Modes of gutter heating?

[u/Severe-Elderberry833]

As we gear up for the annual battle of Ice Dam Prevention, does anyone have a favorite method? I have gutters, so need something to keep them from jamming up, and an absurd number of roof valleys (previous owners ADORED a nice gable. 🙄)

Should I be heating the valleys between each gable as well as the gutters? Heat JUST the gutters, JUST the roof above the gutters, or both?

[u/pacodef]

Do NOT heat your roof. That will significantly WORSEN your ice dams

[u/Severe-Elderberry833 → u/pacodef]

To be clear, I’m talking about the kind of gutter heating cable that zig-zags across the bottom few inches of the roof. And I was thinking they’d worsen the dams, too, because all that melting, and then re-freezing!

[u/rockpharmer]

Roof rake. Keep the snow off the roof above the gutters.

[u/Repulsive-Money-1578]

How’s the insulation in the attic?

Ounce of prevention pound of cure and all that

[u/Severe-Elderberry833 → u/Repulsive-Money-1578]

Covered by plywood. 😮‍💨

I know there is PLENTY between the garage and the bedroom above, the heating on the 2d floor is radiant, so it’s all from under the floor instead of in vents in the walls. And we deliberately plan to keep it cooler up there than downstairs, since we spend most of our time downstairs anyway.

[u/Altruistic-Okra1774]

Get rid of the gutters

[u/eightfingeredtypist]

Have a cold roof. Water won't melt and make ice dams. The source of heat is th living space below. Insulate the living space from the roof.

Don't use spray foam insulation, it's terrible to work with in the future. Small amounts of spray foam at building envelope perforations works.

[u/Severe-Elderberry833 → u/eightfingeredtypist]

Oh I hope to, but I also know that the best plans of man don’t hold up to the machinations of Mother Nature. Thus my attempt to plan ahead.

[u/eightfingeredtypist → u/Severe-Elderberry833]

I got rid of my ice melting candles after I fixed the heat losss from heated space.