About once or twice each winter, an ice or snow accumulation occurs in north and central parts of Texas. Because these winter weather conditions are not regular occurrences, many homes simply are not prepared to handle the extra weight of frozen precipitation. If there happens to be a period of extended cool weather, several freeze and thaw cycles could occur, setting the stage for significant and costly roof problems. With help from an experienced Sugar Land roofing company, homeowners can prevent roof leaks caused by snowy and icy roofs.
Roof deicing cables work by emitting heat that melts ice and snow before it has a chance to refreeze and accumulate in the eaves trough and downspout along the roof's edge. The most important thing to keep in mind when installing these preventive devices is purchasing a long enough section of the cable. Each side of the roof that has a gutter will need to be outfitted with the cables. Rather than installing the cables in a straight line, most property owners place them in a wave pattern to spread the heat and to get the most benefits. The cables should be placed as close to the gutters as possible to make sure that frozen precipitation accumulates there and runs off easily.
Once the homeowner decides upon a design, then the cables can be purchased from a local home improvement store.
Roofers from Houston Restoration Services of Sugar Land TX can answer any question about residential roofing or remodeling.
For the best results, they should be installed before any snow or ice falls. If the local weather forecasters are predicting a significant winter weather event, this is the time to go out and purchase the cables and get them into place on the rooftop.
The cables should be secured to the roof's shingles or tiles with roofing staples. Care must be taken to ensure that the staples do not pierce the wires of the cables, as this could make the cables dangerous to use. A flip of a switch activates the cables once the first snowflakes begin to fall from the sky. Once cables are installed, they can just be left on top of the roof. Repeatedly removing and installing cables could result in excessive wear and tear on the asphalt shingles, leading to the need to replace the roof much sooner than would otherwise be necessary.
While the homeowner is up on the roof, this is also a good time to scoop out any debris from the gutters. Cleaning out the gutters helps to ensure that the melting ice or snow can drain away quickly without encountering any obstructions along the way.
