Electric snowmelt and hydronic snow melting systems both keep your driveway free of snow and ice, but which one is better? The debate over hydronic versus electric systems is ongoing and may not reveal immediate and apparent differences right away – so here is a breakdown of each type of system, to help you make a well informed purchase.

 

  Electric Snowmelt System Hydronic Snowmelt System
How it works The electric heating cables are embedded beneath cement, asphalt or brick pavers. Heat produced by the cables is transferred to the surrounding cement (or other material) and enables snow melting. Total components include: electric cables, automatic sensor unit, and manual control box. Closed-loop flexible polymer tubing embedded in cement (or thin concrete for indoor applications) pumps heated water (mixed with propylene glycol) through the tubing at around 140 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Heated water comes from a number of different sources such as: solar collectors, water heaters, boilers, demand water heaters, wood stoves and heat pumps.
Advantages
  1. Less expensive
  2. Easier to install
  3. Runs completely independent of fossil fuels. (Water heaters used by hydronic systems use gas.)
  4. No moving parts, which means less maintenance and chance of problems
  5. More efficient (99% of energy consumed goes into snow melting)
  6. Can be embedded under more materials, including asphalt, cement, and brick pavers. (Hydronic systems can only be embedded in cement.)
  7. Electric cables are more durable and less likely to corrode
  8. Can be installed into existing driveways using concrete saw cutting technology
  9. Can be easily configured for various types of installations (2 ft. tire tracks versus entire driveway)
  1. Can be used with existing boilers
  2. PEX tubing is more durable during installation
  3. Better for commercial and industrial applications (these buildings are usually already equipped with large boilers)
  4. More economical for heating large areas (approximately 4000 square feet and over)

 

Disadvantages
  1. Electric heat cables cannot be cut
  2. Control unit and automatic sensor must be installed by an electrician
  3. Large systems require a lot of amps to run and may be difficult to power
  1. Cannot be retrofitted into an existing cement lay
  2. Harder to install, usually requires professional installation
  3. Raises the floor significantly (a problem for indoor installations)
  4. Oxidation over time corrodes tubing

Hydronic heat is the oldest radiant heating technology, and has proven the test of time. While both electric and hydronic heat systems offer great advantages, the ease of use and flexibility of electric radiant heat makes it suitable for a larger number of applications. Ultimately, the system you choose will be based on your project parameters, size, budget, and location.