Heating cable and method of making same

A heating cable includes a pair of spaced apart electrical conductors extending the length of the cable. A matrix of filled polymeric material in physical contact with the conductors forms a heat generating web therebetween. The filled polymeric material has a volume resistivity selected to provide a predetermined heat output per unit length of cable. A plurality of macroscopic perforations are punched through the web between the two conductors so that the actual heat output per unit length of cable is a desired value less than the predetermined heat output per unit length. An electrically insulative jacket longitudinally covers the conductors and the web.