excuse the ignorance: you have an 8-watt product. exactly what does that mean? 8-watts per foot energy usage? so if i need 78-feet, then I am using 624-watts (5.2-amps). please educate me. thanks..... otherwise, a superior how-to production.
Great video! I have these wires on my house and wasn’t sure how it all fits together. It was probably installed decades ago so the wires are mostly pulled out.
Good morning Nick. I wonder if a megger test would find the issue? A good electrician can use that test to find possible issues. I’ll never be without mine now after 2-3 winters behind me. Thanks for taking time to say hello and comment . Bill
Have you looked into attic air sealing and insulation? Heat trace seems like treating the symptoms first rather than preventing the issues causing. You mentioned an exhaust fan going into your attic?
Hello Thomas, good question, I'll try and answer it clearly. I built the home using 2x12's for the roof structure. The top part of the 2x12 is the start of the roofing sheathing and the bottom of the 2x12 will be a sloping ceiling over the room inside. The area between the 2x12 was filled with 12" fiberglass, then sheets of polyisocyanurate R board were installed on the bottom of the 2x12. That provided me with an R value of R30 + R 8 = 38 I don't have an attic space with this design. Note, I also have two log beams sitting on the top plate going across the room acting as the lower truss. I Thought I may have some leakage around the round logs. So during a recent re-roof, I removed the roof sheathing above the log beams and carefuly insulated around them. My roof is as tight as it can be for this design. This roof faces East, so when the sun heats on the roof all day I get some melting that can't be avoided. These heating cables treat a symptom I can't control beyond what I've done. I'm happy to report I'm enjoying my second ice dam free winter. Good question, thanks for asking. - Bill
Thank you for this awesome video! We just had commercial buildings roof collapsed here in Anchorage AK. My house had ice dam last year, now lot of icicles. What brand is that roof heating cable system you used? I can’t find it. Most of the cables are straight. Thank you.
Search for edge melt systems . Com We’ve had 24 inches of snow here this past week. I’ve turned the cables on at the start of the storm and I’ve never turned them off. I literally do not have one single icicle hanging in the area were I’ve installed this system. Other parts of my house are showing ice issues. I highly recommend this product. The impact on my electrical bill is not significant at all. Good luck! -Bill
@@billburkhart I tried searching for that same cables you showed, seems like yours were already bounded or pre-coiled in figure of 8, like you mentioned, seems like “mesh” system, I didn’t see it on their website. I will keep looking.
Regarding those cables that are in a figure eight and bound together. I wouldn’t give you the time of day for those and find it hard to recommend them. The company that I purchased those from was on shaky Ground then…. I’m surprised they’re still around maybe they’re not.
Outstanding video, thanks so much for the effort. This has been an especially brutal ice damming season in Haliburton, Ontario, and I plan to follow your lead to solve this issue once and for all.
Don’t waste your time going to Iowa Look at northside of Indianapolis its been Voted best place to raise a family in the US for 10+ years. We hardly get snow here
I appreciate that comment Justin and I appreciate the project support you gave me during the project. I'm looking forward to no ice dam issues as the days warm up and the nights remain below freezing. - Bill
Interesting RUclips fact. I had never heard of an ice dam until I watched your video and commented. Now about every tenth video in my feed has something to do with an ice dam and much advertising related to it. Apparently it’s a big problem in other places. I’ve never seen such targeted advertising related to a single video topic. Weird.
Good morning Bob, ice dams can be a pain up here in snow country. You tube must have changed how they push ads. I watched several videos on the Blackstone Griddle and I’m getting all kinds of ads on my tv, and phone now. Thank you for being a long time supporter Bob, sure appreciate it. Enjoy the upcoming weekend. -Bill
Great job Bill I got the same problem here in the U.P on my house and was looking and cost wise it’s pretty cheap the ones you by at the big box stores never last long and are cheaply built I’m sure I could’ve paid for this twice by now great video
Happy Sunday J&J. You're correct, so good to hear from you. I agree, the one's sold in big box stores are a very short term solution. Thanks for the comments and I hope this is the year I can get my hands on the flail mower you use. Hoping the seed catalogs come soon, you take care friend.
Good afternoon from Fort Worth. It is snowing here. Fort Worth is nicknamed Cowtown... Billy Bobs Texas is located on the old cattle pins and feed lots. Cows came and left by train in this area north of downtown. Cheers my friend.
Good afternoon Rick! I hope your weather isn’t a repeat of last years power outage. Thanks for the background of Fort Worth, I’ll pass that on to everyone in the next video. Be careful my friend. -Bill
Good morning Ron. I’m glad to hear you found the videos informative and informational. I sure appreciate it. Thanks for taking time to comment. Have a great weekend.-Bill
Great job Bill. Im in the Kawarthas in Ontario and get the same snow etc as Richard below from Quebec. Thanks for taking the time to do these videos,very helpful. I to have a John Deere 2032 and love it.....Cheers!!
Very impressive video, lots of great info. I've been looking for a product to offer my gutter and gutter guard customers in Illinois. Thank you for your hard work.
Hi Bremen, this will be my second year with the heating cables. I can’t tell you how nice it was to not have any ice dam issues whatsoever last winter. I think this would be a wonderful product for you to offer to your customers I know I would be very interested, if I was shopping for a solution I would emphasize these are commercial grade heating cables, and not the heating cables you buy at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Menards . Best of luck to you- Bill
The only time in northern Quebec. That you have ice built up is when your roof isolation needs upgrading. We normally get 1 to 3 feet of snow on the roof. And most nights this year are -20 to -30. C. Without wind chill. We just dont get any melting until april and the snow is gone in early may. Nice project and great work. I like your work ethic. Everything that needs to be done deserves to be done right
Hello Richard, thanks for the comments. I increased my insulation last year and believe I need to improve the ventilation in and out of the attic this coming summer. This upcoming week we’ll be back in the mid 30s so the snow will be melting and trying to refreeze when it reaches the rave before I installed this. Thanks for staying in touch I sure appreciate it. - Bill
Good morning. You won’t regret the investment in this product. Take your time and plan your layout carefully and you won’t have any problems. This is my second ice dam free winter. -Bill
Thank you Mr Burkhart for the detailed video that not only highlighted why you chose the edge melt system - but the install particulars as well. Very well done.
I spent 37 years in EMS, 26 as a career firefighter, and 33 years part time/full time with a private ambulance company. If only more people thought about things this way.
Awesome video Bill! Where did your buy the melting cable that looked like a net/mesh (start of this video) from that you used to melt away the ice dam?
@@billburkhart sure thing! I’d be so thankful and looking forward to see your DIY video. Thank you for this super detailed video btw. Lots of great ideas and practical steps to combat ice dams on the roof. You rock!
I found the melting cable business is still selling the cables, same price I paid several years ago. I learned I did not enter the web search information correctly. Go to "theicedamremover.com" They have the melting mats available at that location. be sure and include the word "the" in the search, I believe that's what I did wrong. Let me know how you make out.- Bill
November 13th and just saw our first snow flurries in Syracuse area. One week ago moved into hew 2 story house with gutters and metal leaf guards, and was advised by previous owner to look into ice dam prevention. Found this video VERY helpful! Thanks a lot Bill! Think I will try the snow rake approach and pray. If ice dams seem to be forming, I will use salt directly on the area. I am wondering if removing the gutters or the leaf guards would be advisable? Any thoughts about that or suggestions?
Hello John, I removed the gutter screens and also removed the gutters and neither oction prevented ice dams. So with new gutters and new gutter screens I put these heating cables on and have a laminated the problem 100%. I understand using the snow rake approach, I chose not to do that in this case because it was two stories up. Good luck with your project, glad to hear the video is somewhat useful.-Bill
excuse the ignorance: you have an 8-watt product. exactly what does that mean? 8-watts per foot energy usage? so if i need 78-feet, then I am using 624-watts (5.2-amps). please educate me. thanks..... otherwise, a superior how-to production.
Hi Kevin, I’m going to review the video and have an answer for you next week.-Bill
Great video! I have these wires on my house and wasn’t sure how it all fits together. It was probably installed decades ago so the wires are mostly pulled out.
Good morning Nick. I wonder if a megger test would find the issue? A good electrician can use that test to find possible issues.
I’ll never be without mine now after 2-3 winters behind me.
Thanks for taking time to say hello and comment . Bill
Have you looked into attic air sealing and insulation? Heat trace seems like treating the symptoms first rather than preventing the issues causing. You mentioned an exhaust fan going into your attic?
Hello Thomas, good question, I'll try and answer it clearly. I built the home using 2x12's for the roof structure. The top part of the 2x12 is the start of the roofing sheathing and the bottom of the 2x12 will be a sloping ceiling over the room inside. The area between the 2x12 was filled with 12" fiberglass, then sheets of polyisocyanurate R board were installed on the bottom of the 2x12. That provided me with an R value of R30 + R 8 = 38 I don't have an attic space with this design. Note, I also have two log beams sitting on the top plate going across the room acting as the lower truss. I Thought I may have some leakage around the round logs. So during a recent re-roof, I removed the roof sheathing above the log beams and carefuly insulated around them.
My roof is as tight as it can be for this design. This roof faces East, so when the sun heats on the roof all day I get some melting that can't be avoided.
These heating cables treat a symptom I can't control beyond what I've done. I'm happy to report I'm enjoying my second ice dam free winter.
Good question, thanks for asking. - Bill
Oh I forgot to tell you, no interior exhaust vent is vented into the space above the finished celing. - Bill
Thank you for this awesome video! We just had commercial buildings roof collapsed here in Anchorage AK. My house had ice dam last year, now lot of icicles. What brand is that roof heating cable system you used? I can’t find it. Most of the cables are straight. Thank you.
Search for edge melt systems . Com We’ve had 24 inches of snow here this past week. I’ve turned the cables on at the start of the storm and I’ve never turned them off. I literally do not have one single icicle hanging in the area were I’ve installed this system. Other parts of my house are showing ice issues. I highly recommend this product. The impact on my electrical bill is not significant at all. Good luck! -Bill
@@billburkhart thank you so much. Will search for it.
@@billburkhart I tried searching for that same cables you showed, seems like yours were already bounded or pre-coiled in figure of 8, like you mentioned, seems like “mesh” system, I didn’t see it on their website. I will keep looking.
Regarding those cables that are in a figure eight and bound together. I wouldn’t give you the time of day for those and find it hard to recommend them. The company that I purchased those from was on shaky Ground then…. I’m surprised they’re still around maybe they’re not.
Outstanding video, thanks so much for the effort. This has been an especially brutal ice damming season in Haliburton, Ontario, and I plan to follow your lead to solve this issue once and for all.
Thank you Tom! Good luck with your project, I’ve had zero ice dam problems after installing this.
Have a good week. -Bill
Just subscribed, I am watching from Davenport Iowa 🖐🖐
Thank you Charles. I sure appreciate it. I’ll be coming to the Davenport to pick up mulch from the compost center. That place is awesome. -Bill
@@billburkhart you will probably pass by my house 🖐👍
I’ll blow my horn!
Wow Bill. I had convinced my wife that we should move to Iowa from Crazy California. After seeing this, I guess we will have to stay. Way too cold!!
Ha ha!! Chris…..and we’re having a warm winter this year. Enjoy your nice weather their, I’m jealous. Stay safe - Bill
Don’t waste your time going to Iowa Look at northside of Indianapolis its been Voted best place to raise a family in the US for 10+ years.
We hardly get snow here
Fantastic video and great job.
Hi Jordon. Thanks so much for your comments. I’m enjoying my 2nd ice dam free winter. -Bill
Looks great! Well. Done
Thank you Vince, I’m sure enjoying no ice dams the past two winters-Bill
Nice video Bill. I appreciate the time you put into this. It shows what a diligent homeowner can do.
I appreciate that comment Justin and I appreciate the project support you gave me during the project. I'm looking forward to no ice dam issues as the days warm up and the nights remain below freezing. - Bill
Interesting RUclips fact. I had never heard of an ice dam until I watched your video and commented. Now about every tenth video in my feed has something to do with an ice dam and much advertising related to it. Apparently it’s a big problem in other places. I’ve never seen such targeted advertising related to a single video topic. Weird.
Good morning Bob, ice dams can be a pain up here in snow country. You tube must have changed how they push ads. I watched several videos on the Blackstone Griddle and I’m getting all kinds of ads on my tv, and phone now. Thank you for being a long time supporter Bob, sure appreciate it. Enjoy the upcoming weekend. -Bill
Great job Bill I got the same problem here in the U.P on my house and was looking and cost wise it’s pretty cheap the ones you by at the big box stores never last long and are cheaply built I’m sure I could’ve paid for this twice by now great video
Happy Sunday J&J. You're correct, so good to hear from you. I agree, the one's sold in big box stores are a very short term solution.
Thanks for the comments and I hope this is the year I can get my hands on the flail mower you use. Hoping the seed catalogs come soon, you take care friend.
Good afternoon from Fort Worth. It is snowing here. Fort Worth is nicknamed Cowtown... Billy Bobs Texas is located on the old cattle pins and feed lots. Cows came and left by train in this area north of downtown. Cheers my friend.
Good afternoon Rick! I hope your weather isn’t a repeat of last years power outage. Thanks for the background of Fort Worth, I’ll pass that on to everyone in the next video.
Be careful my friend. -Bill
These videos are great to watch, to see how it's done and what technology used,,
Good morning Ron. I’m glad to hear you found the videos informative and informational. I sure appreciate it. Thanks for taking time to comment. Have a great weekend.-Bill
@@billburkhart you too,,, it's very hot here in Queensland Australia, we have a heatwave at the moment, so the ice looks very soothing 🤣 ,, cheers
Ha! I’m so ready for Spring and summer here!
@@billburkhart haha we can't win,,
Great job Bill. Im in the Kawarthas in Ontario and get the same snow etc as Richard below from Quebec. Thanks for taking the time to do these videos,very helpful. I to have a John Deere 2032 and love it.....Cheers!!
Thank you John !! I’ll get you on the viewers map. Have a great week. -Bill
Very impressive video, lots of great info. I've been looking for a product to offer my gutter and gutter guard customers in Illinois. Thank you for your hard work.
Hi Bremen, this will be my second year with the heating cables. I can’t tell you how nice it was to not have any ice dam issues whatsoever last winter. I think this would be a wonderful product for you to offer to your customers I know I would be very interested, if I was shopping for a solution
I would emphasize these are commercial grade heating cables, and not the heating cables you buy at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Menards . Best of luck to you- Bill
The only time in northern Quebec. That you have ice built up is when your roof isolation needs upgrading. We normally get 1 to 3 feet of snow on the roof. And most nights this year are -20 to -30. C. Without wind chill. We just dont get any melting until april and the snow is gone in early may. Nice project and great work. I like your work ethic. Everything that needs to be done deserves to be done right
Hello Richard, thanks for the comments. I increased my insulation last year and believe I need to improve the ventilation in and out of the attic this coming summer. This upcoming week we’ll be back in the mid 30s so the snow will be melting and trying to refreeze when it reaches the rave before I installed this.
Thanks for staying in touch I sure appreciate it. - Bill
This is a fantastic idea, I may have to give this a shot come spring/summer when everything is all clear.
Good morning. You won’t regret the investment in this product. Take your time and plan your layout carefully and you won’t have any problems. This is my second ice dam free winter. -Bill
Thank you Mr Burkhart for the detailed video that not only highlighted why you chose the edge melt system - but the install particulars as well. Very well done.
Thank you Gary! Glad it provided some information for you.-Bill
Thank you very much for taking the time to make this video
Thank you! I’m glad you found it helpful-Bill
Nice job Bill, very informative video.
Hello Dean, I’m glad you found it informative, I’d like to move towards more DIY videos. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. -Bill
…..it’s a lot cheaper than the wheel chair ramp I would need if I…….
Good evening Bob. At my age it’s all about self preservation. 👍👍😄
I spent 37 years in EMS, 26 as a career firefighter, and 33 years part time/full time with a private ambulance company. If only more people thought about things this way.
Thanks for your service Bob !
Awesome video Bill! Where did your buy the melting cable that looked like a net/mesh (start of this video) from that you used to melt away the ice dam?
Good Sunday evening, I purchased the melting cables from a web based business at "theicedamremover.com" - Bill
@@billburkhart sure thing! I’d be so thankful and looking forward to see your DIY video. Thank you for this super detailed video btw. Lots of great ideas and practical steps to combat ice dams on the roof. You rock!
Ok, I’ll post the cable length Monday, I’ll also let you know when I’ll have the video done.
I found the melting cable business is still selling the cables, same price I paid several years ago. I learned I did not enter the web search information correctly. Go to "theicedamremover.com" They have the melting mats available at that location. be sure and include the word "the" in the search, I believe that's what I did wrong. Let me know how you make out.- Bill
@@billburkhart thank you very much!
Fire hazard?
Absolutely not, it’s properly grounded, bonded to the electrical panel and installed with a GFI.
November 13th and just saw our first snow flurries in Syracuse area. One week ago moved into hew 2 story house with gutters and metal leaf guards, and was advised by previous owner to look into ice dam prevention. Found this video VERY helpful! Thanks a lot Bill! Think I will try the snow rake approach and pray. If ice dams seem to be forming, I will use salt directly on the area.
I am wondering if removing the gutters or the leaf guards would be advisable? Any thoughts about that or suggestions?
Hello John, I removed the gutter screens and also removed the gutters and neither oction prevented ice dams. So with new gutters and new gutter screens I put these heating cables on and have a laminated the problem 100%. I understand using the snow rake approach, I chose not to do that in this case because it was two stories up. Good luck with your project, glad to hear the video is somewhat useful.-Bill