Heat Tape, also referred as Heat Cable or Heat Trace, is an electrical cable designed to prevent parts of your roof, gutters, or pipes from freezing in the winter months. It can either be self-regulating (adjusting the heat output based on outdoor temperatures) or constant wattage (delivering a steady level of heat).

The lifespan of the cable can vary based on type, quality of the product, and the overall usage of the system. Some lower end constant wattage cables only last 1-4 seasons; higher end self-regulating heat cable, like Heat Tape Pro™, can last 20-30 years.

You need heat tape on your roof when your home is prone to ice dams and you need a targeted fix to prevent water from backing up into your house. If winters bring thick ridges of ice along your roof eaves, gutters, or valleys, heat tape melts drainage channels through the ice. This allows melting snow to run off freely rather than pooling and backing up under your shingles. Poor roof ventilation and poor attic insulation both contribute to larger ice dam creations. Addressing these issues along with installing heat tape is a sure fire way of tacking ice dams across all Utah winters. Heat Tape Pro™ is an effective self-regulating heat cable that battle your snow and ice reliably all winter long.

The Snow Retention industry uses a lot of terms, which can get confusing fast. While they all serve the same goal of holding back the snow to the roof to prevent sliding (or roof avalanches as they are also called), allowing it to melt safely, they do it using different designs:

Snow Guards/ Snow Spikes:

These are small, individual brackets attached across the roof face in a staggered pattern. They act like cleats, gripping the bottom layer of the snowpack to keep it from breaking free. They are common on both shingle roofs and metal roofs. Often common in low snow fall areas.

Snow Bars/ Snow Dams:

These typically refer to a single bar-like structure installed across the roof edge. These are designed to hold back medium to large amounts of snow. They can also be installed in multiple rows across the roof as needed. These are highly favored on standing-seam metal roofs because they can often be clamped on without piercing the metal.

Snow Fence/ Snow Rails:

These are continuous horizontal pipe or bar systems installed near the eaves, often with 2 or more pipes on each row of assembly. They act like a structural fence, blocking the snowpack from sliding forward. These are highly favored on standing-seam metal roofs because they can often be clamped on without piercing the metal.

You need a snow retention system (snow guards, snow fences, or pipe snow stops) when snow or ice tends to slide off your roof in heavy, sudden avalanches, a dangerous phenomenon to property or other below in its path.

Unlike heat tape (which melts ice dams), snow retention holds accumulated snow on the roof so it thaws and sheds gradually in small, harmless amounts.

The 3 main applications:

Metal roofing (standing seam, metal shingles, corrugated panels) – The #1 primary candidate for snow guards.

Slate, tile, and synthetic materials

Solar panels

Note on Asphalt Shingles: Traditional granular shingles naturally create high friction. You rarely need snow retention on asphalt shingles unless your roof has an unusually steep pitch (10:12 or higher) or sits in an area with extreme heavy snowfall.

Even if you have a metal roof, you may not need retention across the entire roofline. You must install it above areas where a sudden snow slide causes damage or injury:

Pedestrian walkways, entryways, and porches (safety hazard for people).

Driveways and parking areas (avoids crushing vehicles).

HVAC units, gas meters, or lower roof sections (avoids expensive structural or mechanical repairs).

Gutters and downspouts (heavy snow slides frequently tear gutters right off the fascia).

An ice dam is a thick ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof line (eaves) or around gutters. It acts as a physical wall, blocking melting snow from draining off the roof.

When meltwater hits this dam and cannot drain, it pools into a standing liquid reservoir behind the ice. Eventually, that trapped water finds its way under the roof shingles and leaks directly into the attic, walls, and interior ceilings.

The safest method to remove an ice dam is though arctic steaming. Removing an ice dam requires melting or cutting a drainage path through the ice without applying physical force directly to your shingles, which are brittle in sub-freezing temperatures and easily damaged. Arctic seaming uses High-temperature steam slices ice dams into small chunks like a hot knife through butter without using pressure that would strip shingle granules.

DO NOT try to hammer, chip, use a hot pressure washer, or ice melt as these methods will damage your roof and gutters.

If you aren't experiencing severe leaking, a preventive DIY method is to use an extension roof rake while standing safely on the ground. An ice dam relies on melting snow higher up on the roof deck to keep growing. Gently pull snow off the lower 3 to 6 feet of your roof edge.

Caution: Leave a thin layer (1/2 inch) of snow rather than scraping the metal blade directly against the shingles to avoid tearing the asphalt granules. This will not work on larger, present ice dams.