Installing gutter heat tape is meant for the prevention of the ice dams not for getting rid of them once already formed.
How to install gutter heater.
The average cost to install 100 feet of heat cable on the roof only is about 300 400 labor only excludes materials.
Benefits of installing gutter heaters.
Watch diy podcasters paul and brian install roof cables.
In this video home renovation brothers dave and rich and dave s son caleb show you how to how to install a seamless gutter.
Plug it into a gfi outlet.
Run the cable back.
Clip the starting point of the cable to a.
Cut a two inch long notch in the front lip of the gutter with tin snips to join a rain gutter section.
Snap the sections together.
Project step by step 20 cutting the gutter.
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.
Icicles will then drip water onto your front walk your stoop your deck or your driveway in front of your garage turning all of these surfaces into potential skating rinks.
Route the cable from the electrical outlet to the starting point on the roof.
Run the end of the roof cable along the inside of your gutter and down the gutter s downspout.
Secure the cable to the shingle with one of the provided cable clips.
When you add materials at the price of about 2 sq ft you are looking to spend about 200 for 100 feet of cable.
It s much easier to join sections on the ground than to work from the top of a ladder.
When gutters fill with ice there s a greater chance that icicles can form along their front lip.
Secure the roof cable with brackets affixed to each shingle where the roof cable bends.
Here are the basic steps for installing new heat cable along a roof eave and gutter.
This product is also not meant for clearing the roof of ice or snow but merely for creating a clear pathway for already melted snow and ice to drain to the ground.
If you are experiencing ice dams it may be a ventilation and insulation issue within your home.