# roof de-icing cables



## randybielid (Feb 28, 2011)

do roof heater cables use a lot of electricity?


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## Mark Harvey (Apr 20, 2009)

If left on all the time, yes. But may be better and a whole lot cheaper than roof damage. If you can unplug them that would be the best scenerio.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

Yes, You can unplug them or some can have a moisture/snow sensor installed and wont turn on till there is a low enough temp and moisture/snow/ice present.


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## dougger222 (Feb 25, 2011)

I would recommend what gt said as these are the best out there. They are not cheap and have had home owners state they were charged about $5 a foot plus an electrician to wire the ends into the fuse box. The last home owner I talked to about them dropped a grand for two scuppers on his flat roof. 8 years later he said it was worth every penny.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

$5.00 a foot is cheap if that includes labor. We pay pretty close to that just for the cable. Not including ends/plug in gfci's/clips and what not. IMO they are darn near priceless on some building/houses.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

the better cable is self regulating. That means it will not draw power unless the temp is low enough to cause it to be in demand. It is still recommended to install a disconnect switch in such a system for a complete shut-off in the warmer months.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

nap said:


> the better cable is self regulating. That means it will not draw power unless the temp is low enough to cause it to be in demand. It is still recommended to install a disconnect switch in such a system for a complete shut-off in the warmer months.


 
quote from Tyco controls website.



> Tyco Thermal Controls provides self-regulating heating cables that automatically adjust their power output to compensate for temperature changes.
> 
> Raychem brand self-regulating heating cables consist of two parallel conductors embedded in a heating core made of conductive polymer.The core is radiation-crosslinked to ensure long-term reliability.
> 
> ...


 
So they really are on all the time, they just heat up more when they need to depending on temp.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

1985gt said:


> quote from Tyco controls website.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


and you do not believe there is a point which causes the resistance to be so great (due to the reaction of the temp) that is does not draw current?

Again, depending on what cable you use, you may or may not need a t-stat. There is cable that will cease to draw current above some predetermined temperature.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

http://www.tycothermal.com/usa/engl...ogy/how_self-regulating_technology_works.aspx 

I do not think it shuts off. Thats why they sell the moisture/temp controlers for them. I dont know about other brands since these are the ones we can get easy and quickly if needed. Plus we have had good luck with them.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

> moisture/temp controlers for them.


well, the moisture sensor is something quite different. Even with the cable that effectively shuts off by itself, you still generally do no want to run it when it is cold but there is no snow. If there is no snow, there is nothing to melt and as such, wasting energy.

and I have installed cable that clearly stated that no t-stat was required due to it being self regulating and would effectively shut off above a given temp. It doesn't hurt to toss a t-stat in the system if you want to. Just not needed.


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## dougger222 (Feb 25, 2011)

1985gt said:


> $5.00 a foot is cheap if that includes labor. We pay pretty close to that just for the cable. Not including ends/plug in gfci's/clips and what not. IMO they are darn near priceless on some building/houses.


$5 a foot for materials. A GC friend of mine is planning to put them in his gutters and downspouts.

Once thing I've learned is with the high end gutter helmets ($25/ft) they cause very big ice dams and when you run the heat cables inside the gutters it won't make a diference at all. 

Doing ice dam removal this year found the more expensive the gutter screen system the bigger the ice dams.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

nap said:


> well, the moisture sensor is something quite different. Even with the cable that effectively shuts off by itself, you still generally do no want to run it when it is cold but there is no snow. If there is no snow, there is nothing to melt and as such, wasting energy.
> 
> and I have installed cable that clearly stated that no t-stat was required due to it being self regulating and would effectively shut off above a given temp. It doesn't hurt to toss a t-stat in the system if you want to. Just not needed.


The controlers I am refering to are have two sensors, one for temp and one for moisture. Both conditions have to be present for the cable to turn on. Self regulation is refering to how much power is needed, yes less power is used when the temp is warm, I do not think they ever "shut off". Maybe the brand you uses does, no idea, we use one brand because we know it works, we know how to install it and we have had years of good luck with it.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

dougger222 said:


> $5 a foot for materials. A GC friend of mine is planning to put them in his gutters and downspouts.
> 
> Once thing I've learned is with the high end gutter helmets ($25/ft) they cause very big ice dams and when you run the heat cables inside the gutters it won't make a diference at all.
> 
> Doing ice dam removal this year found the more expensive the gutter screen system the bigger the ice dams.


Still $5.00 a foot is good price to sell it to someone, last time I bought some it was $4.00 a foot or so our price. Thats just the cable no other parts. 

Yes gutter helmets and such are not good in preventing ice damns, You would have to run the cable on top of the helmets for it to work and then one in the gutter other wise it would freeze up there too.


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## dougger222 (Feb 25, 2011)

1985gt said:


> Still $5.00 a foot is good price to sell it to someone, last time I bought some it was $4.00 a foot or so our price. Thats just the cable no other parts.
> 
> Yes gutter helmets and such are not good in preventing ice damns, You would have to run the cable on top of the helmets for it to work and then one in the gutter other wise it would freeze up there too.


$5 a foot for materials ONLY no labor...


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