DIY Network

I recently had a contractor repair/replace my flat roof and down spout. In doing so he neglected to rewrap me gutter warmer. Due to the way he installed my down spout, I am unable to do it myself and he is not returning my calls to do this correctly. My question is can I fasten the cable to the outside using zip ties and still have it be effective instead of wrapping it around the outside.

i'll be darned, i have never seen the cable on the outside. just on the inside.
i guess they make anything,
seems less efective to me.

Any gutter heater cable I've seen lays in the bottom of the gutter and the wire runs down the down spout so it can be plugged in.

that is all i have ever seen, the cable melts the ice, i have installed on commercial work
not res. runs along the inside of the gutter,
loops down 4 ft in the spout,and continues on to the next.

My application is slightly different. I have a flat roof and I don not have a gutter. I only have a downspout. My downspout also runs under ground. Which is why the cable was wrapped around the downspout. Any suggestions in this application? Also, like I stated in the original post, the roofer replaced the downspout in such a way that I cant get it out.

Hi JTNuck,

The problem you have with your downspout is that you know what the problem is but others here are not able to see what problems you have to overcome to fix it so you don't have problems in the future.

I suggest that you take pictures of the downspout, specifically how it is attached at the top and bottom, and post then in a message seeking assistance. Doing this will allow others here to know more specifically what your problem is and address it with a means that will allow you to solve it. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

If you don't have a digital camera borrow one or have a friend take them. It will make it easier for you to come to some form of resolution to this problem.

Good Luck!

yes.. drill a hole . wherever the cable orginates. thread the cable down the down spout
it is more efficient, if it is touching the ice
and not trying to heat the spout.
you most assuredly will save on elec.
silicone tho hole or use a rubber gromet
drop a string down the spout, use a wire"coathanger" with a hook on it
to fish the string to the hole
pull string then cable