Installing a heated driveway in your property affords you peace of mind during the cold freezing months of winter. It means that you won’t have to brave the morning cold shovelling snow to get your car out.
You really can put a price tag on the peace of mind, remarks a leading installer of heated driveways in Park City in Utah. This becomes quite apparent when the freezing winter leaves a mountain of snow on your driveway. Instead of doing your morning routine to get ready to go to work, you must shovel a truckload of snow. Otherwise, you can’t get your car off your property into the road due to the piling snow. If you’re not keen on doing this manual job, you’ll have to pay a neighbourhood expert to do it for you.
Why a heated driveway?
The best reason for installing a heated driveway, a form of radiant heat flooring system, is convenience. The ability to reduce an hour’s worth of shovelling to a flip of a switch is indeed priceless. Instead of donning your inclement weather gear, you simply turn on the heating system and watch the snow piles fall away.
How does it work?
The primary function of a heated driveway is to keep the falling snow from piling up and hindering your movements. The system keeps the pavement just warm enough to melt any snow on contact while keeping ice from forming on the surface. It also means that you won’t resort to using salt and other snow removal chemicals that are harmful to the environment. These chemicals can also inflict a considerable amount of damage to your car and driveway.
A heated driveway comprises a series of tubing installed beneath the surface for your driveway. These tubes circulate a mixture of water and antifreeze through the entire length of your driveway, melting snow on contact. These systems work with both asphalt and concrete driveway. Alternatively, you can opt for an electrical heating system that works like the indoor heating systems. They use a series of wires or a mat that heats up to melt snow on contact.
Cost of installation
Naturally, such convenience carries a cost implication that can tend toward the higher end of the scale. The installation is likely to set you back around $14 to $24 per square foot. Using these figures, a driveway measuring 20 by 50 foot would set you back at least $15,000. Experts recommend tearing up the old driveway when installing a heated one to avoid running into problems down the line. It might drive up the cost of installation, but it is a sure way of increasing the longevity of the system.
The best heating system
Installing a water-based system is a tad pricier, but you can recoup your cost over the life of the system as it requires little energy to operate. You can even connect it to your home’s water-heating system. Electrical systems have a low initial cost. However, depending on the usage, they can saddle you with hefty electrical bills.
While installing a heated driveway in your home might seem luxurious, for some people it’s a necessity. If you have a physical limitation that makes it difficult to do manual work, you stand to benefit from having such a system. The same case applies to elderly homeowners who are in no shape to shovel snow.
