Trick or Treat? Is Radiant Heat Installation a Trick or a Treat for End Users?

Around the time trick-or-treaters come eagerly knocking at your door, the hint of snow is in the air. In fact, some parts of the country have already endured a few light storms, reminding us all that winter is knocking along with those chubby-handed costumed kiddies. It is a time to seriously consider installing radiant heat in your driveway. A heated driveway keeps your drive and walks clear of pesky snow. Is installation of a radiant snow melting systems a trick or treat for do-it-yourself customers?

Warmzone offers a relatively simple product called ClearZone snow melting mats. These radiant heat mats are quite simple to install but come with a few disclaimers that if followed will help you avoid mishap. The great news is that ClearZone mats have pre-spaced cable rows making it simple to follow the correct method of laying the heat cables down.

One of the most important things to be aware of is that you must never cut the cables in an attempt to make them fit an awkward space or fill in a gap. Also, be sure to lay the cables at least two inches apart from its neighbor. If the cables are placed too closely they will overheat and reduce the life span of the radiant heat cables. No matter how confident you are with your placement and installation it is usually wise to hire a professional electrician to do the final inspection. Following these simple guidelines will help your radiant heated driveway installation be a wonderful treat instead of a horrible trick.

Easy Driveway Snow Removal

Ever wondered why snow seems to stick on some driveways and not others? Maybe the south driveways stay a little warmer due do sun radiating across the surface, but you've probably noticed that there are some driveways on the north facing side of the street that don’t have any snow on them at all. Chances are fairly good that the well-informed occupants of that house have installed a radiant driveway snow melting system.

Just as radiant floor heating systems warm the surface of floors, snow melting systems radiate warmth under the surface of the driveway, resulting in a very clean, fully automated snow removal system. If you haven’t heard much about these radiant snowmelt systems, here’s a brief description.

When the driveway is being formed, radiant heat cable is installed and then the finish surface is applied over that. ClearZone cable is a common heat cable mat system which has proven itself over the years to be among the best – if not THE best – radiant heat cable on the market. It is durable enough that fresh concrete or asphalt can be placed directly over the cable. Radiant heat can also be applied under brick and stone pavers.

In addition to the grid of heat cable embedded in the driveway, an activation device (snow sensor) is also installed, either in the surface of the driveway or mounted in a location where it will detect weather conditions. (These are the components that replace your snow shovel and snow plow or salt.)

When conditions are right for snow, the system is activated, applying current to the heat cable that radiates heat throughout the driveway surface. Snow removal has never been so easy. This can be an especially big plus for driveways with a fairly steep incline. Radiant snow melting systems can also be applied to existing asphalt driveways. Make life easy for yourself and install one before the next winter hits. You will be so glad you did.

What Are the Environmental Benefits of a Heated Driveway?

Have you ever heard it said that if you simply love someone they will love you back? Could the same be true of our beloved Mother Earth? If we show her just a smidge more kindness and tender loving care, will she in turn love us back? The news and media is all a Twitter (literally) about the lasting effects we are having on our planet. Our resources are depleting, our landfills are, well, filling and we are being bombarded with messages of going “green.” Believe it or not installing an electric heated driveway is one of those ways to “go green.”

A snow melting system has the brain-power to automatically detect snow, so it only uses energy when needed. Utilizing this renewable energy to heat your driveway cuts down on unnecessary power use and becomes a smart and eco-friendly choice. By electrically heating your driveway, you also eliminate the need for salt or harsh chemicals that harm the environment.

Mother Earth may be under the weather but small and simple choices in our lives and homes can make a big impact on her health. The smart part of driveway heating is that it not only shows Mama Earth the love she so desperately needs, but it also shows your wallet a little love as it cuts down on energy and increases the value of your home.

This fall you will most likely heave a big sigh of relief when you rake that last leaf into that pile and bag it up or put it in the mulch pile. At that point,  you’ll be done caring for your lawn until next spring, right? Well, just because it’ll be wintertime doesn’t mean you can’t protect your garden or lawn. In the colder months, heating systems are the best option to melt the ice and to protect your landscaping. Outdoor heating systems like heated driveways do more than just melt snow and ice from driveways and sidewalks. They also help preserve your landscaping while avoiding the use of harmful salt and chemicals.

The potential damage done to lawns and landscaping by salt spread over asphalt and sidewalks to melt the ice is notable. The sodium chloride burns the plants and gets absorbed by the plants’ root systems. This just means you’ll have damage to repair in the springtime — so easily avoided with the use of heating systems.

The solution isn’t to use alternate “ice-melt” products, which don’t work as effectively as outdoor heating systems. You see, these systems don’t use any harmful chemicals, and they melt the ice so effectively that you don’t have to do any of the work.

Heating Systems Tip: These heating systems are state of the art but easy to install for any contractor or do-it-yourself expert. 

You may think, like many people do, that outdoor snow melting or heating systems in concrete, asphalt and under pavers is a luxury beyond the reach of most peoples’ budgets. But that’s no longer the case! Nowadays, heating systems of heated driveways, walkways or even parking areas are becoming common for many residences and businesses. If you’re building a new home and live in a cold region requiring snow removal throughout the winter months, you should seriously consider a heated driveway before you begin construction to assure yourself the best design and performance.

The snow is going to start falling any minute, and if you go by past winters, you know that by the first big snowstorm is predicted, the stores will all sell out of shovels, driveway salt, and snowblowers in a heartbeat, and then where will you be?  We say it’s time to start thinking about heating systems that can help you deal with snow and ice.

Warmzone.com even offers a portable heating system for your driveway, for those times when you know a big storm is coming; you can set it out ahead of time and not have to shovel at all once that snow starts falling.

Heated Driveway Tip:   Adding a heated driveway to your home or business will add safety and value to your property. 

The obvious answer is, “a driveway that is heated,” but what actually heats the driveway? The best driveway heating systems are radiant heating systems, similar to indoor floor heating systems. There are both electric and hydronic radiant heating systems that can be used to heat outdoor surfaces. Electric systems use an electric cable, and hydronic systems pump hot water through plastic tubing. The heating elements are compacted in the surface and use resistant heating to heat the surrounding surface. Most systems use automatic sensors to turn on the systems when it begins to snow. Electric systems tend to be more efficient, require less maintenance, and heat surfaces quicker. Hydronic systems are usually slightly more expensive to purchase and install, but the operational are usually lower. However, unless you’re heating extremely large areas, the advantages of electric systems tend to out weight those of hydronic systems.

Some of the obvious benefits are of course, not having to shovel your driveway again, prevention from slipping on icy surfaces, and no longer getting stuck in your driveway. Some other benefits include increasing the value of your home, prolonging the life of your driveway, and not harming the environment with harmful chemicals.

Driveway heating systems can be installed in almost any location, in almost any medium (including concrete, asphalt, under pavers, etc.), and at almost anytime of the year (depending on the medium). The most popular and ideal time to install a system, is during new construction, and during the summer. However, as long as the conditions are fair enough to install the driveway, there are no limitations when installing the system.

Recent designs in aerial sensors and surface mounted sensors make driveway heating cost effective to operate. Automated sensors detect the combination of precipitation and cold temperatures and activate the outdoor heating systems during inclement weather conditions and then automatically turn off a few hours after the storm. Manual operation of these outdoor heating systems can also be used to spot heat your driveway or patio if additional heat is required.

Even if you don’t get a lot of snow in your area, just ice, you still have a lot of preparation to do for wintry weather: covering the AC units, buying ice-melt, or buying a new ice scrapers for car windshields. However, with the new outdoor heating system available that can automatically melt snow and ice from sidewalks and driveways, you won’t be as busy with winter preparations and will have a lot more family time.

Outdoor snow melting systems in concrete, asphalt and under pavers was thought to be a luxury most people couldn’t afford. Now, heating driveways, walkways or even parking areas is becoming common for many residences and businesses. If you live in a cold region that requires snow removal you should consider a automated snow melting system before you begin construction to assure yourself the best design and performance.

Not only is an outdoor heating system convenient, but it’s inexpensive as well. By the time I account for the ice melt I won’t buy, the time I won’t spend, and the money saved on trips to the chiropractor after shoveling snow, I should have the outdoor heating system paid off in a winter or two.

Heated Driveway Tip: Adding a heated driveway to your home or business will add safety and value to your property. 

If you’re like me, you thought that spring was here to stay.  Well, apparently not, because I woke up yesterday to almost an inch of snow.  If you live in a volatile climate like I do, one thing is for certain…the weather is not. As such, this spring and summer take advantage of an opportunity to lessen the amount of work you have to do this next winter.  I’m talking about the dreaded snow removal that I always fear. 

Recently I discovered that there were snow removal systems, which are essentially heated driveways, that eliminate the need to shovel snow.  My first question was “don’t those use a lot of energy?”  Surprisingly the answer is “no!”  This is because new technology, especially in the area of thermostats make it so that the system turns on and off automatically, and runs only when needed, making it very economical to operate. 

Furthermore, I was pleasantly surprised that these snow melting systems were a lot more affordable than I had assumed.  If you’re like me, and sick and tired of shoveling snow in the winter, now is the perfect time to start considering installing a heated driveway.  This spring, as you start on your “to do” list of home improvements, make sure that a heated driveway is at the top of your list.