Still, I wouldn’t write off heated cables completely if you’re desperate... just double-check the install so you don’t fry your shingles.
That’s fair. I used to be pretty anti-cable too, but after a brutal winter in Vermont, I get why folks reach for them. Ventilation made a bigger difference for me long-term, though. It’s wild how much a couple extra vents can change things—my attic went from sauna to just chilly. If you’re careful with the cables and keep an eye on the roof, sometimes you gotta do what works in the moment.
I hear you on the ventilation—made a world of difference for a few of my buildings too. Still, I’ve seen folks add vents and still get ice dams, especially on older, low-pitch roofs. Anyone ever try those ice melt pucks or just stick to the cables and vents?
- Tried the ice melt pucks a couple winters back—honestly, didn’t see much difference. They left weird stains on my shingles too, which was annoying.
- Cables seem more reliable, but they’re not exactly “green” and can look messy, especially on older homes.
- Ventilation’s a must, but with low-pitch roofs up here in the Midwest, it’s still a struggle. Insulation upgrades helped more than anything for me.
- If you’re set on using something chemical, I’d double-check what’s in those pucks—some aren’t exactly eco-friendly.
- Personally, I lean toward fixing heat loss first, then cables as a last resort. Pucks just feel like a band-aid.
Insulation upgrades helped more than anything for me.
Same here—upgrading attic insulation made the biggest difference for us, especially after a couple of bad ice dam years. We’ve got a low-slope roof too (asphalt shingles, northern Illinois), and honestly, the pucks just left white streaks all over. Not worth the hassle or the cost. What worked for us was sealing up attic bypasses with spray foam, then adding a layer of blown-in cellulose. Not glamorous, but the ice dams shrank a ton, and our heating bill dropped. Cables are my backup plan, but haven’t needed them since.
Not gonna lie, I’m a little torn on this. Upgrading insulation and sealing up the attic is definitely smart—no argument there. But from my experience, especially with older homes or those quirky rooflines, it’s not always the silver bullet folks hope for. We put in a ton of cellulose in our attic (Minneapolis, 1940s Cape Cod, so it’s a bit of a drafty beast), and while it helped with heating bills and reduced some of the ice dam drama, we still got those monster icicles along the north side.
Here’s where I’ll push back a bit: have you looked into green or “living” roof options? I know, sounds out there for the Midwest, but hear me out. Even a shallow sedum layer can act as natural insulation, slow down melt, and help with runoff. It’s not just for fancy new builds either—there are retrofit kits now that work on existing low-slope roofs. We did a test patch two winters ago and, honestly, the snow stuck around longer (which is what you want), and the attic stayed cooler. Less melt, less refreeze, fewer dams. Plus, it looks pretty wild in the summer.
I get that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea—install can be pricey up front, and you’ve gotta be sure your structure can handle the weight. But if you’re already thinking about long-term solutions or re-roofing anyway, it’s worth looking into. At the very least, it’s a conversation starter with the neighbors.
Also, I’ll admit: pucks are useless and cables are ugly, but sometimes you just need a quick fix to get through a bad year. Still, I’d rather invest in something that cuts down on the problem instead of just treating the symptoms. Maybe I’m just stubborn that way...
