- Had heated cables on my roof for a couple winters—here's what I learned:
- Pros: They DO melt ice dams pretty quick, no more icicles stabbing me when I walk out the front door (bonus points for survival).
- Cons: Electric bill spiked noticeably, and yup, saw some shingle wear after just two seasons.
- Ended up ditching them and upgraded attic insulation instead. Honestly, wish I'd done that first—made a huge difference in ice dam prevention and heating bills.
- But hey, every roof is different... maybe my shingles were just drama queens?
- Curious though, anyone tried those roof rake things to clear snow manually? Worth the hassle or just another winter torture device...?
Tried one of those roof rake things last winter—honestly, mixed feelings. On the plus side, it did clear snow pretty effectively without me climbing up there and risking life and limb. But man, my shoulders were killing me afterward... felt like I'd shoveled three driveways instead of just pulling snow off the roof. Still, cheaper than heated cables and no shingle drama (yet). Might be worth borrowing one first to see if your back agrees with it before committing.
"But man, my shoulders were killing me afterward... felt like I'd shoveled three driveways instead of just pulling snow off the roof."
Haha, did you get one of those super long-handled ones? Shorter handles can help with shoulder strain, but then you're back to dodging falling snow piles. Trade-offs, right?
"Shorter handles can help with shoulder strain, but then you're back to dodging falling snow piles. Trade-offs, right?"
Yeah, that's definitely a tricky balance. I picked up one of those telescoping roof rakes last winter—got it on clearance, thankfully—but even adjusting the length didn't completely solve the shoulder issue. I found that technique matters just as much as handle length. If you angle it right and let gravity do most of the work, it helps a bit... though there's always that one stubborn patch of ice that refuses to budge.
Speaking of roof upkeep, has anyone tried those heated cables along the roof edges? I've read mixed reviews about their effectiveness and energy usage. I'm curious if they're worth the investment or if it's just another gadget that'll hike up my electric bill without much benefit.
I've heard mixed things about heated cables too. My neighbor swears by them, says they keep ice dams away, but he's also the guy who decorates his roof like it's a Christmas carnival every year... so maybe energy efficiency isn't his top priority, haha. Wonder if anyone's compared those cables to just better attic insulation or ventilation—maybe that's the real trick to keeping ice off?
