Keep Your Lawn Healthy and Green

Radiant heat is getting a lot of attention nowadays. Given the current social awareness of the environment, and the importance of energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly products, growing numbers of consumers are turning to radiant heat for their snow melting and/or heating needs. Simply put, radiant heat is the most efficient heating technology available today.

Fully automated snow melting systems operate on renewable energy, and offer homeowners an affordable way to enhance safety and convenience around their home. Installing a radiant heat system can also help homeowners maintain a healthy lawn.

When spring rolls around and the sound of distant lawnmowers embraces Saturday mornings, some landscapes reveal the tell-tale scars of winter. Grass lining the edges of driveways and sidewalks looks dead or burned.

To combat icy sidewalks and dangerous driveways during the winter, homeowners not only break out the snow shovel, but they grab bags of salt or other snow melting chemicals. After shoveling the snow, salt is typically spread over the area to prevent ice from forming. While this common winter routine can be effective for the short term, it often comes at a cost to bushes, grass, and other vegetation. Salt, and some snow melting chemicals, can cause long term damage to the surrounding landscape, as runoff seeps into the nearby soil.

Radiant heated driveways offer a host of benefits to home and business owners. In addition to eliminating the need for salt and other harsh snow melting chemicals, radiant heat

In addition to the clean, efficient operation on renewable energy, automated driveway heating systems can also protect the integrity of driveways, and even enhance their lifespan.

One common issue with some concrete driveways is the problem of spalling. Spalling refers to the slow disintegration of the upper surface of a concrete slab. Typically, the damage extends down a quarter of an inch or less. The smooth finished surface crumbles, revealing the rougher stone aggregate below. But what causes concrete surfaces to crumble like this?

Concrete is generally a very stable and permanent material, but it is also porous and will absorb water. When water is trapped inside the concrete on winter days, it can freeze at night and push the cement binder apart. The expansion – and resulting contraction when the ice melts again – causes the spalling, or crumbling. (Frozen water expands about 10%, which is enough to push the thin, weak top layer upwards, eventually causing the layer to crumble, or peel off. 

Radiant heated driveways not only melt snow and ice, but the systems have a built in “afterrun” function. This safety feature forces the heated driveway to remain on for a short time after the snowstorm to dry the driveway. This prevents slick ice from forming, and eliminates tiny pockets of ice from forming within the concrete. This greatly reduces the chances of spalling.

While the efficiency of radiant heat is an attractive feature, radiant snow melting systems also provide a host of other benefits. Some other features and benefits include:

Enhanced Safety: Automated systems provide ‘round the clock protection, keeping sidewalks, steps, driveways, and other areas clear of snow and ice.

Fully automated: Driveway heating systems utilize a durable, high-tech snow sensor that detects temperature and precipitation. When precipitation is detected, and temperature is below the adjustable set point (typically 38°F), the sensor signals the small controller, and power is then sent to the embedded heat cables to prevent the accumulation of snow. (The systems can also be manually triggered if needed.)

Maintenance free: Electric snow melting systems have no moving parts, so they are virtually maintenance free.

Environmentally friendly: Electric snowmelt systems help to preserve your landscaping by eliminating the need for harmful salt and harsh snow melting chemicals.

Protects the driveway: A radiant heated driveway can enhance the lifespan of a driveway by preventing spalling. Having a heated driveway also eliminates the need for plowing/shoveling, as well as the need to apply any snowmelt chemicals.

Versatile, easy to customize: Radiant heated driveways can be easily customized to meet the homeowners layout and snow melting needs, as well as their budget. The incline of a driveway can be heated, or two 24-inch wide heated tire tracks can be installed. Any area can be heated precisely as needed.

Smart investment: Installing a radiant snow melting system can increase the value of your home, and be a wise investment in the long run.

Warmzone is an industry leader with one of the largest selections of radiant heat products and services available. Our top-notch customer service and industry professionals will ensure that every customer receives the ideal, customized system to fit their needs and budget. Each system comes with a detailed layout with all specifications, as well as free installation training and technical support. Call Warmzone at 888-488-9276 and start prepping your home for winter today.