Best roof and gutter kit in roof and pipe heat cables
A simple plug-in de-icing cable for the eaves, gutters and downspouts of an asphalt-shingle roof, giving melt water a heated path to drain. It runs at full power whenever it is plugged in, and it is not for wood, rubber or flat roofs.
Our score: 7.0/10 out of 10Researched, not lab-tested
- Use
- Roof, gutters and downspouts
- Cable type
- Constant wattage
- Cable length
- 60 ft
- Output
- 5 W/ft
Is it right for you?
Pros
- Plug-in kit with shingle clips and cable spacers included
- 5 W per ft at 120 V; the 60 ft kit draws about 2.5 A
- Instructions state a UL listing to Canadian standards and CSA certification
- Sold from 30 ft to 200 ft to match the length of roof edge
- Frost King's RSC2 plug-in thermostat can switch it by temperature
Cons
- Constant wattage: full power until unplugged unless you add the RSC2
- Asphalt-type shingle roofs only; slate, metal or stone need Frost King's advice
- Needs a grounded GFCI outdoor outlet; Frost King advises against extension cords
- Cable must never cross or overlap itself, or lie in the gutter
- Best for
- Owners of an inclined asphalt-shingle roof with metal or plastic gutters where ice dams or frozen downspouts form in the same spots each winter.
- Not for
- Wood-shingle, rubber, tar-and-gravel or flat roofs, homes without an outdoor GFCI outlet near the eaves, and anyone expecting it to melt snow off the roof.
Our verdict
The Frost King RC60 is a 60 ft, 120 V constant-wattage cable that you clip along the eaves and run through gutters and downspouts. It does not melt the snow off a roof: Frost King describes it as giving melt water a heated path to drain away, which is how it is meant to stop ice dams. Shingle clips and spacers come in the box, and kits run from 30 ft to 200 ft.
It is made for inclined roofs with non-combustible tab shingles such as asphalt, with metal or plastic gutters. Wood shingles, rubber or membrane roofs, tar and gravel, flat roofs and wooden gutters are out; for slate, stone, metal or ceramic Frost King wants to be asked first. For a metal or shake roof, the self-regulating Raychem FrostGuard FG1-50P is approved. Being constant wattage, it draws its full power, about 2.5 A, until unplugged; Frost King’s RSC2 thermostat switches it by temperature. The instructions say the UL listing to Canadian standards and the CSA certification hold only when the kit is fitted as described.
Installing it safely
Plug it into a grounded, ground-fault protected 120 V outdoor outlet on a circuit of 20 A or less, loaded to no more than 80%. Frost King advises against extension cords and says the plug must not be modified; if it does not fit, have an electrician fit a proper outlet. The heated cable must not touch, cross or overlap itself or another cable, and must stay clear of exhaust vents and chimneys. Keep the bottom of each drip loop at least 2 in above the bottom of the gutter. Fit it when it is between about 32 °F and 80 °F; hotter shingles can tear when lifted for the clips.
Safety: every fall, check the cable unplugged for cracked or charred insulation or bare wire, and replace a damaged cable at once, as the US Consumer Product Safety Commission advises.
When to turn it on
Frost King says to plug it in before snow starts and leave it on until the snow has melted off the roof, then unplug it once temperatures stay above freezing. Our ice dam guide explains where a cable fits among the other fixes, and the other cables are on our heat cable page.
Specs
Frost King Electric Roof Cable Kit, 60 ft (RC60)
Use
| Use | Roof, gutters and downspouts |
|---|---|
| Cable type | Constant wattage |
| Roof types | Inclined asphalt-shingle roofs; metal or plastic gutters and downspouts |
Electrical
| Output | 5 W/ft |
|---|---|
| Thermostat | None built in; Frost King sells the RSC2 plug-in thermostat |
| Ground-fault protection | Needs a GFCI-protected outlet |
| Voltage | 120 V |
Other details
| Cable length | 60 ft |
|---|---|
| Safety listing | UL (to Canadian standards) and CSA, per instructions |
Maker’s figures, checked 4 Nov 2026.
Frost King RC60 questions
Do roof heat cables stop ice dams?
They keep a drainage path open: Frost King says the cable gives melt water a heated path off the roof and down the downspouts. It does not melt the snow off the roof itself.
Can I put the RC60 on a metal roof?
Not without asking Frost King first. Its instructions cover inclined asphalt-type shingle roofs; slate, stone, metal and ceramic roofs need the maker’s advice, and wood-shingle, rubber, tar-and-gravel and flat roofs are excluded.
Does it need a GFCI outlet?
Yes. Frost King asks for a grounded, ground-fault protected 120 V outdoor outlet on a circuit of 20 A or less, and advises against extension cords.
Should I leave it on all winter?
Frost King says to plug it in before snow starts, leave it on until the snow has melted off the roof, and unplug it once temperatures stay above freezing. The RSC2 thermostat can switch it automatically.
