Tag Archives: Heated driveway

A Heated Driveway is a Wise Investment

Make Every Dollar Count with Radiant Heated Driveways

You might be like many of us and are afraid to even say the word recession. If we say it then we’ll have to admit it’s really here and our spending choices have to be even more prudent. 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.

A cost-effective investment and smart way to add value to your home is by installing a heated driveway (radiant snow melting system). Once installed, an affordable radiant heated driveway provides 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. Snow melting generally only takes a few hours to clear your driveway when a storm hits.

Driveway heating is an investment that has demonstrated and visible results. Not only does it allow you some free time with your family – not to mention saving your back from shoveling duties – but it is a proven way to protect the life of grass and surrounding vegetation by eliminating the use of salt and harsh snow melting chemicals. It also extends the life of your driveway by defending it from chemicals and other traditional abrasive snow removal methods.

Radiant heated driveways are fully automated so you can stay inside where it’s warm and count the dollars you are saving as you watch the snow fall. An automatic snow sensor signals the snowmelt system’s controller when precipitation is detected and temperatures are below 39° Fahrenheit. The controller then sends power to the embedded heat cable, rapidly warming the driveway and keeping it clear of snow and ice. The system shuts off automatically after the storm. Electric radiant snow melting systems have an extremely fast response time, operate silently, and are maintenance free – and there are several options to choose from when considering a radiant snow melting system. There’s really no better, or easier way to keep your driveway clear of snow and ice during the winter than with a radiant heated snow melting system.

So, 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 (shhh, whisper) recession and worrisome economic climate, but you can still enjoy some of the finer things in life, and invest in wise products.

The Latest Trends in Home Improvement

Radiant Heated Floors – Home Remodeling Trends You can Really Warm up to

CBS Moneywatch.com recently identified twelve trends in home remodeling for 2011. The hottest projects—bathrooms, must-do remodeling and warmer interior design projects made the top three, with green living coming in at number nine. With growing concerns over rising fuel prices and carbon footprints, it’s not surprising that more and more homeowners are investing in their homes to cut fuel consumption. Installing Warmzone radiant heated floors is a great way to keep up with remodeling trends and recoup on home improvement costs.

How does radiant heat work? Heated floors radiate heat from the floor up to keep you warm and comfortable when cold weather sets in. Two types of systems—electric heat cable and hydronic (water-based) tubing systems—when installed in the subfloor of your home act as heating elements to warm the surface above. These heating cables/tubing coordinate with a thermostat and sensors, as do traditional forced air systems, to provide heat to your home.

Radiant heated tile floor

Warmzone radiant heat is green heat. Powered by electricity, electric radiant heat cables can heat a surface in 30 to 60 minutes. Unlike forced air systems, they are room specific. With the help of sensors and a programmable thermostat you can heat one room, or heat them all quickly and efficiently, saving money on your monthly gas bill. And unlike forced air systems, they do not belch out the dust and dirt that compromises air quality in your home.

A radiant heated floor installation equals cheap equity. Heated floors give your home an impressive level of comfort and customization with minimal investment. Not sure you want to install heated floors throughout you home just yet? Warmzone offers a variety of heat cable products that can be easily installed under the subfloor of any room in your home, whether it be bathroom tile, wood or even carpet.

If, as CBS Moneywatch.com suggests, the over-arching remodeling trend for 2011 is to tackle small projects while you wait to do the really big remodeling project that’s on your list, why not start by installing heated floors in your home?  Unlike other “one-size-fits-all” radiant heat providers, Warmzone offers an array of radiant floor heating solutions designed to better match your individual project, and your budget. The good news—many of these floor heating products can be installed by do-it-yourself homeowners.

Heated Driveways and Roof Deicing

The Hottest New Trends in Home Remodeling
Among the hottest types of projects listed in the 2011 CBS Moneywatch.com twelve trends in home remodeling are the “must do” and green remodeling projects. If you are finally replacing your roof or pouring a new driveway, consider incorporating a snow melting system into your project list. Radiant heat is green heating technology that actually enhances the life of your roof or driveway without impacting your overall fuel consumption.

Warmzone roof deicing systems are designed to prevent the buildup of snow, ice and large icicles around roof eaves, drains and valleys, preventing damage to your roof and the potential for injury from falling icicles. And you have several roof heating options to choose from.

How it works
Warmzone RoofHeat heating element is polypropylene fused during fabrication to achieve water proofing and protection from UV rays, alkaline or salt damage. Lightweight, flexible and easy to install, these panels can be placed under new or existing asphalt, shake or tile shingles, making roof heating a low-cost, viable home remodeling project.

Installing a heated driveway is another way to add safety, convenience and efficiency to your household while building equity. Warmzone cable is available in pre-configured mats, making easy to roll out under newly poured driveways or pavers. The cable generates heat with the help of an automatic sensor that detects inclement weather and activates the system. It immediately detects changes in temperature and moisture associated with snow and similar weather conditions to warm up your driveway so it’s clear before your boots (or tires) ever see the pavement.

Asphalt driveway with heated tire tracks

Whether you choose an electric snow melting system for your roof or your driveway, you’ll also have the peace of mind that comes with green living. Protecting your roof from inclement weather and damage keeps heat in, so your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard, saving you in fossil fuel costs. A Warmzone radiant heated driveway system also saves your driveway from damage caused by harsh snow melting chemicals or the scraping of snow removal equipment, plus the energy you expend clearing them, whether you’re pushing a gas-burning snow blower, or shoveling.

Snow and ice melt systems provided by Warmzone deliver first class performance, efficiency, ease of installation and energy conservation. Partnering with Warmzone to complete your home improvement project means you’ll get the valuable input from radiant heat professionals needed to find a perfect solution for your heating requirements that’s within your budget, so you can save some green!

Request a FREE quote or call 888.488.9276 today.

Increase the Value of Your Home With a Heated Driveway

Installing a heated driveway when you build or re-pour a driveway is a great way to increase the value of your home, and make it more sellable.  Even if you don’t want to activate the heated driveway, installing the components when you pour can still add value and allow a future owner to finish the project with minimal expense.  Start by installing the bare necessities. A popular option we have with our driveway heating systems is to “rough-in” the basic components for the heated driveway. Roughing-in a snow melting system consists of installing only the materials needed at the time of pouring a new concrete driveway.

Installing heating cable in mats for heated driveway and sidewalk

Components Needed for Rough-in:

1) Driveway Rough-in Kit – The “rough-in” kit contains a backplate, cold lead, and splices. The backplate is installed between studs on a wall and the control unit for the driveway heating system is mounted to the backplate. The cold lead is a non-hot wire that is used to run power from the control unit to the low-voltage heating cable. Splices are used to connect the cold lead to the cable.

2) Driveway Heating Element – A heat resistant cable is the electric heating element used for all driveway snow melting applications. The cable is secured to the remesh, spaced at 6 inches and raised with the remesh (using MeshUps, dobies or chairs) to be within 2 inches of the surface. The concrete is then poured over the cable.

Preparing a Driveway Heating System
The materials for your “heat ready driveway” can be purchased for only a couple of dollars – or less – per square foot. You can then purchase the remainder of your snowmelt system at a later time. Even if you never activate your heated driveway, “roughing-in” a driveway heating system will increase the resale value of your home.