Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Most of us have heard about the roof rake to keep snow from piling up, but have you seen the advertisements for something called
Roofmelt? Roofmelt takes the form of pellets and when tossed onto your roof -- spaced about a square foot apart -- they're supposed to prevent ice from clogging your gutter. The question is: Do they work?
Roofmelt is supposed to do for your roof, what rock salt does for your driveway. Roofmelt promises to break through ice dams, melting ice and snow that builds on top of your home and creating a path for water to run off.
“Actually, it allows the new melt to flow through, rather than build up and keep getting larger and larger and larger. And that's where you get all the heavy weight, ripping your gutters off, ripping your shingles right off,” Home Depot’s Jason Clark said.
Ice dams are costly to repair outside and can back up water inside too. Roofmelt mainly uses calcium chloride (a salt) to prevent that. It’s the same compound roofers use and scientists say it’s safe in moderation.
Home Depot has brought the product to Central New York this year because of customer demand. Last year’s rough winter serves as a powerful reminder of how ice and snow can take its toll.
NewsChannel 9 spoke to a number of roofing companies Friday to find out what they think of the product. They all said Roofmelt works. They also said when they treat homes they use calcium chloride too.
But keep in mind, the roofers we spoke with caution the more ice and snow you have, the more Roofmelt you have to use, so it can get expensive.
Roofmelt is not recommended for exposed metal roofs and using Roofmelt on wooden shingle may cause temporary staining. Otherwise, roofing companies say the product is safe for use.
