Heated Driveway News

Learn how the Benefits of Heated Driveways far Outweigh the Costs

You may have heard that heated driveway systems are the only way to go these days. In fact, you’ve probably heard that once you go radiant, you never go back. But what exactly are the costs associated with heated driveways, and is it really worth your hard-earned money?

Many consumers are surprised by the affordability of heated driveway systems. They may sound like a luxury, but if you break down the costs, you’ll see that radiant heated driveways are an affordable luxury that every homeowner can have.

Operating Costs
Radiant heated driveways are the most efficient snow removal system out there.  About 99 percent of all the energy used by a radiant heated driveway goes to melting snow, meaning you don’t waste money heating the ground below the driveway. Additionally, a 300 square foot heated driveway can operate for less than 90 cents an hour. And the best part? Radiant heated driveways heat up 30 percent faster than other snow melting systems (such as hydronic radiant heating), meaning your operating costs are minimal.

Installation Costs
Warmzone heated driveway systems are quick and easy to install. Any motivated do-it-yourselfer can install the system with little cost. Additionally, Warmzone heated driveways take only a fraction of the time and cost than other, more complicated systems require.

Maintenance Costs
Herein lies the real beauty of heated driveway systems: there are no maintenance costs! Unlike hydronic systems, electric radiant heated driveways don't require additional equipment and have no moving parts, so there is no need to perform yearly maintenance. Install a heated driveway system and know that you can count on it for life.

As you can see, the costs of radiant heated driveways are minimal compared to the numerous benefits they afford. They’re efficient, they’re maintenance-free, and, best of all, they’ll keep you and your wallet happy all winter long.

Increase Property Value and Your Quality of Life with Radiant Heat

If you’re like me, you’ve probably had it with winter. Christmas has come and gone, but the snow is still falling, and we’re still shoveling, scraping, and moaning and groaning. If you’re sick of the winter, your first thought might be to pack up and move to sunny Florida and come back when the sun comes out. But for those of us who aren’t quite to snowbird status, there’s an easier, more affordable way to make it through the harsh winter months: radiant heated driveways.

Heated driveways are an easy way to invigorate your home and increase your property value while making the winter months a little more bearable for you and your family.

Asphalt driveway being retrofitted with heat cable for driveway snow melting system.

Heated driveway systems aren’t just for new homes—they can be retrofitted into your current driveway, no matter what type or size of driveway you have. Whether it’s asphalt, brick, or concrete, you can enjoy the numerous benefits of a fully automated radiant heated driveway.

Besides convenience, heated driveways offer several benefits to your property. Installing a radiant heated driveway prolongs the life of your driveway by eliminating the need for harsh melting salts that can corrode your driveway and damage surrounding plants and grass over time. Additionally, heated driveways are a hot commodity these days, and installing one can boost your property’s value, making it easy to resell in the future once you’re ready to make the move to Florida.

Don’t waste time and money by packing up and moving to a sunnier climate. Improve the home you have now by installing a radiant heated driveway. I promise—once you say goodbye to shoveling and slipping on that nasty ice, you’ll have a whole new perspective on this whole winter thing. Let a heated driveway open new possibilities with your current home and learn to love winter again. 

Driveway Heating is More Sophisticated Than Ever

None of us like to be Guinea pigs when a new operating system comes online or when the latest cell phone gadget is invented. Luckily if you are just coming onto the smart heated driveway scene, you are in luck. The technology has been tested and proven time and again with many happy snow-free customers. Installing a heated driveway system right now is not only a smart move for your property it is also fully automated and hands-free. You can sit inside with a hot cup of cocoa and watch with contentment as the snow falls outside, knowing you’ll never have to pick up a shovel. You can reserve your snow clothes for fun outdoor recreation like skiing instead of clearing snow from your driveway.

With the help of a snow melting system control unit you can install a heated driveway and never worry about it. A wall-mounted control unit uses smart technology to detect precipitation and outside temperatures, thereby turning your system on and off when, and only when, it is needed. The heated driveway system controller is easy-to-use and consists of a timer and digital operator interface with manual override capability. Now is the time to investigate a snowmelt system and how you can put technology to work for you.

Keep Loading Docks and Ramps Snow and Ice Free This Year

Radiant snowmelt systems have many applications. One to consider may be on a property with multiple loading docks or ramps used by employees and vendors alike. Keeping these areas free and clear of snow during the winter months saves snow removal costs and could also help provide safety and protection for anyone using these areas. Warmzone snowmelt systems keep areas clear of snow and ice with a highly customizable and automated system. Working with a Warmzone professional means you’ll be guided to the best radiant snowmelt system for your company.

Heavily used areas with high traffic such as loading docks and ramps are especially vulnerable to accidents and injuries. Workman’s compensation claims could be sliced in the winter by taking a few extra steps to ensure your employees safety and well-being. Installing a snow melting system is a cost-efficient way to protect employees and property during big storms. It also provides high work efficiency since the automated systems work without the need of an operator.

The smart snow sensor tracks precipitation levels and heats the system only when needed. This means if a large storm hits over the weekend the radiant snowmelt system will perform even if no one is there to turn it on or off. When the snow melting system detects snow or a certain temperature it activates and keeps things clear, so when your crew shows up Monday morning they can get right to work on the docks. Snowmelt systems provide protection for you and them, so you can all work efficiently and safely.

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.

Clearing Your Driveway in Your Sleep

Remember when you used to have to get a shovel and go outside and shovel snow and ice? Remember when you used to have to run taxi service for your neighbor when he was stuck in the driveway? Why not say “goodbye” to those days and start enjoying the benefits of an automated driveway snow melting system?

Electric heated driveways have been around for a while now. What you may not have known is how easy they are to install and maintain. These snow melting systems are about as convenient as one could ever hope. A snow sensor monitors weather conditions and activates the system only when needed. How much easier could it be to watch the snow instantly melt as hits lands on the driveway? (Was it Sylvester the cat who used to say “simultaneously even?” I’m getting fuzzy on my cartoon characters nowadays. Saturdays just haven’t been the same for many years now. I digress.)

Heated driveway systems consist of heat cable installed underneath the finish surface. The automated sensor signals the snowmelt system's control unit, which then activates the system. The heat cable generates heat that radiates throughout the driveway surface (concrete, asphalt, tile or brick pavers, etc.), so the driveway is warm when the first snowflake hits; thus, melting the snow even while you sleep. It doesn't get much better than this! I like the idea of my driveway being cleared while I sleep – or perhaps I just like the idea of me being asleep. Regardless, driveway snow melting systems is an idea whose time has definitely come.

Radiant Snow Melting Systems Keep Snow at Bay

Radiant snow melting systems are a muscle-saving way to put the NO in snow. It happens every time the snow flies at many homes across the country; a small curse is heard pointed in the direction of the gloomy skies each time a snow flake lands its mark on an unheated driveway. Homeowners watch in dismay as the skies open up and dump white, harmless looking bits of snow crystals on their sidewalks and driveways. Shovels and snow blowers are taxed and so are backs, necks, and arms. Sure, it can be beautiful, but many people just want a way to say “no thanks” to snowy days and back-breaking efforts to clear their property.

Heated driveways are in vogue now and with great reason. Installing a driveway snow melting system saves time and money for every homeowner smart enough to add it to their property. Home values increase, winter blues decrease, and screaming body parts silence in homes that offer the perk of an automated radiant snow melting system.

Smart and savvy builders and home buyers are including snow melting systems in many large scale new construction projects as well as single dwellings. A heated driveway can be installed after construction as well, so the ease and affordable comfort is not merely limited to new construction.

If you live in an unforgiving climate where Mother Nature rules with white, then perhaps a snow melting system might help make the winters a bit more bearable and allow you to finally put the NO in snow!

Radiant Heated Driveways - The Driveway of the Future

When shopping for a home, how many of us have thought of looking for a house with a radiant heated driveway installed? Okay, it might not be the first thing you think of when organizing your criteria for a new home, but maybe it should make the list somewhere. Heated driveways are a convenience that won’t go unnoticed for sure. Imagine getting up in the morning and seeing all the new fallen snow and then seeing your driveway totally clear of snow and ice.

Radiant driveway snow melting systems generally use a form of electric radiant heat. They utilize an electric heat cable that is laid in the asphalt or concrete, under the finish surface. Sensors installed near the surface detect when the snowmelt system is needed and current is applied to the heat cable to warm the driveway and melt the snow. How much easier could it get than that? It’s a modern convenience that is a sign of the times. And because these systems run on electricity, they are environmentally friendly, eliminating the need for corrosive salt and harmful snowmelt chemicals, which can damage nearby plants and grass.

Heated driveways will only get more popular as more people become aware of their affordability and reliable performance. No more concerns about whether snow and ice will prevent you from getting up your driveway when you get home. Just don’t forget you loaned your snow blower to your neighbor. He’s probably not going to remind you, especially after he notices your snow-free, heated driveway.

In an Economic Downturn Purchases Have to Count

Economic downturns such as the one we find ourselves elbow deep in, dictate wiser, well-researched and more cost-effective purchases. The weak dollar and tighter credit allowances no longer allow the penny-pinching consumer the luxury of frivolous spending sprees. Each purchase needs to count and provide an investment for the future.

An inexpensive investment and smart way to add value to your home is by installing a heated driveway. Once installed, an automated snow melting system offers low operation costs in the long run, helping you lower your bottom line on home expenses. A heated driveway with an area of 300 square feet operates for under 50-cents per continuous hour of operation. The snow melting system generally only takes a few hours to clear your driveway when a storm hits, and automatically shuts off when it is no longer needed.

Driveway heating is an investment that has proven results. Not only does it allow you some free time with your family, it is a proven way to protect the life of your driveway by protecting it from harsh chemicals and salt used in traditional snow removal. One of the best features is the rugged, technologically advanced snow sensor, which triggers the radiant heating system only when needed, making driveway heating a fully automated process, so you can stay inside where it’s warm and count the dollars you are saving as you watch the snow fall. Or instead of shoveling for hours after a Nor’ Easter or powerful lake effect storm you can spend time relaxing inside with your family.

The peace of mind that comes with making a smart purchase is invaluable right now. We are all looking for ways to ride out this stormy economic climate, still enjoy some creature comforts, and invest in wise products, such as a heated driveway, that will enable our future to look bright.