Heated Driveway News

Snow Removal doesn’t Have to be a Back Breaker

It’s that time of year again. The season’s have changed. Remember what’s it’s like to go out in the morning and be snowed in? If you don’t, Mother Nature will soon deliver a reminder. Shoveling snow doesn’t have to be a time consuming task; that’s old fashion these days. Install a radiant heated driveway and make the job an automated affair.

If you aren’t familiar with heated driveways, grab a seat, it won’t take long. Heated driveways are the new thing. Coming in electric and hydronic (using water circulating through tubing), driveways can be heated to melt snow for you with a push of a button, or automatically. How much more convenient could it get? Actually, pushing a button is even a bit of a stretch. The system's snow sensor will do that for you. Once it detects precipitation and temperatures are below 38 degrees, the heated driveway will switch itself on, eliminating any snow accumulation from your driveway.

Driveway snow melting systems aren’t really that new. They have been around for years but it’s a little funny that people don’t often think of that when looking at a potential future residence. A heated driveway could make the difference between getting up the driveway and not.

Strange how far we have come in just a few generations. Mom and dad had to walk to school in the snow and grandma and grandpa had to do it uphill both ways, and now we don’t even have to shovel snow anymore. Driveway snow melting systems are becoming the convenience to have. Go ahead, loan your snow shovel to your neighbors. It doesn't really matter if they ever return it.

Now let’s heat things up!

This blog is the fifth of a series of blogs designed for do-it-yourselfers. This series features step-by-step instructions for building your own heated driveway or patio using brick pavers. The process for building a non-heated driveway is the same (just omit install of heating cables).

There are a lot of radiant products out there for building heated driveways, but not all products are created equal! Loose cable options (usually come on a spool) are about five cents per square foot less than a cable ‘mat’ which is the same product, but arrives pre-spaced and ready to roll out. I recommend using the Danfoss GX mats for a brick paver heated driveway because they roll out easily on top of the bedding layer of sand, and won’t require extra materials or steps to keep cables in place. A loose cable option is more appropriate for concrete driveways where remesh is used. The remesh provides a sturdy frame in which to attach and space rows of loose cable properly.

The amount of heating cable you’ll need for your project varies – spacing rows closer will increase wattage consumption and decrease the operating time to complete snow melting. If you are on a tight budget, spacing the rows farther apart will decrease the amount of product you’ll need to buy, but increase the operating time to complete snow melting.

Here are some basic guidelines that you can follow to determine proper installation:

1. Never space heat cable rows closer than 2 inches.
2. Never space heat cable rows farther apart than 5 inches.
3. Heat cable cannot be cut.
4. Heat cable cannot touch other cable.

If this is your first time installing a heated driveway, it is a good idea to consult the experts at Warmzone to help you determine voltage, quantity, and installation instructions specific to your project. Because of varying sizes of projects, locations, and power requirements, it is impossible to provide universal guidelines that will apply to all heated driveway projects. If you purchase the Danfoss GX system from Warmzone, they will provide you a professional layout specific to your project parameters, free of charge. They also have technical staff on hand to answer any questions or concerns you may face during the installation process.

In addition to the heating cable, a heated driveway system requires an automatic sensor unit and a control box. The placement of the sensor is key to a properly functioning heated driveway system. Because of the importance of proper installation and the dangers of working with high voltage electrical currents, I recommend hiring a professional radiant installer for this portion of your DIY project. An experienced installer should be able to complete the sensor and control box installation in about 5 hours.   

Halfway there! Final layer – bedding.

This blog the fourth of a series of blogs designed for do-it-yourselfers. This series features step-by-step instructions for building your own heated driveway or patio using brick pavers. The process for building a non-heated driveway is the same (just omit install of heating cables).

Bedding - Just when you thought you were done with layers, another one comes along! Now that you’ve cleared the area and dug down to the formation level, put down a geothermal sheet, and a sub-base layer; the next step is bedding. The bedding is the last layer before the addition of the heat cables and brick pavers and provides support for the paving units. A quick rundown: bedding comes in either bound or unbound types. Bound bedding is suited for a rigid base surface, while unbound is best suited for a flexible base surface. Sand is the most popular form of unbound bedding materials. The main requirement of unbound bedding is for the material to be fine enough to be leveled out without leaving voids, but not so fine it retains and soaks up water.

If you get confused about how much sand to apply to the bedding layer, a general rule of thumb is applying a depth that is equal or slightly less to the depth of the brick pavers you have selected for the project.  For example: a paver with a depth of 40mm will need a bedding layer of approximately 35mm. The process for laying the bedding layer is similar to spreading the sub-base layer. Spread. Rake. Compact. Compacting can be done twice over for the DIY-er that likes to be extra careful. Use a float level to check your work before proceeding to the next step.

NOTE: A brick paver driveway can benefit greatly by creating a cement or block edge before the bedding layer is laid. This will give the paving area a more finished look to the final result. Edging is generally constructed of thicker blocks of greater depth, but you’ll want to take care to ensure the pavers and the edging are laid to have equal height. The bedding layer will give you the extra height needed for a smooth even surface. 

After designing and planning is finished, the next step is gathering proper tools.

This blog the second of a series of blogs designed for do-it-yourselfers. This series features step-by-step instructions for building your own heated driveway or patio using brick pavers. The process for building a non-heated driveway is the same (just omit install of heating cables).

The first steps for building a brick paver driveway or pathway is design and planning.

This blog will be the first of a series of blogs designed for do-it-yourselfers. This series will feature step-by-step instructions for building your own heated driveway or patio using brick pavers. The process for building a non-heated driveway is the same (just omit install of heating cables).

DESIGN
The first step for building your driveway is choosing the type of paving that suits your taste. When choosing the pavers, there should be one main form for consistency. When choosing what paver you want to use, make sure to keep your budget in mind. Mixing and matching different colors of stones will make the detail of your design more aesthetically pleasing.

When choosing the stone, it is important to keep the function in mind. Will the area be used by children? Will small wheels cross the stone? Answering these kinds of question is important because many stones are uneven, and this will affect your ability to easily slide a patio chair, or for a child to bounce a ball. Choosing a stone using only aesthetics may leave you with regrets later on.

PLANNING
Planning is a necessary step before you run out and start purchasing any materials. Part of planning is surveying the site which involves measuring and plotting, noting important details, and sketching the details in a drawing. If you are building a driveway, drainage is an important detail to keep in mind. Often times this means something as simple as a stone gully for water to run to gutters and city collection systems. Improper drainage will affect the life of the driveway, if pavers are submerged or permanently wet.

Heated Driveways are more Affordable than Ever

Driveway heating systems have always been thought of as something that only the rich can afford. Many homeowners have seen a heated driveway, but have never considered the possibility of owning one for themselves. New technologies have emerged that have lowered costs, raised efficiency, and simplified installation, making it possible for any handy "do-it-yourselfer" to install the system. Now every homeowner can enjoy the benefits of owning a heated driveway!

Older driveway heating systems take 30 percent longer to heat than current systems, which means they cost more to operate and must remain on longer to effectively remove snow. Today’s heated driveways only activate when the automatic sensor detects precipitation, and automatically shuts off when snow removal is completed. The sophistication of the new systems eliminate wasteful energy consumption. Many home owners report only a slight increase in their power bills, which is little when compared to the benefits of automated snow removal.

Some unfounded claims have been made against the use of heated driveway systems, including the argument that they contribute to global warming by heating the outside air. The new radiant systems only run long enough to complete the snow removal process and do not produce enough heat to warm the air. Driveway heating systems are actually beneficial for the environment, eliminating the need for salt and snowmelt chemicals that harm nearby vegetation, pollute streams and water tables. Radiant heated driveways also can protect and increase the lifespan of your driveway.