Heated cables along the gutter edge. Edge melt treatments. Chronic ice-dam retrofits. Built for Northland winters by the same crew that hangs your gutters.
An ice dam happens when heat escapes through the roof, melts snow on the upper field, and that meltwater refreezes when it hits the cold eave. The ridge of ice that forms there traps the next round of meltwater behind it. Once it has nowhere to go, it backs up under your shingles, into the soffit, down the wall, and into the ceiling.
You can't stop snow from melting. What you can do is give the meltwater a clear path off the roof so it never gets a chance to refreeze and dam. That's what a heated cable system does.
Most homes only need the basic edge cable. A few chronic ice-dam houses need the full retrofit. We tell you which during the estimate.
Self-regulating heated cable installed along the front edge of every gutter and the first foot of every downspout. The default starting point for most homes.
For houses with bad valleys, complex rooflines, or a history of dam build-up above the eave. Cable extends up the valley and across problem zones.
Outdoor smart plug or thermostat that powers the cable on around 38°F and shuts it off above 50°F. Saves energy and means you never have to think about it.
If your house has a chronic dam problem we'll tell you on the estimate whether cable will solve it or whether you need an insulation guy first.
Heat escapes through the roof, melts snow on the upper roof, and the meltwater refreezes when it hits the cold eave. That ridge of ice traps the next round of meltwater behind it, which backs up under shingles and into the soffit. Northland houses are especially prone because of long winters, deep snow loads, and older insulation.
It manages them. A self-regulating cable along the gutter edge and the first foot of downspout gives meltwater a path off the roof so it doesn't refreeze and dam. It doesn't stop the underlying cause (heat loss + insulation), but it keeps the gutters and eaves clear and protects the fascia and walls below.
Most homes run between $450 and $1,400 for a heated cable install, depending on linear footage of eave covered, downspouts treated, and whether a new exterior outlet is required. We quote on site after measuring.
Self-regulating cables only draw power when the temperature is in the icing range, so they can stay plugged in. We recommend a smart outdoor thermostat or smart plug that turns them on around 38°F and off above 50°F so they're not running on warm winter days.
No. We install cables with shingle-safe roof clips, not nails or staples. The cables sit on top of the shingle without penetrating, and they're rated for direct UV and weather exposure.
If you've got an active ice dam pushing water into the house, call us. We do emergency steam-melt work in winter to get the dam off your eave before more damage piles up. Cable retrofits get scheduled for the warm months once the snow is gone.
Heated cable installs go in spring, summer, and fall — well before the first snow. Get on the list early.
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