How Much Roof Heat Tape Do I Need

How much heat cable do i need to run the cable inside a downspout.

How much roof heat tape do i need.

Measure the length of your roof line. Multiply the gutter length by four if the eave is roughly one foot by five for a two foot eave and by six for a three foot eave. Calculate the length of heat tape and the number of roof clips and hangers needed for a heat tape installation to prevent ice dams. This should give you a rough idea of the length of cable you need.

Estimate electric circuit load most roof heating wire products are 110v with rated electric use of 8w per linear foot. There are 19 clips per pack. The most common heat tapes use either 2 watts per foot or 7 watts per foot and keep your water line from freezing down to an impressive 50f degrees. Divide the roof edge length by 19 and round up to get the number of clips that you will need.

Self regulating roof heat tape systems only draw the power they need to get the job done. Measure the depth of the eave overhang from the edge of the roof not the gutter straight back to the outside wall. Operating costs are far greater than the higher quality self regulating roof heat tape systems we install every day because big box ice dam heat tape systems operate at 100 capacity all the time regardless of the outdoor temperatures. Pirit heated hose 278 airport rd manchester center vt 05255 p.

If the eave overhang is 12 inches deep multiply the roof line measurement determined in step 1 by 4. If you choose to use heat tape pro xl add only the distance to power connection that is surplus of 50 feet so if you are 65 feet away put 15 for this. If your distance to power connection is longer then 15 feet you may want to consider our new heattape pro xl line of heat tape that includes an extra long cold lead on our industry leading heattape pro. 888 pirithh 747 4844 or 802 549 4671 customer service contact.

If the end of the heat cable stops in the downspout use that measurement.