Roof Heat Tape & Ice Dam Prevention, Aspen to Vail

Overnight swings of 30 to 40 degrees make ice dams a repeating cycle here, not a one-time event.

Heat Tape Roofing Services for Ice Dam prevention
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Typical Modern Mountain Home from Aspen/Snowmass to Vail/Beaver Creek

Why Ice Dams Are a High Country Problem

  • Heat escaping the attic, or solar warming, melts snow on upper roof sections.

  • That water runs to the cold eave and refreezes.

  • The growing ice dam backs meltwater up under shingles and flashing.

  • Colorado’s overnight swings of 30 to 40 degrees make this a repeating cycle all winter, not a one-time event.

Whether it’s a single-family home or an attached townhome you manage for an HOA, an ice dam on one unit can force water into the neighboring unit, a genuine liability trigger for board members, not just a maintenance headache.

What's Heat Tape's Real Job?

Heat Cable’s Real Job

Heat tape’s purpose isn’t to melt the entire ice dam. It establishes a drainage channel through the dam so meltwater has somewhere to go, into the gutter instead of under the shingles. We’ll tell you that upfront instead of overpromising what heat cable alone can do.

Heat Tape Edgewood---Typical Modern Mountain Home from Aspen/Snowmass to Vail/Beaver Creek

The Prevention Hierarchy: Heat Cable Is One Piece, Not the Whole Fix

Attic air sealing is the highest-leverage fix, followed by attic insulation (R-38 to R-60 for Colorado), attic ventilation from soffit to ridge, ice-and-water shield underlayment at eaves and valleys, and heat cable as the last line of defense. If heat tape alone won’t solve your problem, we’ll say so instead of selling you a callback

What's Included in a Heat Cable Installation 

Self-regulating heat trace cable in a zigzag pattern along your eaves, extended into gutters and downspouts to keep drainage pathways open, using Pentair Roof and Gutter De-Icing systems. Every installation includes pre-season testing and inspection of existing systems, plus replacement of any failed cable sections.

When to Call 

Icicles at the eaves, water stains on upper-floor ceilings, or visible ice ridges along the roofline mean you already have a problem. If you're dealing with active water intrusion right now, call us for emergency ice dam removal: low-pressure steam, not hammers or pressure washing. Heat cable is the fix for next season.

Umbrella Roofing Staff

Why Umbrella Roofing?

  • Family-owned and local, not a national franchise or storm-chaser crew that leaves once the season ends.

  • Two local offices covering both valleys: Glenwood Springs for the Roaring Fork Valley, Eagle for the Vail Valley.

  • DaVinci Roofscapes National Project of the Year (2017), a company-wide install-quality credential.

  • Pentair Roof and Gutter De-Icing manufacturer partnership, a specific and checkable credential.

  • One point of contact if you manage multiple buildings or units for an HOA. 

Our Home Owners Say

“Great experience with Umbrella Roofing company. Replaced a difficult roof on a log home
for me in Breckenridge that was in dire shape. Great team and well managed. Cleaned up and left no trace. I highly recommend them for any roofing job you have.”

JOHN CHARTERS

“I have had excellent luck with Umbrella Roofing. More than a few of our projects were better, because of their help with the design details and knowledge prior …to starting. The follow through, and completion of each job has always been excellent as well. I would highly recommend these guys for both new and remodel projects, and definitely for roofing and sheet metal jobs that have more complex issues! Dan Muse – Muse Architects , Inc.”

“I could not be more pleased with this company; profession al, courteous, and really got on it. Tom gave me great guidance and thought it through so well, that I… can now avoid future problems on my cupola. This company made the project so easy for me, and they always leave my place so clean.”

SARA MCALLISTER , HOMEOWNER

“The team at Umbrella Roofing are highly qualified and provide amazing customer service. They are also extremely caring. Umbrella Roofing helped me out enormously after I was taken advantage of by another area contractor who did not properly install my roof. Umbrella Roofing’s team was amazing and efficient when I worked with them. Thanks for saving the day!”

NICOLE KINSLER, HOME OWNER

“Umbrella Roofing provides quality work, competitive pricing, and outstanding customer service. They are a great team who also make it a point to give back to the community. Thank you Umbrella Roofing!”

ZHAALEK CLERKE, HOME OWNER

“I trust this guy! You can’t go wrong with Trevor Cannon!”

BETTY JOHNSON, HOMEOWNER

FAQs: About Heat Tape Systems for Our High Altitude Mountain Homes in Colorado

Q: What's the difference between heat tape and a full ice dam prevention plan? 

A: Heat tape creates a drainage channel through an existing ice dam. A full prevention plan starts with attic air sealing, insulation, and ventilation, with heat cable as the last line of defense, not the whole solution.  

Q: Do heated gutters actually work in Colorado's climate? 

A: Yes, when they're sized and installed for our freeze-thaw cycles, extended fully into downspouts so meltwater actually drains instead of refreezing partway down. 

Q: How much does roof heat cable installation cost?

A: Cost depends on your eave length and how much of the prevention hierarchy your roof actually needs. We'll give you a real number after a free on-site assessment. 

Q: Can heat cable be added to an existing metal or shingle roof? 

A: Yes. Retrofit installation is standard work for us on both metal and shingle roofs, not just new construction. . 

Q: Will heat cable alone stop my ice dam problem? 

A: Not always. Heat cable creates a drainage channel through the dam, it doesn't replace attic insulation and ventilation. We'll tell you honestly if your issue needs more than heat cable to fix.

Protecting Inspiring Spaces from Ice Damming Issues

All over the Roaring Fork Valley and Vail Valley of Colorado

Trusted Partners

We install and stand behind materials from the manufacturers the mountains actually require.

Share Umbrella Roofing with Someone You Know!

Umbrella Roofing Contractors & Roofing ServicesThe customer service professionals at Umbrella Roofing work equally well with both contractors and homeowners. You will find us always willing, from the smallest repair to the most luxurious of projects.

We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to investigate how Umbrella Roofing can satisfy your roofing, gutter, and architectural sheet metal needs. Your home or project is a big investment – let us protect it without breaking the bank.

Umbrella Roofing provides roofing contractor services, gutter installation and architectural sheet metal fabrication serving the communities of Aspen, Basalt, Snowmass, Carbondale, Vail, Avon/Beaver Creek, Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum and Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Call us  970.704.9130 or Contact Us today!