Can I just lay this cord in the gutter? i am not getting an ice dam but i want to keep my gutters and down spots clear
1392925
Yes. It doesn't get all that hot just warm to the touch but enough to keep any snow or ice from freezing. I ran mine in the gutter and down the leader. I bought a thermostatic plug that will only turn the cable on at 35 degrees and stay on until it gets back up to 45 degrees. Saves a lot of electricity although this winter it has been on most of the time. Amazon also sells the thermostatic plug.
1392926
yes so long as you make sure it clipped down some how. You wouldn't want it fall out!
1392927
that is basically what I did. I did have a problem with length. I ordered one that wound up being too long. Make sure you measure the gutter and downspout correctly. I have had on ice dams so far this winter.
1392928
Sure just lay it in gutter. It can be overlapped if you want to. I put this up for this season and it works great! I just plug it in just before a storm and leave it on for a week or as long or short as necessary.
1392929
You can lay it on the ice and it will melt it's way through. I have one cord that is attached to the roof that stays put. It also runs the length of the gutter. And, I have another one that I move around as ice builds up. I just drape it over the ice and it melts to the roof. Several times and it starts to break up. The thing I noticed is these cords don't seem to be very durable. I had one that didn't last very long as I must have been a bit too rough on it moving it around.
2052544
No, I do not think so. It is way too big, heavy, and would likely ruin the roof. On a roof ice dam, I would use the flat side of an axe to shatter the ice.Or use an electric warming defroster. You would likely fall off the roof trying to haul this heavy thing up there, and would go right through the roof before you knew it, if you turned it on. Way over kill. If you insist on using a vibrating hammer, get a little air impact hammer that uses a compressor on the ground.
1356109
Hello, thanks for the question. But I do not know the answer. I have installed and use it in my gutters, and it works. Sorry I am not the one to ask
2102887
With proper ventilation (to keep your roof cold) and insulation (so house air doesn't warm it up) you shouldn't have any ice damns so will be OK. I redid all that on my place before installing the guard, so don't know how it does with heavy damning. Without damning it has held up fine in the snow.
1601129
I recently removed my gutter installer- I rigged it together last year, rain chain fell over the winter- and gutter got completely clogged with debris because of it:( I actually bought 2 different rain chains- what worked better was the one with a "V" shaped wire to connect the chain- so I fashioned one with the wire from a 5 gallon bucket. I cut it about 10" long probably and just made "ears" on each end to keep it in the gutter- so far so good and no debris build up. I thought about returning the connecter but it would cost me too much in shipping. Good luck- enjoy-
368368
I have several hundred feet installed. I do NOT think it would be possible to rake any snow near the gutter portion of the roof; such as within about 2 feet from the gutters up in my case. It would catch the cable and pull it loose. (And it would be a pain to put it back at that time, cuz the shingles are cold/brittle.) I say no.
1281429
Yes, you can bury in the ground with pvc for protection against frost movement of rocks and tree roots. pvc pipe is cheap. In the future you may plant something forgetting where the cable is and cut it with a shovel. As an electrican I never put any kind of cable in the ground without some lind of abrasion protection. It sure beats having to replace a whole cable because someone cut it years from now digging a hole for a bush.
226265
Bottom of down spout is not appropriate for this unit given how ice damns are formed. Use an extension cord of proper current rating to connect cable in down spout to the controller.
2050265
It will work, but it will be extremely slow and tedious work. Also some common sense stuff, like don't use directly on plastic gutters. If your gutters are painted it will bubble the paint if you hold it in one spot too long. Use it in combination with a tool to break up the ice and remove it in chunks, being careful not to damage gutter, roofing etc. Hope that helps.
1561322
I would like to believe so. It is an indoor/outdoor cord. Mind you there are cords specifically designed for cold weather temps. It's a judgement call really.
1678026
I don't advise it, snow turns to water when it hits a warm engine and generator. If it gets into the electronic parts I'm sure it will do damage or short out. I live in Rhode Island and I just made a 50 foot 4 prong cord so that I can put the generator in my shed during the blizzard that we are having now. So far the power has not gone out but I'm ready if it does. If you don't have a shed close buy, you can build a enclosure for it. Search YouTube there are some good ideas. I believe if the power is going to go out it usually is going to be severe weather conditions so you need to protect the generator from the elements. If you build one make sure it has a fan inside to get air flo. Hope this helps. I don't advise it, snow turns to water when it hits a warm engine and generator. If it gets into the electronic parts I'm sure it will do damage or short out. I live in Rhode Island and I just made a 50 foot 4 prong cord so that I can put the generator in my shed during the blizzard that we are having now. So far the power has not gone out but I'm ready if it does. If you don't have a shed close buy, you can build a enclosure for it. Search YouTube there are some good ideas. I believe if the power is going to go out it usually is going to be severe weather conditions so you need to protect... » Read More I don't advise it, snow turns to water when it hits a warm engine and generator. If it gets into the electronic parts I'm sure it will do damage or short out. I live in Rhode Island and I just made a 50 foot 4 prong cord so that I can put the generator in my shed during the blizzard that we are having now. So far the power has not gone out but I'm ready if it does. If you don't have a shed close buy, you can build a enclosure for it. Search YouTube there are some good ideas. I believe if the power is going to go out it usually is going to be severe weather conditions so you need to protect the generator from the elements. If you build one make sure it has a fan inside to get air flo. Hope this helps. « Show Less
1786726
ran ours all last winter, it was hooked up to a outdoor power strip which was run off of a 100 ft heavy duty extension cord, so I think you would be fine using an outdoor heavy duty cord. I would recommend covering the connection to keep out moisture with a cord connector or even a plastic 2 liter bottle, just cut a slice in the side of it and stick the cord ends inside it.
98295
Heating cable for this gutter LeafsOut protector probably would not be satisfactory unless the cable ran the full length of the gutter to downspout. Electrical energy consumed by the heating cable would be cost prohibitive.
2054426
First off I do not know the conditions of the environment in which you intend on using your cord in. I would not recommend using the cord while its raining and I would not recommend using the cord if the cord is going to be submerged under any length of water. However if it had just stopped raining or if it's early in the morning dew on the ground it should be fine as long as the cord is in good condition and you're using good judgement. Extend the cord between the two points first and then plug it in. Make sure before you put the cord away that you unplug it from the source of electricity first.
1955448
I do not have mine attached to a gutter - I fill it manually at the beginning of the growing season and let "rain" do the rest of the work. I have it on the deck on top of some milk crates. This has worked well for me. Good Luck!
486555
I believe so. The cord has a plastic outer cover and the end plugs are molded on, so as long as you keep the ends out of puddles, you should be ok. I'm using it outside myself
197017
To be safest, I would plug the cord end of this into a "GFCI" rated outlet. In this way snow and rain could pose no real threat or danger.