When Spring arrives, it is an easy time to emerge from a pseudo hibernating state to find time to handle everything that had to sit on hold, i.e. your roof!
If you observed ice on your roof during the winter season, that ice if not now will eventually cause roof problems, i.e. a leak, damaged patio furniture and decking, gutters, downspouts, landscaping, heating, and cooling units, windows. Or problems that are simply a hazard throughout a winter season, i.e. walkways, garage entrances, etc. The worse scenario is when a roof leak goes undetected for a time causing dangerous mold, mildew, and rot. Leaks go unnoticed because they are slow and short-term do not damage drywall and snow meltwater remains in your insulation, between walls, and in ceilings. All this can be especially a problem when your home is a part-time retreat and you cannot always be there when a leaking event is occurring. Many mountain homes around ski resorts fall into this category.
So, what better time to resolve problems or potential problems caused by roof ice than Springtime! In fact, the earlier you decide to address roof ice problems, the better. In many cases the most reputable companies that can best provide services needed to fill their calendar quickly. After all, it is Springtime and as we have all experienced, the window for consistently warm weather is too short before snowflakes fly again!
How to best resolve roof ice issues are outlined below. The most important considerations when trying to eliminate problematic roof ice is to make sure you have a heating cable routed through your gutter troughs and downspouts. Snow meltwater from your roof needs to reach the ground! If snow meltwater re-freezes BEFORE reaching the ground, then downspouts and gutters are damaged by expanding ice accumulations throughout the winter. The next consideration can be as simple as heating 100% of roof edges where ice develops. Even though your eave reaches out 20 feet or you observed ice 10 feet up from your roof edge, heating 100% of the roof edge will reduce dramatically the risks of problematic roof ice. The last consideration is roof valleys, areas where roof pitches change, around chimneys, around dormers, etc.
A popular concept that is not able to heat 100% of a roof edge is laying heat cable on a roof edge in a zig-zag pattern. Not only is this concept flawed, but it also requires a lot of energy to operate. A metal panel manufactured by HotEdge, LLC heats 100% of a roof edge. In fact, if an area is extremely problematic, HotEdge, LLC manufactures patented panels that enable unlimited melt back so that any level of ice problem can adequately be addressed. If you can imagine, routing a heat cable straight along a roof edge uses far less energy than powering heat cable that is laid in a zig-zag pattern above a roof edge.
In addition, HotEdge is the first and only company manufacturing roof edge ice melt systems to be awarded the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Certificate of approval for safety and compliance.
It’s Spring and it’s time…to learn more call HotEdge today at 800-411-3296, or click here to receive your customized quote today!
