The type of ice melt system your home needs depends on projected snow loads where your home is located. The snow load is the accumulated snow from multiple snow falls that is projected to sit on your roof for an extended period of time during the winter months. Factors affecting snow load include snowfall, temperature fluctuations rising above freezing, wind that will blow snow off the roof and sunlight (or shade) which accelerates snow melting.
We install products from Bylin Engineered Systems which are engineered to minimize the formation of ice dams and icicles along the eaves and valleys of your roof. Bylin offers several different technologies depending on your projected snow accumulation. They have “… defined the roof snow accumulation areas into classes to help determine which Bylin Roof Ice Melt system is relevant to your home’s location”.
- Class 1 areas get heavy snow accumulation, averaging more than 15 inches of snow on the roof for much of the winter. Annual snowfall exceeds 100 inches or what you expect for elevations over 6,000 feet (New England Resort Areas) and ares surrounding the Great Lakes which get the higher lake effect snowfall. Bylin’s patented RIM Eave heating panels delivering 36wt/ft with 3 heat cables is recommended for class 1 snow areas.
- Class 2 areas have moderate snow accumulation between 6 and 15 inches of snow for significant parts of the winter. Their annual snowfall is under 100 feet. This area covers the upper half of the US except for coastal regions on the west coast, and dipping down to the high plains and mountains in Arizona and New Mexico. For class 2 areas, Bylin has developed the patented RIM2 Eave heating panels delivering up to 16wt/ft with 2 heat cables, to reduce the formation of ice dams and icicles on roof eaves.
- For low pitch roofs (less than 3/12 roof pitch), there are patented RIM and RIM2 LP heating panels offering comparable 2 and 3 cable heating systems to prevent ice dams and icicles on low pitch roof eaves.
RIM = Roof Ice Melt (RIM)
Roof Ice Melt Technology
These ice melt system is much more than heat cables. The system begins with an aluminum base panel designed for maximum heat transfer. The heat cables are seated in the base panel and
The eave panels are installed along the roof edge (eaves) to minimize the formation of icicles and ice dams. The base of the panel sit on a waterproof membrane and patented heating cables (number of cables depends on snow load and system design) run through this base. The cover panel fits on top of the base. The panels run up to 10 feet, and they’re made of metal to maximize heat distribution across the covered area.
Click for more detailed RIM (Roof Ice Melt) Eave Panel specifications.
Panels for roof valleys distribute heat the same way eave panels work although they’re designed differently. There is no roof overhang and they need to sit close to the metal roof flashing that prevents water from flowing down below the roof shingles. Depending on how much sunlight your roof valleys get, you may need valley panels on one or both sides.
Click for detailed RIM (Roof Ice Melt) Valley Panel specifications.
The heating cables used with the RIM eave and valley panels are designed for roof and gutter de-icing using Bylin Engineered Systems patented technology. The cables are self-regulating with the ability to slow the electrical flow as the cable warms to the desired temperature. These heat cables are both UL and CSA (Canadian) approved and come in 120 Vac and 208-277 Vac operating voltages. For more information about these cables, read the Roof and Gutter De-Icing Cable data sheet.
An ambient sensing thermostat that’s housed in a weather tight junction box supports incoming electrical power wiring and heating cable power connections. The thermostat is factory set to automatically energize the cable system when temperatures drop below 36 degrees Fahrenheit, and turn off when the temperature rises above 38 degrees. To save energy, it can also be set to turn off when temperatures drop below 15 degrees as ice dams generally form when temperatures are between 15 and 36 degrees. For more information, review ASE ambient sensing thermostat product description.
New England Ice Solutions represent Bylin Enginnered Systems in Massachusetts, New Hampshire plus selected areas in Maine and Vermont, with residential and commercial installation solutions that help prevent damage from ice and snow on the roof.
New England Ice Solutions serves these towns on the MA north shore: Andover, Belmont, Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boston, Boxford, Carlisle, Charlestown, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Lexington, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, Rockport, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury, Weston
We also work in following towns along the NH Seacoast: Amherst, Bedford, Durham, Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, North Hampton, Portsmouth, Rye and Rye Beach, Stratham,