click here for our heat tape calculator calculate the linear footage of heat tape you ll need for your job plus the amount of standard heat tape clips and downspout hangers. Calculate the length of heat tape and the number of roof clips and hangers needed for a heat tape installation to prevent ice dams. In addition to cleaning out your gutters and installing gutter accessories to keep drainage clear roof cables also called heat cables offer added protection from a buildup of rooftop ice dams. When you add materials at the price of about 2 sq ft you are looking to spend about 200 for 100 feet of cable.

Inside the category of ice dam heat tape and heat cable there is a wide variety of quality in terms of what one can purchase. Measure the depth of the eave b. The primary consideration with heat cables is the length of the cable. Thus your total cost when hiring a contractor will be 500 600.

The term heat tape refers to another product an insulated electrical wire applied to water pipes to keep them from freezing and bursting. Note any valleys in the roof c that exist where the heat cable will be installed. Heat cable is a similar product but it is designed for installation on the edge of your home s roof near the eaves. Measure the linear feet of roof eave a that you want to protect.

For example you could go to home depot or lowes or amazon and get a pre assembled 120 roof heat tape for around 68 00. Basic steps for measuring for heat tape purchase installation. The type you use on the roof tends to be minimally flexible while the kind you use for pipes is thin and supple. The average cost to install 100 feet of heat cable on the roof only is about 300 400 labor only excludes materials.

These cables are not meant to be cut to size so you want to purchase the length that s closest to what you need. The type of heat tape used on roofs and gutters to prevent ice buildup is properly called heat cable.