Roof & Gutter De-Icing Kit Model ADKS Owners Manual READ, SAVE AND PASS ON these instructions to anyone who will be using this cable, including future users/homeowners. ©2002 Easy Heat The Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listing to Canadian safety standards and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certification are valid only when the kit is installed, used, operated and maintained according to the following instructions. Questions? If you have questions regarding installation, operation or maintenance of this kit, call toll-free 800/562-6587 for assistance, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM EST. Online: http://www.easyheat.com ADKS Owners Manual 1 11629-001 Rev. 0 ADKS Owners Manual ©2002 Easy Heat 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. II. Important Safety Information ................................................ 5 Pre-Installation Planning & Information ................................ 7 Purpose of this Product ............................................................. 7 Who Should Install the Cable .................................................... 7 When to Install the Cable .......................................................... 7 Determining What Areas Need Cable ...................................... 7 Checking Cable Length ............................................................. 7 Roof, Gutter & Downspout Requirements ............................ 8 Electrical Requirements ......................................................... 8 Materials Needed for Installation .......................................... 9 ADKS Kit Materials .................................................................... 9 Additional Tools & Materials Required ...................................... 9 Installing the Cable ............................................................... 10 Planning Your Cable Arrangement .......................................... 10 Proper Handling & Care of the Cable ..................................... 13 Testing the Cable ..................................................................... 13 Preparing Your Roof, Gutters & Downspouts ......................... 13 Attaching the Cable ................................................................. 14 Final Installation Steps ............................................................. 17 Use & Maintenance of the Cable ......................................... 18 Pre-Season Checks .................................................................. 18 Turning the Cable On and Off ................................................. 18 Checking Operation and Condition of Cable .......................... 19 Resetting Circuit Breaker/Replacing Blown Fuse .................... 19 Off-Season Instructions ........................................................... 19 Removing the Cable ............................................................. 19 Limited Warranty ................................................................. 20 Appendix A: Basic Information About Ice Dam Formation and Prevention ............................... 21 Appendix B: Estimating the Cable Length You Need ......... 22 3 III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. ADKS Owners Manual This page left intentionally blank ADKS Owners Manual 4 I. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNING Improper installation, use, operation or maintenance of this product may result in injury or death from electric shock or fire. It may also result in property damage from ice dams. Read and follow the instructions in this manual. If you have questions, call toll-free 800/562-6587 for assistance. Give this manual to anyone who will be using this cable, including future users/homeowners. To reduce the risk of ice dam formation or injury or death from electric shock or fire: Follow all electrical requirements for using this product. See Electrical Requirements section on pages 8 9 for details. In summary, these requirements include using a 120 volt A/C outdoor receptacle that meets all of the following: Is grounded. Is ground fault protected. Or, use the Easy Heat Cable Sentry (Model HCP1, sold separately). Is on a circuit that has an appropriate current (amp) rating. Has an on/off switch that has an indicator light (pilot light). Is protected from the weather. Is within 6 feet of the cable starting point on the roof. Easy Heat recommends that you do not use an extension cord with this cable. If you are unsure whether your electrical receptacle meets these requirements, contact your local electrical inspector or a licensed electrician. Avoid overheating the cable. For example: Do not allow the heated portion of an operating cable to touch, cross over or overlap itself or to touch another deicing cable. Do not operate the cable in warm weather (above 50°F or10°C). Do not install cable where it might be warmed by sources of heat, such as an exhaust vent or chimney. Do not alter or modify the cable in any way. For example: do not cut or splice the cable, or paint or expose it to chemicals, such as glue, caulk or adhesive. Keep all combustible materials away from the cable, such as leaves, pine needles, seeds or windblown trash. Do not attach the cable to a combustible material, such as any wooden parts of the eave. Do not use a cable that is damaged or has deteriorated. Dispose of it. Signs of damage include: cuts, brittleness, charring, cracking, discolored surfaces, or bare wires. Use this product only as intended and described in this manual. ADKS Owners Manual 5 This page left intentionally blank ADKS Owners Manual 6 II. PRE-INSTALLATION PLANNING & INFORMATION A. PURPOSE OF THIS PRODUCT This deicing cable is designed to prevent ice buildup, known as ice dams, from forming on roofs and in gutters and downspouts. When properly installed and operated, this product creates a path for melted snow or ice (melt water) to drain from the roof to the ground. Do not install this product to remove ice dams that have already formed or to clear the roof of ice and snow. Do not use this deicing cable for any other purposes, such as to melt snow on sidewalks or to protect pipes from freezing. Easy Heat offers other products designed for these purposes. See your local dealer or call Easy Heat toll-free at 800/562-6587. Improved ventilation (cooling) of the space underneath the roof surface, if possible, can also reduce the likelihood of ice dam formation. To avoid ice dams, the entire roof surface should be kept at the same temperature as the outside air. Consult a professional roofer for expert advice on roof venting; refer to Appendix A on page 21. To solve ice dam problems when snow and ice are on the roof, contact a professional roofer for expert advice. To prevent future ice dams, you can install the deicing cable once the ice and snow have melted and before the next winter season. The temperature allows for lifting of the shingle tabs In general, the temperature should be between 32° and 80°F (0°C and 27°C). Below 32°F (0°C), shingles are brittle and may break off when lifted to install the cable clips. Above 80°F (27°C), shingles may be warm and may tear when lifted to install the cable clips. D. DETERMINING WHAT AREAS NEED CABLE In general, the cable should be installed on roof areas where ice dams are likely to form. Depending on the exposure to the sun, prevailing wind direction and roof shape, the susceptible area may be the entire roof edge, or it may be specific areas, such as underneath skylights, in roof valleys or around dormers. Ice dams can be identified at points where snow has melted on an upper roof surface, but the area below is still snow and/or ice covered. Icicles are also a sign of ice dams. Cable should also be installed in any nearby gutters, downspouts and/or valleys so that a clear path is provided for melt water to drain. If your previous ice dam problems have only included ice forming in the gutter and there are no ice dam problems on the roof, install the cable in the gutter and downspouts only. See Planning Your Cable Arrangement on pages 10 13 for details on the proper layout of the cable and Appendix A on page 21 for more information about ice dam formation and prevention. B. WHO SHOULD INSTALL THE CABLE Although the installation of the cable does not require special skills, you may wish to hire a professional for a variety of reasons. For example, if you are uncertain about any of the Electrical Requirements on pages 8 - 9, or if you are not comfortable working on a ladder or on the roof, you may need to hire a professional, such as a licensed electrician. Also, slate, stone, ceramic and metal roofs require professional installation and special considerations. Contact Easy Heat for more information toll-free at 800/562-6587. C. WHEN TO INSTALL THE CABLE The deicing cable may be installed when: There is no ice or snow on the roof Do not use this cable to melt snow and ice that has already formed on your roof or in your gutters or downspouts, as you would not be able to attach the cable properly with the clips. Additionally, this cable was not designed to melt snow; rather, it simply provides a path for snow or ice that has already melted (meltwater) to flow to the ground. E. CHECKING CABLE LENGTH After you have determined what areas need cable (see above), see Appendix B on pages 2225 to check your estimation of the length of cable that you need. ADKS Owners Manual 7 III.ROOF, GUTTER & DOWNSPOUT REQUIREMENTS This kit is only designed for use on: inclined roofs. An inclined roof is one where the water is expected to flow off the roof edge. roofs with noncombustible tab shingles (such as asphalt shingles) that meet national building codes. metal or plastic gutters/downspouts. Is ground-fault protected. A ground-fault protected receptacle reduces the risk of fire or electric shock by stopping the flow of electricity (current) when it senses that current is flowing through something other than the cable (for example, a person or downspout). This unintended current: can be caused by a damaged cable, may not be large enough to trip a circuit breaker, can lead to overheating of the cable, which can result in fire, and may result in electrocution due to exposed electrical parts. One type of ground-fault protection is a ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI). Some, but not all, outdoor receptacles are equipped with a GFCI. If you are not sure if your receptacle has ground-fault protection, check with your local electrical inspector or a licensed electrician, or use the Easy Heat Heating Cable Protector (HCP1) (sold separately). The Easy Heat Heating Cable Protector (HCP1) is a ground-fault protection device that is intended primarily to protect against fire. The HCP1 also provides some protection against electric shock and electrocution, but it does not reduce the risk as much as a GFCI. Is on a circuit that has an appropriate current (amp) rating. Do not use this cable on a circuit whose circuit breaker or fuse is rated at more than 20 amps. Limiting the circuit to a maximum of 20 amps will reduce the risk of fire and electric shock if the cable becomes damaged. While a 20 amp circuit is the maximum allowed, you also need to check that the circuit can supply enough current without being overloaded. Overloading a circuit can lead to a tripped breaker or a blown fuse. To avoid overloading the circuit, do not use more than 80% of the circuits rated capacity (for example, do not load a 20 amp circuit more than 16 amps, and do not load a 15 amp circuit above 12 amps). See Table 1 below for the current needed for your cable length. If you do not have a circuit with an appropriate rating, contact a licensed electrician. Use of this kit on any other type of roof, gutter or downspout increases the risk of ice dam formation or injury or death from electric shock or fire. Do not use this kit on any other type of roof, gutter and downspout, including: Roofs with wooden shingles. Rubber or rubber membrane roofs. Composite (tar and gravel) roofs. Wooden gutters or downspouts. Flat roofs. Slate, stone or ceramic and metal roofs. These types of roofs require special consideration. Contact Easy Heat for more information toll-free at 800/562-6587. If you are unsure if your roof, gutters, and downspouts meet these requirements, call a professional roofing contractor. WARNING IV. ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS There are several requirements for the electrical system that supplies power to this deicing cable. Check with your local electrical inspector or a licensed electrician if you are unsure about the requirements listed below or what you may need to do in order to meet all applicable electrical codes and ordinances. Failure to meet these electrical system requirements may result in ice dam formation or injury or death from electric shock or fire. This cable must be plugged into a 120 volt A/C outdoor receptacle that: Is grounded. This cable is equipped with a three-prong plug that ...