Heating cables - a good helper to keep water pipes flowing in winter

 Winter should be spent safely in your home or workplace, not battling nasty leaks caused by increased precipitation that can lead to roof damage. You may be asking yourself, how do I stop my roof from leaking this winter?

The main causes of roof leaks
While there are many conditions that can lead to roof leaks, especially in cold weather, leaks usually occur due to at least one of the following four key causes.

Ice dams: Snow builds up on the roof and then melts. Melting is accelerated if the temperature rises and the snow is exposed to direct sunlight, or if there is excessive heat loss from the roof due to poor insulation. Most of the melt water runs off the roof, but when the temperature drops, the water freezes. The frozen runoff forms ice ridges. As this process repeats itself, the ridge becomes higher, stopping more water from flowing off the roof. As more water builds up on the roof, refreezes and expands, it will begin to flow upward under the roof covering, causing water to seep into the waterproofing system. Under certain conditions, this can happen on any old or new roof.

Damaged Roof Systems: Without proper inspection, cracks or holes in the roof may be difficult to detect. When small storms do not cause leaks, it is easy to assume that your roof is adequately protected. However, problems with roof seams and damaged shingles can lead to winter leaks that need to be repaired immediately, especially if these areas freeze and expand.

Clogged gutters: It's not just roofs that need protection in the winter - gutter systems are also at risk of problems. If gutters become clogged with leaves, branches and other debris, it can lead to ice and water buildup. Large amounts of ice buildup can even become heavy enough to pull the gutters off the roof.

Broken membranes and flooding problems: Roof flooding is a material installed on the roof to direct water away from critical areas of the roof, such as where the roof plane meets a wall or chimney. Because snow doesn't always fall vertically in the winter, it can get into flashing cracks and cause water to pool inside the building. The same is true for any problems with roofing membranes.

How can I stop roof leaks?
The first thing you should do to prevent your roof from leaking is to have it inspected. Watch for any problems that could cause leaks before the first winter snowfall.

Once the inspection is complete, take steps to repair any cracks, holes or other damage before cold weather sets in. You can also take other steps, such as replacing insulation in the attic space or professionally cleaning gutters and downspouts. Many of these actions will need to be repeated throughout the winter to ensure complete protection.

Another thing to consider is the typical state of your roof and gutter system each winter. If you notice that your roof and gutters tend to accumulate icicles during the winter, this is an indication that ice dams can be a problem. Improving roof insulation can help slow the melt/re-freeze cycle, but this may not be practical and may not completely solve the problem. This is where roof and gutter de-icing systems come in handy.

Is there a long-term solution?
Self-regulating heating cable maintains a continuous path for melt water to drain before it flows out of the roof and gutter system without refreezing.

Self-regulating heat tape can be installed in any climate and are designed to handle severe weather conditions such as high wind speeds, low temperatures, heavy snow loads and high UV exposure. Even in non-traditional or complex roof systems, there is often an option to protect the roof and keep the ice from melting.

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