During the winter season, ice dams can build up in gutters and roof edges. This is caused by snow that melts on the eaves during the day and refreezes at night. When snow accumulates, water from the melting snow does not drain properly; it instead causes water to leak into the building structure. To prevent the accumulation of heavy snow and ice on the roof, heat tape can be installed. This is an effective tool for de-icing roofs, eaves and gutters in order to facilitate the proper drainage of water and save the structure from any damage that could be caused by winter weather.

Installation Process

Heat tape is a de-icing cable that is fastened in a zigzag or inverted ?V? shaped pattern to the edges or valleys of the roof, the areas most prone to the formation of ice dams. The cables should be fastened securely to the existing roofing material so they do not slide off due to large amounts of snow in the gutters. Aside from the zigzag pattern, this de-icing cable should be run in line with the gutters and inside all downspouts to ensure that no ice forms in these components, which in turn facilitates the free flow of water. Although installing de-icing cables is a good investment, it is a moderately challenging job because of the requirement to climb a ladder and move about on the roof and eaves troughs. Fortunately, this is a job that professional roofers can perform both rapidly and safely.

Sizes

These heating cables come in various sizes and are available at major hardware stores. Lengths run from 30 to 100 feet in length. They are designed to turn on when the temperature falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent ice and snow from building. Most heat tape is run with 120 volts of electrical power; however, there are also cables that use from 240 to 600 volts of power. The higher voltage heat tape is installed mainly for extreme cases and for industrial use. For most residential applications, 120 or 240 volts is all that is needed.

Another term for increasing the surface temperature in a given area is called trace heating. This prevents any freezing ice and/or snow accumulation. When buying this type of heat tape, the package includes a thermostat which controls the temperature and switches the cable on and off when the temperature goes below the 40 degree range; other types of heat tape do not have thermostats. Installation is very simple but does differ from one brand to another. Therefore, it is imperative to follow the manufacturer?s instructions accurately.

Safety Precautions

Since de-icing tape uses electricity, it poses a risk of fire due to the possibility of a short circuit. For this reason, there are safety guidelines that should be followed to avoid any property damage.

• Manual ? Always read the manufacturer?s manual.

• Wires ? Some electric cables should not cross or come in contact with each other to prevent overheating or ignition, unless the manufacturer specifically guarantees this will not happen.

• GFCI ? Always use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) as the power source for the installed heating cables.

• End-Caps ? Insulate the end-cap of the cables to avoid water penetration that could cause a short circuit and possible fire ignition.

• Controls ? Temperature controllers should be installed based on the manufacturer?s advice.

• Cables ? Electric cables that are older than three years, discolored, cracked, or damaged should be immediately replaced.

Those who live in northern climates and receive heavy snow should have heat tape installed. Although this is not mandatory, it is highly recommended. It will prevent the formation of ice dams and keep water from penetrating the building and causing major damage. The cost of installing this preventive tool is a wise investment compared to the damage that could be caused by the massive accumulation of snow on eaves troughs valleys and downspouts. Although this device can be installed by non-professionals, it is still recommended to seek the help of professional roofing contractors to ensure complete safety and accuracy of the installation process.a Heat tape is indeed a useful tool to prevent roof damage in wintry climates!

Do you have a roof Houston TX that needs some attention? Schulte Roofing of Navasota provides professional service to the entire greater Houston area and can help customers with any roofing problems!

In a report by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the primary reason for an increase in household power consumption is the use of central air-conditioning. This accounts for approximately 31 percent of the total energy consumed by every household. In fact, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) is the major contributor to increased household utility expenses. National domestic power consumption rises during the summer due to the use of air-conditioning. One common factor that can be associated with this abrupt energy amplification is the absorption of heat by the home during sunny days.

When the roof absorbs radiant heat, that high temperature is transferred to the attic space which in turn causes the room temperature below the attic to increase. It is important for the warmth from the sun to be radiated back into the atmosphere to ultimately lower the room temperature. In short, every homeowner with a household air-conditioning unit should have radiant barriers installed to decrease high temperatures during the summer months. Roof company Houston contractors suggest that every homeowner should have at least some basic knowledge regarding these heat-reflecting obstacles.

Household Temperature Controller

Radiant barriers are types of aluminum foil installed in buildings to prevent the transference of reflective warmth between heat-radiating and heat-absorbing surfaces. This should help every household increase their energy savings during the summer. This material will block the infra-red energy emitted from the hot roof to keep the attic space cooler, therefore reducing the amount of radiant warmth in the rooms below the attic. There are several reflective barriers available on the market, including reflective chips, foil, and paint coatings.

Function

There are two factors that are involved in how radiant barriers function: emissivity and reflectivity. These two factors are the most important properties that make their obstructing capability more effective.

• Emissivity (0-1) ? This is also known as ?emittance?. It is the ability of the radiant barriers to emit thermal energy from hot surfaces.

• Reflectivity (0-9) ? This is also known as ?reflectance?. This is the capacity of the surface to reflect emitted heat from a hot surface.

The two properties of this material are essential in order to reduce energy consumption during the summer. These reflective barriers have low emissivity and high reflectivity.

During the summer, heat is absorbed in the roofing material when the sun strikes the roof. It will move into the attic surface by means of conduction and convection. At this point, the warmth will then be transferred from the attic surfaces to cooler surfaces (air ducts and attic floors) through radiation. If radiant barriers are installed, the increased temperature will be radiated back to the outside of the roof. Without such obstructions, the radiated heat will be absorbed by the interior surfaces which will hold the warmth, resulting in increased temperature levels. Local governments encourage every household to use radiant barriers to decrease energy consumption during hot sunny days.

Installation

The effectiveness and performance of radiant barriers is very dependent on how the material is installed by a certified roof company Houston contractor. Proper installation of these reflective obstacles can reflect heat by 97 percent; this provides homeowners with the opportunity to effectively reduce the electric consumption by the use of central air-conditioning.

Radiant barrier systems are different from roofing insulation which only slows down heat transfer. In contrast, reflective barrier systems not only slow down this transfer; they directly reflect the increased temperatures caused by the sun?s radiation. Roofing insulation does not have the capacity to stop this type of heat; therefore, obstructions must be installed to reflect these high temperatures. As an important part of the entire roofing system, it is essential for every homeowner to learn and gain valuable information about radiant barriers!

Do you really need drip edge flashing? How should it be installed? Where should it be installed? And what is a drip edge for? If you?ve ever thought about re-roofing your home, it?s likely you might?ve asked a few of these questions.

For starters, you do need a drip edge. Why? Because a drip edge is what prevents water from running down your home?s fascias, soffits, and walls ? and maybe even inside your home. A drip edge is installed under the roof?s shingles, under the underlayment, and behind the roof gutter. In the place of no gutter, a drip edge directs water off of your roof away from the walls. If there is a gutter, a drip edge directs water into the gutter, and not behind it where it can run down your home?s walls.

But a drip edge also needs to be installed with some space between the drip edge and the fascia board. When it is installed too tightly against the fascia board, it is impossible to get the upper edge of the gutter behind the drip edge. And what this means is that water can still run behind the gutter and not into it ? where it shouldn?t go.

When it is installed properly, a drip edge keeps water from collecting where it shouldn?t ? which is anywhere near your home. But when there is no drip edge, or it is not installed properly ? such as leaving a gap between the drip edge and the gutter, or fastening it too tightly against the roof fascia board water can be sent behind the gutter, or if there is no gutter, against the fascia board and walls of your home. The result? Water damage in the best case scenario, and water damage plus mold and mildew in the worst case scenario.

Whether installing a drip edge, or any roofing material, it is always helpful to remember a fundamental axiom of roofing ? all materials should be installed such that they direct water back out onto the roof surface ? toward daylight, and not into the roof layers or structure.

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Thicker is not always better; better is better!

With a virtual smorgasbord of roofing products to choose from, quality, value, and performance cannot be determined by measuring and subsequently putting a price on thickness alone. The debate is only technically relative to ?like kind? materials and the novice has a tendency to assume that just because certain products are similar, they are all alike.

Just about any roof system will stop water infiltration for a while but if you?re looking for performance, it is important to understand the entire value proposition. And thickness alone, above the fiber, below the fiber, or in total for that matter, offers little assurance that your purchase will meet your expectations. The only truth in this matter is that you will most likely get exactly what you pay for.

There are three separate ASTM thermoplastic standards for three very distinct plastic membrane technologies. The segregation of the ?plastics? has been recognized by FM, UL, the NRCA and the ICC. Yet we continue to debate the value of ?thickness? as a measure of the comparative value proposition among the individual products.

Look at the individual products within their ASTM class and evaluate their ?thickness? as a percentage of the minimum requirement as established by ASTM. ASTM Standards are only published as the result of consensus among a broad spectrum of industry professionals. aThe standards offer a characterization of specific products and articulate minimum physical properties desirable for those SPECIFIC products.

Theoretically, an 80mil TPO should out perform a 60mil TPO but that doesn?t mean the thicker TPO will out perform a 60mil vinyl or even a 36mil KEE membrane. It?s not the thickness of the material that really dictates performance. Rather, it is the chemical makeup of the material and how it?s processed into a compound.

There?s no doubt and you will be hard pressed to find someone to disagree that the only way to evaluate the performance for any of the membranes segregated within the categories as agreed upon by the ASTM Committees, is TIME.

Today, the thickness paradigm is rampant and crosses all polymeric materials. Is the push for thicker membranes really necessary? When consideration is given to the roofing industry?s new obsessions with sustainability, the question is not just whether these thicker materials are relevant to performance, but also if they can be stewards of our limited natural resources.

By definition, a true KEE membrane does not have to be thick to exhibit very desirable membrane attributes or retard the loss of some migratory component, whether it is the plasticizers in PVC or the Heat Stabilizers in TPO. KEE does not migrate, and a real KEE membrane with a minimum thickness of 0.81 mm (0.03 in.) has proven its ability to remain flexible and endure in harsh environments for more than 25 years.

Better is better when you consider how a KEE membrane is engineered. The membrane?s strength attributes come from the fabric, not its thickness. If the fabric is properly engineered, then the KEE coating?s purpose is to protect the fabric?s inherent attributes. Of course, the coating does have to endure the effects of time?and with roofing, time is brutal, but KEE has endured.

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