Quote:
Originally Posted by SpuGen
Uhh. Couldn't they just coat it in Teflon for next to nothing? (In comparison)
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And how much does it cost to regularly maintain and re-do that coating? How much would it cost to constantly inspect it for damage? What happens when damage is missed and ice manages to build up and fall off again?
As far as the heated cables, you'll recall it was mentioned that that idea was originally considered and rejected for cost vs. risk concerns. Cheaper to implement? Maybe. Cheaper to operate? Have you SEEN the cost of electricity these days? Consider the size and length of the cables, and the sheer number of them, you're talking a dedicated substation to run them. Remember that there's a sheath around them, so you have to run the heaters high enough to penetrate that. It's not anywhere near the same thing as wrapping a little heat tape around your outside faucets at home.
While everyone is getting all wiggy about the cost of the solution, keep in mind that
the builder is responsible to cover it. It comes out of their profits. You don't think if the other options were cheaper
in the long run they would have gone with something else? Remember that they have to take care of the
ongoing operating costs of this solution, so they would have necessarily looked at how much the solution would cost them over the next 20 years (or however long the maintenance contract is), not just whatever is the cheapest to install.