In 1972, the Raychem Corporation (now a part of nVent) patented and launched the world’s first self-regulating heating cable. Since then, the company has sold and installed over 1.8 billion feet (550,000 km) of self-regulating heating cable all over the world!
Self regulating heating cables are used to efficiently and safely apply heat for safety, process maintenance, comfort and more. They offer protection against burst water pipes, frozen roofs and gutters, ice and snow formation on ramps, stairways and walkways, and a myriad of other applications. For residential and commercial buildings, the use of these systems provides a reliable and long-term solution to costly damage or operational disturbances. But how do they work?
Despite being a useful method to counter ice damage, thermal insulation alone can’t offer total protection against freeze damage to piping. And, pipes aren’t the only things that need to be protected during Winter, as cold weather can also affect drains, sewers, roofs, gutters, walkways, driveways, and more.
There are alternatives. But many of them don’t offer the energy efficiency, safety, ease of installation, and maintenance-free operation of self-regulating cables.
A self-regulating system protects buildings against the hazards of cold weather while offering many other benefits.
Self regulating systems work by:
Attaching the heating cable directly to the area that requires protection
W
en the cable is energized, the conductive core produces heat.As the ambient temperature drops, the conductive core contracts microscopically, increasing its conductivity and its heat output.
The self-regulating nature of the cable makes it an energy-efficient option because power consumption is reduced when less heat is required.
This feature also increases the safety and longevity of the cable and makes installation easier. If a self-regulating cable crosses over itself, its ability to react to ambient temperature ensures it won’t overheat and burn out.
During winter, ice can cause many dangerous situations in buildings.
Self-regulating technology is designed for a variety of applications in residential and commercial buildings.
Add all of this together, and it’s easy to see that winter damage to buildings can be avoided while reducing operating costs thanks to the functionality and versatility of self-regulating freeze protection systems.
Watch this video to learn more about how self-regulating heat tracing technology works:
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