Heated Driveway News

Snow Removal - the Easy Way

Have you driven down the street after or during a snow storm and noticed that the snow doesn’t stick on a few driveways? Others are covered in snow and some are getting impassable. There is a very good reason for this. Those in the know have installed a radiant heat snow removal system. Also known as a driveway snow melting system or heated driveway system, these are forms of electric radiant heat. When a driveway goes in, just before the concrete or asphalt is applied a grid of heat cable is installed and the finish surface is applied over that. A sensor switches on when conditions are favorable for snow, activating the system. There you have it – one of them fancy driveways that seemingly “repels” snow! (Well, actually, it melts the snow, but you get my drift; no pun intended.)

If you live in an area where you get lots of that white stuff, a heated driveway makes all the sense in the world. Don’t worry if you already have your driveway in and don’t have this system. It isn’t that difficult to install over an existing driveway. The wire grid is laid over the existing driveway and a layer of asphalt or even concrete is applied over that, no major demo is even required. I think it’s quite a bit easier than moving to Florida or Southern California. No packing required.

A radiant snowmelt system may not be the first thing you think of when looking for conveniences to have on a new home but it wouldn’t take too many failed attempts at driveway traversal for that to change. The look on your face as you get out of a car on a perfectly clear driveway when your neighbors are snowed out (or in) would just about make it worth it right there. Consider this as your next remodel.

Prudent Thinking, Prudent Spending (Part II) 

Heated driveways are highly effective, yet low maintenance, low impact systems. Once you install a heated driveway, you’ll find that it practically becomes invisible in its operation. The snow sensor signals the control unit when the temperatures and precipitation levels warrant its use, activating the system only when it is needed. Basically speaking, you can install a heated driveway and forget about it year round. (Of course, you'll be reminded that it's there every time you look outside on a snowy day and see your nice, clear driveway.) Many people install heated driveways in second homes where it is not possible to remove snow after each storm. Having a heated driveway provides the peace of mind that you’ll never be blocked when entering your property or have to dig yourself out when exiting.

Having a heated driveway is safer for your health and easier on your driveway and can extend the driveway's life span. The health benefits of a radiant heated driveway are obvious, as the need to perform back-breaking work each time a storm hits is eliminated. The convenient electric radiant heat goes to work for you under your pavement. No more shovels, no more digging out, no more sore necks, backs, or wrists.

Generations moving into their golden years no longer have to worry about moving into a condo where the joys of a garage and a yard are left in suburbia. Having a snowmelt system installed means even if your bones and aching back no longer wish to haul out the snow shovel, you can still live where the snow falls and not worry about manually removing the snow from your driveways and sidewalks.

Another benefit of a heated driveway is that without shovels or snow plows constantly scraping the surface of your driveway, the lifetime of your driveway increases. Driveway heating systems also eliminate the need for salt or ice melt which can corrode and damage the driveway as well as harm nearby plants and grass.

If you are environmentally conscientious, installing a heated driveway can help save the planet. Yes, it’s true, there is one more way to love Mother Earth. Using an intelligent snow sensor allows the driveway heating system to operate only when needed, thereby sparing unnecessary energy usage. Having an electric heated driveway also allows you to avoid harsh chemicals or products used to melt snow, scrape ice, or keep driveways clear.

After putting prudent thought behind prudent spending a good place to start when considering whether or not to install a heated driveway system is by locating a trusted product backed up with customer satisfaction. Warmzone's renowned ClearZone radiant heat cable is known as the premier snow and ice melt radiant heat product. Using ClearZone cable for your driveway heating projects gives you unmatched durability. This cable can be safely installed in new concrete pours and under harsh, high temperature new asphalt construction projects. The heat cable is easy to install, and once activated offers a fast response time compared to other radiant snow melt systems on the market. With the companion use of the high-performance snow sensor the system is fully automated and essentially maintenance free.

For those lucky few living in Florida, we gaze enviably on your sunny winters. However with the popularity of electric heated driveways throughout the country, homeowners are discovering the convenience and long term benefits of having a dependable snow melt system, making winter a bit more bearable for the rest of us.

Prudent Thinking, Prudent Spending

How many of us plow out of the other side of winter saying to ourselves, “I think I’ll move to Florida?” After the back breaking, agonizing work of shoveling snow and clearing driveways and countless sidewalks, the Sunshine State with its charming flower, the Orange Blossom, seems like a blissful way to survive next year’s snowy months. Sadly, most of us don’t have the luxury of picking up our lives and shifting to greener, sunnier pastures where orange blossoms, well, blossom. Winter is almost behind us this year and the memory of that hard work is still fresh in our minds. Right now is the most prudent time to start thinking about installing a heated driveway snow melting system.

As the final signs of winter move behind us for another year, many products go on sale in the hope of clearing shelves for brighter, cheerier summer products. Snow shovels and sleds are the clearance “item of the week” for many hardware stores as they hope to make room for plastic swimming pools and sand toys. The same can be said for radiant heated driveways. Installing a heated driveway during the off season can always save you money. It’s like rushing out to buy Christmas lights for your house, the day AFTER Christmas. There is always a good deal to be found.

What type of driveway heating is right for you? The answer is, “it depends.” The bottom line is that installing radiant heated driveways is easier than ever and very affordable, making it a prudent way to spend in this tight economy. Heated driveways can be installed in new construction or under existing driveways and sidewalks, so maybe you won’t have to move to Florida after all. Consider the following:

There are two types of radiant heat for your driveway, electronic and hydronic. Both systems require heating elements be installed beneath the surface of your driveway. Electric driveway heating systems utilize durable long-line heating cables while hydronic systems generate heated water which is pumped through plastic tubing. Electric driveway heating systems are generally cheaper and easier to install than hydronic systems. Electric heating is ideal for home use, while hydronic is better suited for larger heating projects in excess of 4000 square feet.

Heated driveway systems are highly customizable and can be installed in any phase and configuration of home construction. It doesn’t matter if you plan on concrete, asphalt, or brick, a heated driveway system uses radiant heat to warm the surface you choose. As a plus, if you live in an existing dwelling where the driveways and sidewalks are already in place, radiant heated driveways can easily be installed. Using concrete saw-cut technology, appropriately measured grooves are cut into the concrete (or asphalt). Once the grooves have been cut, radiant heating cable is laid into the grooves, sealed using an epoxy topcoat and driveway heating becomes a reality. Weather is rarely a factor for installation, so there are few limitations on the timing of placing a driveway snow melting system. A side note to be aware of is that it is recommended that all electrical connections to the master control box be handled by a qualified electrician.

The cost to install a heated driveway is minimal compared to the long term benefits. Electric snow melting systems have three basic components: the heating element, the controller, and the snow sensor. Thanks to DMC-100 master control unit, which was recently developed for use by Warmzone, the snowmelt system features fully automated operation and manual override capability, as well as energy-efficient driveway heating. An outdoor snow sensor is connected to the master control unit and is programmed to automatically activate the radiant driveway heating cable when the sensor plate detects precipitation and temperatures are below 38 degrees Fahrenheit. With this smart technology you never have to worry about running the system needlessly, thereby eliminating energy waste and saving you from high operational costs.

A home that boasts the convenience of a heated driveway system has added property value. While the initial monetary outlay exists to install a snow melting system, installing radiant driveway heat ends up being a smart investment in the long run as you reap the property value benefits and the added convenience of never buying and replacing snow shovels, blowers, ice melt, ice picks, salt and other harsh chemicals.

(Continued. See Part II )