How Heated Driveways Work
Everyone has heard of the luxurious heated driveway, but how do heated driveways work? Heated driveways work wonders for those who live in colder regions who experience winter storms, snow, and ice. A heated driveway has more than meets the eye, literally. What a heated driveway is, is a system of gridded or coiled tubes or wires that are spread underneath the driveway surface. These coils can then be turned on by the flick of a switch and instantly start to warm the surface of your driveway. Once the heat from these coils is spread throughout the surface of the driveway, all ice, snow, and other frozen debris will instantly start to melt away, without you ever having to lift a shovel.
How do heated driveways work? They use either electrical or hydronic systems to heat the surface.
Electrical Systems
When looking into driveway heating systems there is one of two heating systems that are typically installed. Electrical or hydronic. Electrical involves the use of cables and mats, embedded under the surface of the driveway in a grid like pattern. At the flick of a switch, these cables or heating mats will start to rise in temperature heating the driveway surface. The cables typically used in this type of driveway are designed to resist corrosion and damage over the years, providing you a longer duration of your product.
Hydronic Systems
The other commonly seen system used in driveway heating systems is a hydronic system. Hydronic systems use a series of PEX tubing and non-freezing liquid to heat the surface. The non-freezing liquid is passed through a localized boiler, which allows it to maintain a temperature hot enough to melt ice and snow. The boiler is usually stored in a garage or shed right on your property.
Pros and Cons of a Heated Driveway
Just like any major utility or major project, it is good to be aware of both the pros and cons of the upcoming project. You should not only be asking how do heated driveways work, but also familiarizing yourself with the benefits and annoyances. Heated driveways are no different in this regard, and one should throughly understand the benefits and disturbances that come with a major investment such as a heated driveway.
Pros of Heated Driveway
- The first and most obvious pro for a heated driveway is no more shoveling. Shoveling can be tiresome, cause aches, and it honestly just no fun. Installing this driveway will allow you to relax and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate instead of breaking your back shoveling.
- Even if you do not shovel yourself, installing a heated driveway will eliminate all snow removal expenses you pay yearly. Although the cost of installation at first is much larger than the cost of snow removal, over the span of 20 years, the amount of money saved on snow removal will add up.
- A heated driveway also allows you to eliminate the use of all dangerous chemicals and salts that are used to melt snow. These chemicals and salts can damage your lawns, or potentially even harm animals. Now you can remove the ice in your driveway without having to worry about either of those dangerous consequences happening.
- Related to the last point, overall with a heated driveway, the surface will experience far less abuse over the winter. Not only will the large amounts of salt and chemicals not be laid on the surface, which can cause long term effects, there will also be no chance for water to freeze and expand. Once water freezes and expands on a driveway surface, cracks rapidly start to form. Once cracks form, they can get bigger and more prominent, until the surface of your driveway is ruin.
- The overall safety of your driveway will increase with a heated driveway as well. A heated driveway will melt all ice, and that includes the tough to see black ice or the small surface of ice under some snow. With all the ice melted, you can walk anywhere in your driveway worry free, without the fear of a sudden slip.
- The market value of your home will also increase with the installation of a heated driveway.
Cons of Heated Driveway
- The first con of a heated driveway is that it in fact does not completely eliminate the need to lift a shovel all together. Even if a heated driveway is installed, many portions of your property will not not see the effects of the heating coils. Areas such as stairs, sidewalks, walkways, among others, will still need to be shoveled or cleaned in other methods.
- If you want a heated driveway but do not, unfortunately you may need to redo your entire driveway to have the product you want installed. There really is no easy way to install heating coils under the driveway surface without a complete reinstallation of a new driveway.
- The cost of heating these coils, whether they are electric or hydronic, will cost money. When using a heated driveway regularly you will see an increase in your electric bill or any other utility used to help the heating process.
- Costs in general of a heated driveway is the leading factor in what drives customers away. It is without a doubt a con for those who do not have the budget to install. Installation can be close to $20,000 if an entirely new driveway setup must be installed. Repairs can be just as annoying and pricey as well, leading to one really having to weigh their options.
Don’t Stop At Driveways
If you have a heated driveway and love all the benefits you receive, then you should look into other options that use the same technology. You can apply the heated driveway technology to many other features on your property. There have been heated patios, stairs, decks, sidewalks, and walkways installed in numerous homes in the recent years, each feature allowing the same benefits of a heated driveway to be realized in this much smaller area. If you live in a winter environment, this is one of the easiest ways to relax during the winter months. So stop asking yourself how do heated driveways work, and start asking yourself why you haven’t made the switch.
