Professional roof and gutter heat cable installation for South Shore and Cape Cod homes. We install commercial-grade nVent RAYCHEM WinterGard Wet self-regulating cable, cut to fit your gutters and downspouts, to keep meltwater draining all winter and help stop ice dams and icicles.
Get a Free Heat Cable EstimateSelf-Regulating Cable
Turns heat up in freezing weather and down as it warms. Safe where runs cross.
10-Year Manufacturer Warranty
nVent RAYCHEM coverage when installed to manufacturer standards.
Code-Compliant Power Kit
Raychem H908 kit with built-in 30 mA ground-fault equipment protection.
Why Professional Heat Cable Beats a Hardware Store Kit
Retail heat tape kits come in fixed lengths and run at one constant temperature. Here is what you get with a professional RAYCHEM WinterGard Wet installation.
| Feature | RAYCHEM WinterGard Wet (installed by Up The Gutter) | Typical retail heat tape kit |
|---|---|---|
| Heat output | Self-regulating: more heat in ice and snow, less as it warms | Constant wattage whenever it is plugged in |
| Crossing or overlapping runs | Safe to touch and overlap, needed for downspouts and guards | Must never touch or cross; overlap can overheat |
| Length | Cut from the reel to your exact gutter and downspout lengths | Fixed factory lengths; extra cable cannot be cut or coiled |
| Ground-fault protection | H908 kit with 30 mA GFEP to code, without nuisance tripping | Often plugged into a 5 mA outdoor GFCI that trips in wet cold |
| Warranty | 10-year manufacturer warranty plus our workmanship warranty | Usually a short limited warranty |
Heat Cable for Gutters With Guards: Our Dual-Run Method
If your home has perforated aluminum gutter guards, heating only the inside of the gutter is not enough. In freezing weather, slush freezes across the screen holes. The trough stays open, but snowmelt hits the frozen screen, sheets over the front of the gutter, and turns into icicles.
We run the cable twice: once inside the trough and once along the top of the guard. That melts a drainage path straight through the screen, so roof meltwater gets into the gutter and down the spout. The dual run is included in our per-foot price on guarded gutters, and it works with the gutter guards we install.
Our Heat Cable Installation Process
1. Measure and Plan
We measure every gutter run, downspout, and problem area, check where ice has formed before, and locate the power source.
2. Clean and Prep
Gutters and downspouts need to be clear so meltwater can actually drain. Loose hangers are secured before the cable goes in.
3. Install Cable, Clips and End Seals
Cable is cut to length and fastened with gutter clips and downspout hangers, with no fasteners through your roof. Each run gets a sealed end.
4. Connect, Test and Walk Through
We connect the H908 power kit, test the system, and show you how to turn it on and off and what to check after storms.
Electrical note: the system plugs into a working exterior outlet. If you need a new outlet or a dedicated circuit, that work is done by a licensed electrician.
What Heat Cable Does (and Doesn’t Do)
- Keep drainage channels open in gutters and downspouts
- Reduce ice dams and heavy icicles along the heated runs
- Help prevent frozen, split downspouts
- Heat or clear your whole roof
- Melt ice that formed before it was turned on
- Fix the root causes of ice dams, such as attic heat loss or poor ventilation
What Does It Cost to Run?
A typical 125-foot cable system draws about 750 watts at 40°F and up to about 1,000 watts in freezing ice. At $0.20 per kWh, that is roughly $3.60 to $4.80 per day of continuous use. Most homes only run it during snow and freeze-thaw periods, and the self-regulating cable uses less power as conditions improve.
Heat Cable Installation Across the South Shore
We install roof and gutter heat cable throughout Plymouth County, Norfolk County, and the Upper Cape to Hyannis, including Marshfield, Duxbury, Scituate, Pembroke, Hanover, Norwell, Hingham, Weymouth, Braintree, Quincy, Plymouth, Kingston and Brockton. Pair it with seamless gutters and gutter guards for a complete winter drainage system.
Heat Cable FAQ
Is heat cable worth it in Massachusetts?
For homes with a history of ice dams, icicles, or frozen downspouts, yes. It is far less expensive than repairing roof leaks and interior water damage. It works best alongside good attic insulation and ventilation.
Can you install heat cable on gutters with guards?
Yes. We use a dual run, inside the trough and on top of the guard, so water can drain through the screen instead of freezing on top of it.
When should I install it?
Before the first hard freeze. The cable keeps ice from forming; it will not remove a large ice dam that is already there.
Do I need an electrician?
Only if there is no working exterior outlet near the start of the run, or you want a dedicated circuit. We will tell you during the estimate.
Request Your Free Heat Cable Estimate
Book before the first freeze. Call or text 781.204.1248 or fill out the form below.