Roof deicing cables run on electricity which is an expensive way to generate heat.
How to deice roof.
This can give you immediate results.
A snow rake sometimes referred to as a roof rake can also help you scrape snow and ice off your roof manually.
Ask this old house general contractor tom silva explains the best ways to keep your roof and gutters free from those dreaded ice dams.
Alex pitt the director of snow clearing equipment for tracmaster landscape machinery specialists has strongly advised to resist the temptation to pour hot water over ice to melt it.
This is a short term solution as once it cools it will.
It is not entirely necessary to remove all of the ice and snow as this will eventually melt when the temperature begins to rise.
Don t assume that roof de icing is a do it yourself project.
Calcium chloride may be used for deicing.
Put the warm water inside the bottle and spray it on directly to the ice formations until it melts.
One of the biggest advantages of using a snow rake is that it pushes you to deal with the ice before it turns into a huge buildup.
Standing firmly on the ground you can easily use the rake to scrape off the snow from your rooftop occasionally to ensure that large ice dams arenĂ¢ t formed on your roof and cause excessive damage.
Other ways to remove the ice is to use warm water.
A snow rake is the easiest and cost effective equipment you can use to de ice your rooftop.
Be sure to carefully pull down the snow by pulling it down the slope of your roof line.
What not to do don t use a hammer or shovel to break off large chunks of ice from the ground or while standing on a ladder.
However those systems are more expensive to purchase and install.
Don t use hot water.
You will need an empty spray bottle and warm water.
See below for a shopp.
So without further adieu here are a few ideas on how to de ice your roof.
Some cabling systems are self regulating meaning that they generate more heat as the temperature drops and cycle on and off as needed in order to minimize the hit to your budget.
Handle hot or warm water with care to avoid accidents.
If this is not possible there are ways to remove snow and ice after it accumulates on a rooftop including shoveling and spreading a deicer.
Here s the basic information that every homeowner should know about de icing a roof.