Problem on the roof
Created Feb 23 2006 by W., M.
Claims for water damage, mold and freezing have jumped from
about 15% of all homeowner’s insurance claims in 1998 to nearly 22% in 2002,
totaling an estimated $25.6 billion, according to the Insurance Services Office,
Inc. (ISO). This estimate includes damage costs from hurricanes and blizzards,
such as Colorado's blizzard in March of 2003, which cost $93.3 million and was
the state's most expensive winter storm. However, most water damage claims start
with a simple leak or drip - and often can be prevented. Good portion of this is
caused by freezing gutters, ice dam on roof and consequently: leaks into the
basement followed by the mold!
Such was the case of this house in Brooklyn, NY...
Solution: New gutters + single Elektra VCD17/750 130+ ft. long,
240V cable + moisture and temp. sensors hooked up to a completely automatic
thermostat for years (winters) of trouble free operation.
This is the ‘how to’ picture story:
Elektra VCD17/710, a 710 Watts, 240V, 3A, 134 feet long,
heating cable:
The same wire is run into the downspout of the leader.
OJ Elektra ETOR-55 heated moisture sensor:
OJ ELEKTRA ETF 7 outdoor temperature sensor:
The temp. sensor installed
OJ Elektra ETO thermostat installed: 3 zones, 1 used. The
remaining 2 can be used for walkway snow melting, steps or driveway snowmelting
when time comes to repair or to get new ones installed.
THANK YOU!
Snow often may seem light and fluffy, but don't be
fooled.
A cubic foot of light snow
weights about 20 lbs. However, a densely packed mixture of ice and snow can
weigh as much as 60 lbs. Even an average amount of snow accumulated on a school
building roof can easily weigh 200 tons or
more!
How do you know if your building may
collapse?
Check whether one or more of the
below apply and take preventive action.
Buildings and roofs most
susceptible to collapse:
-
Any building older than 50
years.
-
L- or T-shaped buildings
-
Low buildings attached to higher ones.
-
Buildings without sound concrete
foundations.
Dangerous weather
conditions:
Know the snow in your area
before you build!
Your building's roof load
rating should well exceed your town's expected loads. It is strongly recommended
that a safety margin of at least 10 lbs/sq. ft. is used, and more if local
conditions warrant.
Ensure your builder and
rafter manufacturer are aware of this information and supply properly rated roof
trusses. If a building is properly designed and constructed for your location,
concerns about collapse should be rare.
And don't forget
how pretty icycle can become a dangerous projectile striking straight 'out
of the blue sky'!
Please
remember: Electricity can be deadly and wiring done incorrectly can kill and
start deadly and destructive fires even when "just replacing one small
receptacle".
YOU
ARE DEALING WITH LINE VOLTAGE, not low voltage!
NEVER
EVER attempt to work or even touch the inside of the electrical components
without being 100% sure that the power is
disconnected!
If
you are not an electrcian and if you have the slightest doubt about your wiring
ability, please contact a licensed electrician and/or repairman before
doing any diagnosis, repairs or installations. The products shown here
are deemed SAFE and sound by various testing authorities but the wiring
process can only be SAFE when done with safety precautions. Please
read manuals and/or ask pros when not sure. Most of the simple
installations shown here can be done by yourself or you can have someone
qualified do it for you and THEN have the electrician check it and connect it to
power.
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