How many people grew up hearing, “Close the door! We’re not heating the outdoors?” I know I did, and then repeated the same to my kids when I became a homeowner. If you live in an area with winter snow falls and you don’t have snow and ice accumulating on your roof, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Blown-in insulation will last 20-30 years. Old insulation in the attic and roof allow the warm air from your furnace to float right through your home to heat your roofing materials. The good news is reduced risk of snow and ice damage due to accumulations; the bad news is, sky-rocketing energy costs from heating the outdoors.
The Department of Energy estimates 70% of the average energy bill goes for heating and cooling a home. Adding or replacing insulation can reduce energy costs by 15 to 30%. Depending on the fuel, that can be as much as $1,200 a year. Plus, the cost of insulation may be tax deductible. Of course, the downside is snow and ice accumulating on roofs and gutters. Ice can form under shingles and result in water leaks in attics or ceilings. Ice dams can prevent melting snow from travelling through gutters and into downspouts. This can result in beautiful icicles extending down from gutters around the house. While pretty to look at, the weight can damage the gutters, even causing them to collapse to the ground below.
Yippee Ki Yay, BriskHeat to the rescue with SpeedTrace Roof and Gutter kits! These boxed kits come with everything needed to keep snow accumulations to a minimum and gutters free from ice. Kits include SpeedTrace self-regulating heating cable in lengths of 50, 75, 100, 125 or 150 feet, as well as downspout hanger brackets, roof clips, cable ties and caution labels. Instructions provide tips to make installation fast and simple. Additional clips and brackets are available. To make the system more efficient, add a Thermo-Cube to cut power to the cable at temperatures above 45°F.
Speaking of Yippee Ki Yay, a debate more than 30 years in the making asks, is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Some would argue if the office Christmas Party was changed to a Halloween Party, could the plotline exist. Most would say yes. Others would disagree. It takes place during the Christmas season, includes 3 Christmas songs, involves giving gifts (including John McLane’s gun being wrapped in the final shootout with Hans), it has the Christmas spirit of John realizing the importance of his family, and John’s wife’s name is Holly. Most important, Die Hard co-writer Steven de Souza states Die Hard meets more criteria than White Christmas when considering classic Christmas movies. That’s good enough for me!