How to Install Ice Cables on Metal Roofs
People who live in geographical regions with climates that produce low temperatures and heavy snowfalls have to spend a great deal of time shoveling snow, scraping ice off their cars, and carrying out repairs that result from snow, ice and water damage. Ice cables are devices used to prevent snow and ice from accumulating on a roof. These are especially important for older houses, where structural integrity is a concern. Keeping your roof free of snow and ice limits the possibility of a collapse. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Ice cables
- Shoes that grip well
- Chalk
Please enter your 10 digit phone number only.
A link to this article has been sent to the phone number provided.
Instructions
-
Installing Ice Cables
-
1
Spend some time determining where ice and snow is most likely to accumulate on your roof. This should be down before the installation process begins. According to Wrap-On, a provider of ice cables, it is best to plan on installing cable along all gutters and downspouts. This ensures there is a path for melted ice to flow.
-
2
Clear all tree branches and other hazards away before laying down the cable. Also, in the interest of safety, wear shoes that grip metal surfaces well to avoid slipping.
-
-
3
Plan on laying out the ice cables in a zigzagging pattern. Use the chalk to mark out a series of intervals along the edge of the roof. Start at the corner of the roof. The first chalk mark indicates where the cable begins moving up toward the center of the roof. The next chalk mark indicates where the cable meets the roof again after coming back down from the center.
-
4
Continue making chalk marks along the outside edge of the roof. You should have enough cable to make your way from the outlet box, all the way around the roof, along the gutters and down the downspouts.
-
5
Lay out the cable as indicated by your chalk marks. Ice cables typically come with clips used to fasten the cables to the roof, gutters and downspouts. Allow the end of the cable to stick slightly out of the bottom of the down spout, but not to the ground.
-
6
Turn on your ice cables only when temperatures are low enough to create ice and snow. This helps avoid unnecessary accidents, such as fires.
-
1
