Roof Protection
Heat Mat Ice and Snow Melting Systems for Roofs
Scandinavian designed systems to protect people and property
A complete range of heating cables, thermostats and fitting accessories to provide fully automated protection against dangerous ice and snow build up on roofs and in gutters. Roof heating systems are suitable for preventing significant buildups of snow on flat roofs, which could lead to the roof collapsing. These systems are also suitable for preventing localised snowdrift build up on roofs against neighboring buildings.
Complimentary gutter heating systems are installed to ensure that the melt water from the roof heating system can flow away freely, ensuring that gutters and downpipes do not get blocked by ice and snow. Custom made ice and snow melting thermostats monitor the air temperature and can control two separate zones independently to ensure the system works effectively. The addition of moisture sensors in the gutters or on the roof will cut the running costs by up to 80% by ensuring that the system only heats when it is cold, and there is moisture present.
- Heat Mat offer a wide variety of specialist fixing mechanisms to allow roof heating systems to be installed onto virtually any roof construction without having to puncture the fabric of the roof.
- Prevent the risk of roof collapse ensuring buildings can remain open even during the most severe snowfall
- Avoid the costs and disruption of reinforcing existing roofs against the risk of snowdrift builup, when new buildings are built abutting the existing roof
- Reduced maintenance costs from repairing the roofs fabric
- A number of different sensors and timers can be combined to ensure that the system only operates when it is required, minimising energy usage
- Entirely maintenance free. Once the system is installed there is no requirement for any maintenance work and some systems include an automatic alarm warning if the system fails for whatever reason
- A tried and trusted system. These systems have been used in Scandinavia for more than a decade and have proved their worth in extreme temperatures and weather conditions
Heat Mat Roof Protection Technical Specification
FRO-16A-GSTA – 3.6kW Thermostat supplied with air termperature Sensor
| Supply Voltage | 230V+/-10%, 50-60Hz |
|---|---|
| Temperature Range | 0/+10°C |
| Output Relay | 16Amp |
| Ambient Operating Temperature | 0/+50oC |
| Housing | IP20 |
| Weight | 190g |
| Mounting | DIN rail-mount |
| Dimensions (H/W/D) | 86/52/59 |
| Supplied with 1 x | FRO-TEM-SENS |
FRO-16A-STAT 3.6kW – Thermostat with moisture sensing capability
| Supply voltage | 230V +-10%, 50-60 Hz |
|---|---|
| Temperature range | 0/+10°C |
| Built-in timer for manual snow melting/afterrun | 0-5 hours |
| Output relay | 16 Amp |
| Ambient operating temperature |
-10/+50°C |
| Water based system | Controlling a 3 or 4 way valve, primary pump, secondary pump |
| Display | Graphic and with backlight |
| Ambient operating temp | 0/+50°C |
| Ambient operating humidity | 10-95% |
| Housing | IP20 |
| Weight | 200g |
| Dimensions (H/W/D) | 86/52/59 |
| Sensor compatibility |
FRO-TEM-SENS FRO-GRO-TEMP FRO-GRO-SENS FRO-GUT-SENS |
FRO-GRO-SENS
Ground temperature and moisture sensor
| Senses | Moisture and temperature |
|---|---|
| Mounting | Outdoor area |
| Housing | IP68 |
| Operating temperature | -20/+70°C |
| Dimensions | H32, Ø60 mm |
System specification
From a small snowdrift prevention system on a roof, through to a 20,000m2 roof heating project, every application is individually specified to ensure that the most suitable system is offered. Heat Mat offer the widest range of ice and snow protection systems in the UK, and you can be assured that virtually whatever your requirements there will be a suitable system to meet them.
Roof heating systems
The most common reasons for installing a large roof heating system are to prevent roof collapse due to heavy snow build up, or where new equipment needs to be suspended from the roof and the architect needs to lower the requirement for snow loading from the calculations. Heat Mat has the expertise to specify a heating system and bespoke fixing accessories that will fulfill the requirements regardless of the roof type or material.
Very often it is not necessary to heat the entire roof and alternative options can be looked at, such as preferentially heating the weakest sections of the roof. Heat Mat can work with your structural engineer to ensure that the most effective system is supplied with the most reasonable costs for purchase, installation and running.
Trace heating v constant Wattage cables
Although trace heating cables are entirely suitable for heating roofs, and are occasionally the only option, quality trace heating comes with a premium price tag. To compliment our trace heating cable Heat Mat has developed a constant Wattage outdoor heating cable for roofs and gutters that is significantly less expensive than self-limiting cable, while remaining UV stable and highly protected against the elements. This provides a great value roof and gutter heating system that also has an expected life of more than 25 years.
Roof heating accessories
In addition to the roof heating cables Heat Mat offer a comprehensive range of fitting accessories to allow the simple installation of the heating system. These accessories include specialist cable fixing bands and anchor points that can be firmly attached to the roof with the specialist adhesives that Heat Mat supplies. For the gutter heating systems Heat Mat offer gutter clips for holding the cables in the gutter and spacing them apart, and chains and suspension beams to ensure the downpipes are heated correctly to ensure the safe removal of the melt water.
System life and running costs
All of Heat Mat's roof and gutter heating systems have expected lives of more than 25 years, and there is no reason why they shouldn't operate for more than 50 years. The running costs of the system will depend on the control gear used (moisture sensors reduce running costs by around 80%), the local weather conditions and how much snow there is each winter.
The costs of operating a roof heating system vary considerably depending on how they are used, however in many years there would be no requirement to power them up at all unless significant snow was expected. In fact a layer of snow on a roof acts as a great insulator, lowing the heating bills of the building below. For gutter heating systems using a moisture sensor a running cost of around 70p per meter per year or less would be expected in most areas of the UK. Costs in particularly cold parts of the country will actually be less, as the snow will not melt each day therefore the gutters will remain clear of water once they are first cleared.
Large projects
For particularly large projects Heat Mat's Ice and Snow melting technical team can visit to work with you and your structural engineer/architect to decide on the most suitable system. This team includes David Green and Paul Brandon from Heat Mat, along with two ice and snow melting specialists from out Scandinavian partners; Anker Bo Christensen from OJ Electronics and Soren Baerholm from Heatcom.
