Tag Archives: Heated driveways

Radiant Heat News

Can a Snow Melting System be Installed Beneath an Existing Driveway?

You Don’t Need to Destroy Your Current Driveway to Enjoy A Radiant Snow Melting System

Many people become interested in a snow melting system because of their many winter advantages and then become discouraged thinking they’ve missed the driveway-heating-ship since they’ve already got a driveway. The good news is that you can put those fears aside and still catch the heated driveway wave. Let your fears sail away as you understand that radiant snowmelt systems can be retrofit.

Snow melting systems can be installed with minimal effort if you are willing to put up with a little minor construction dust as new radiant heat cables are placed beneath your existing driveway. Having a heated driveway is definitely something you can achieve if you already have a driveway. You can either tear up the old concrete or asphalt if your driveway needs a facelift, or pour new material over the cables that have been designed and laid out by a Warmzone radiant heating expert. Heated driveways are easily customized to fit your exact heating specifications. If you have a long driveway and it seems cost prohibitive to heat the entire thing, consider doing two strips for the tires of your vehicles. Even if you have a driveway that you hand shovel or plow each winter, you are still a valid candidate for driveway heating.

Radiant Heat News

Will Radiant Heat Protect My Driveway from the Elements?

Driveway Heating Can Preserve the Life of Your Driveway

Snow and ice are hard on almost everything they come into contact with. Snow on roads means more plows on the roads, less visibility, and more accidents. Ice means broken bones, slippery roads and pointy icicles. They are hard on personal property as well. Snow gets heavy and has been known to cave in buildings, create ice damns on roofs, and generally create mayhem on driveways. Driveway heating can protect your driveway from some of these icy pitfalls and even extend the life of your driveway.

Heated driveways are fully automated, energy efficient, and easily customizable. But the benefits don’t stop there. Having a heated driveway means you don’t have to personally attend to any snow levels on your own driving and walking surfaces. The snow sensors that are included with each radiant snowmelt systems are sophisticated enough to detect the temperature and precipitation levels making them sure fire when it comes to snow removal. Without snow on your driveways you cut down on the use of shovels, snow blowers, and other manual methods of snow removal cutting down on the potential for road damage and sidewalk dings. You will increase the life of your driveway by decreasing salt corrosion and frost heaves. Overall having a heated driveway is an affordable method of snow removal, plus you have the added benefit of getting more years of use from your driveway without the harsh side effects of snow and ice build-up.

Radiant Heat News

The Path of Least Resistance is a Heated Driveway

Driveway Heating Eliminates the Heavy Lifting

Can we all agree that the path of least resistance is the most desirable path? It’s not that we’re lazy, it’s just that, well…we’re smart. Right? Smart people find ways to do tasks faster and simpler. Here’s a tip on following the path of least resistance: Try installing a heated driveway. You can thank us later, but seriously, having a heated driveway eliminates all the heavy lifting you usually dread when the winter comes swinging in with its white fury.

Following this path of least resistance allows you to kick back and enjoy the winter from the warmth of your family room. Driveway heating means that radiant heat cables will work on the snow removal quietly and effectively so you can enjoy more time with your family, working, and playing. Once you have driveway heating installed you simply hook up your automatic snow sensor and kick back while the snow melts seamlessly into your lawns and gutters. The heavy snow shovel full of mushy, wet snow is a thing of the past and suddenly you’ll find yourself actually enjoying winter. You might look forward to a big snow storm, taking in the sweeping views of white just outside your front window rather than cursing at the sky for adding one more thing to you to-do list. Driveway heating eliminates the heavy lifting for sure but it also eliminates the stress and strain on your mental and physical well being, because you don’t have to deal with any snow accumulation on your driveways or sidewalks.

Radiant Heat News

These Sidewalks Will Never Look the Same

Radiant Heating Cables Offer Simple Sidewalk Snow Removal

Municipal and county buildings are leading out in a fast growing trend. Schools and public buildings everywhere are enjoying the added benefits during the winter of radiant snow melting systems. Paying staff specifically to get up early and clear the snow for public consumption is getting harder to do with tighter budgets and worry about public safety. Having a snow melting system in place does the job perfectly and ensures the snow will be melted for even the earliest bird trudging to work or walking their dog.

Heated sidewalks

Radiant snow melting systems can be controlled and powered from a central location and cover blocks of property. They are ideal for schools, libraries, loading docks, city buildings, and office buildings as they keep everyone safe and sidewalks are always clear of snow. Sidewalks with snow melting systems will never look the same because they will always be clean and safe thanks to the consistent warming the heat cables lying just under the surface. The snow can fall in droves but it will never accumulate on a warmed surface and the public never has to worry about slipping, sloshing, or sliding around on unsafe, un-shoveled sidewalks. Radiant heating cables are a simple solution but nonetheless a solution more and more people are finding handy in a winter riddled climate.

Radiant Heat News

The Secret of Heated Driveways is Out

Driveway Heating is More Well Known Than Ever

If you were trying to keep your driveway heating all to yourselves, convinced that no one else deserved such a luxury, then you may be interested to hear that the heated driveway secret is out. More and more homeowners are catching on to the affordable, once thought of luxury of driveway heating. It is easier and more affordable than ever to lay radiant heat cables beneath your driveways and sidewalks.

Business owners are catching the wave of heat as well. The secret has spilled into their parking lots and loading docks and even showing up on school properties across the country as well. Radiant snow melting systems are a great way to keep property clear of snow. What was once a little known system has become a staple in winter-laden homes and businesses across the states. Heated driveways are efficient and require little power to access their heating power. The warmth keeps the snow from accumulating on the pavement and snow and ice danger is minimized with the flip of a switch. The automatic snow sensor keeps tabs on the temperature and snow fall so you never have to get up in the middle of the night to turn it on. The sensor detects those things for you and turns on and off when needed or not. Share the secret that is not so secret anymore with your friends and neighbors and tell everyone about driveway heating. They’ll love you for it.

HOTNEWS

Taking Snow Melting to the Radiant Degree

Warmzone’s Electrifying Dexterity in Outdoor Radiant Heating

Looking for the A to Z of radiant heating solutions, or somewhere in between? Warmzone offers a full menu of complete radiant heating solutions, and more importantly, they do it well. They have a vast portfolio of industry-leading products and services to choose from. And just like their interest in serving up top notch electric radiant heat and hydronic heating solutions, they take a vested interest in maintaining customer relationships for life. You won’t find better customer service. From your initial contact to your final installation, you’re more than a customer–you’re part of the Warmzone family. As a Warmzone insider, you can expect unbeatable customer service, free installation training, complete design and engineering services, along with installation support before, during and after your home improvement project is completed.

Heated driveway with brick pavers

How do Warmzone radiant snow melting solutions work to preserve the environment surrounding your home? Electric snowmelt systems utilize durable, highly efficient cable that distributes heat evenly across the surface of your driveway or sidewalk. The cable is rugged enough to be installed in new concrete pours, under pavers and even in harsh, high-temperature new asphalt construction projects, alleviating the need for shovels, snow removal services and snow melting chemicals—all of which can have devastating affects on the exterior of your home, from your lawn to your exterior landscaping. Warmzone ClearZone heating cable is the most popular driveway snow melting cable and features efficient, maintenance free operation and a 10-year manufacturer warranty.

Of course, no single radiant heating system is perfect for every type of job. What makes Warmzone more attractive than those “other” radiant heat providers? It’s their ability to match you with the best product for your project at the best price. Warmzone doesn’t partner with just one manufacturer. They carry a variety of top radiant heat solutions for just about any application, allowing them to deliver sincere, non-biased recommendations that best suit your project requirements. Warmzone’s experienced staff is well-versed in each and every one of the products available, and can get you matched up with the best product at a price you can live with.

From heated driveways, heated steps, portable snow melting, heated sidewalks, and heated roofs to gutter and downspout heating solutions, Warmzone’s definitely got you covered; and all these systems can easily be customized:

Radiant heated driveways: Warmzone’s ClearZone snow melting system can heat almost any size, shape and type of driveway. By the spool or with the help of pre-configured mats, ClearZone electric radiant heating cable can be installed under just about any surface (asphalt, pavers or a fresh concrete pour). Driveways can even be retrofitted with a ClearZone snow melting system.

Radiant roof heating and gutter trace systems: These best-in-class radiant heat systems prevent hazardous ice dams and icicles from forming on your roof. They eliminate prolonged ice damming and the severe effects of seepage through roof decking that can work its way inside your home, damaging ceilings, walls and floors, resulting in mold growth.

Portable snow melting: WarmTrax portable snow melting solutions, including portable heated traction mats and stair treads, are a great alternative to the permanency of embedded snow melting systems for heating outdoor walkways, ramps and stairs. Made of electrically operated heating elements sandwiched between two protective surfaces of non-slip rubber, WarmTrax heated traction mats are a popular, affordable and very versatile snow melting solution that serve a wide variety of uses.

    (End of Part I)

Warmzone’s Outdoor Radiant Heating (Part II)

Many of these snow melting products (and projects) are perfect for first-time do-it-yourselfers. If you’re ambitious enough to take on the project, Warmzone is right there to back you up. Not sure where to begin with your next radiant heat project? Warmzone professional designers will evaluate your radiant heating system thoroughly to create a detailed CAD of your system layout. You’ll know the electrical requirements, technical specifications and system performance expectations before one foot of heat cable is installed. You get all the details with minimal installation surprises to save you time, money, and in the end, the heartache of a radiant heat project gone wrong.

Heated driveway with brick pavers

It’s because of this flexibility—in the products, services and ongoing support Warmzone delivers—that gives them the edge in delivering superior radiant heat solutions for heated driveways, walkways, and roof deicing. Warmzone systems can be customized to meet the needs of virtually any area that requires snow and ice removal or ground thawing—for residential customers and contractors alike. And Warmzone’s reach extends throughout Northern America. Dennis S., a Warmzone customer in Calgary said this in regards to the performance of his electric radiant heated driveway, “This past weekend, we received over four inches of snow and temperatures of 15 degrees C – that’s like Green Bay cold.” Despite the ferociously cold temperatures, according to this happy customer, “the heated driveway did its job.” The driveway has also attracted a lot of attention. “A lot of folks in our neighborhood stop by on their walks and have conversations about my driveway, or ask questions if I am outside.”

Dennis is just one of many satisfied Warmzone customers able to realize the benefits of a radiant heated driveway. The biggest, of course, is the benefit of not having to worry about snow removal. No more back-breaking shoveling or wallet-breaking checks to the snow removal service. Because, after all, when you can operate the system for just pennies on the dollar without any effort at all, it just makes plain dollars and cents to install a radiant heated driveway. And what about those curious neighbors Dennis describes? It’s actually quite a boon to him if you think about the positive effects such talk might have on his home’s equity. In a word, radiant heat is an incredibly practical way to boost the equity in your home, while making your life easier. And the word is definitely getting around.

Ready to see how Warmzone can help you find the perfect fit in radiant heated snow melting solutions? Visit them online at www.warmzone.com or call 888.488.9276 for more information.

Testimonials

We had a Blizzard and the System Worked Great!

Solution:  ClearZone Heated Driveway

I just wanted to send a note to tell you thank you so much for your help last Monday evening. We had a blizzard Christmas day and the Warmzone system worked great! I have one blanket that is not working and will have the electrician check it out as it is probably where he joined them together in the junction box outside. Thanks again for your help after hours.

Dave S.

Radiant Heat News

Make Heated Driveways Your Destiny

Life is Easier and Snow Removal More Efficient with Driveway Heating

At times destiny seems unavoidable, something you are tunneling forward without the realization of it. At other times you are busy “working” towards your destiny with lists of goals and fact sheets about how to best obtain your dreams. Sometimes, admittedly, the lines are blurred and if you make it through a busy day without cursing you feel proud of yourself. With the facts about heated driveways available on Warmzone’s informative website you can make driveway heating your destiny and change the way you feel about wintertime.

Heated driveway in concrete

Winter has many beautiful moments that make you feel glad to be alive, like when the first big storm covers the dirty gutters cluttered with autumn’s discarded waste. Then the realization hits you that you must clear that very same beautiful sparkling white snow from your driveway and walks. Driveway heating makes it possible to avoid all of that and makes life infinitely easier during the harsh cold months. Heated driveways have radiant heat cables fitted snugly beneath the surface of your driveway so they keep it warm and clear from accumulating snow. Driveway heating is an efficient way to keep the snow and ice levels manageable and your family is safer because of driveway heating as well. Even if heated driveways don’t feel like your destiny think of all the time they’ll free up, leaving you to keep reaching for your true destiny, whatever that may be

Radiant Heat News

Lazy Winter Afternoons are Possible with Heated Driveways

Kick Back During a Snow Storm

Winter for most of us means a lot of hard work. Snow storms mean back breaking work for those of us stuck shoveling or plowing. Plus, it’s cold outside. Really, really cold. A heated driveway could change most of that. It won’t make it warm outside, but it will reduce your back breaking work. During a snow storm a heated driveway system would do all the hard work for you, keeping the ground heated to a consistent temperature that will not allow accumulation. Imagine the snow melting almost before it even hits the ground.

If you install a heated driveway you can start enjoying lazy winter afternoons, from inside your house. Piles and piles of snow could dump down on your lawn, but you can watch carefree from an easy chair inside the walls of your cozy home, while you sip something warm and steamy from a bright and colorful mug. It won’t bother you to see all that snow on your lawn because you know your driveway is staying clear thanks to the radiant heating cables lightly caressing the surface with warmth. Bright radiating warmth works so you don’t have to at keeping your sidewalks and driveways clear of snow. While you watch your poor neighbors toil endlessly all winter you can smirk and scoff behind the closed doors of your home and the whole time you can enjoy a lazy afternoon.

HOTNEWS

Prepare for Winter

Ramping up for Winter: Prepare for the White Stuff with a Radiant Snow Melting System

If the recent heat wave is any indication of what winter will be like, an electric radiant heated driveway installation now is great preparation for big snow in the future. These systems are designed to sense temperature, humidity and other changes that indicate impending white stuff. They’re also fully automated, so your driveway is clear and dry before you leave the house.

Electric snow melting systems are comprised of three main items: the heating element, the controller, and the snow sensor or activation device. They rely on a pavement- or aerial-mounted automated sensor to activate the system when precipitation is detected and temperatures dip below the set point. (The system’s adjustable set point is typically set at 39°F.)  The sensor sends a signal to the controller, which in turn sends power through the durable, highly efficient heat cable.  When distributed evenly across the surface of a driveway or sidewalk, radiant heat cable can deliver heat quickly and efficiently before the snow has a chance to stick.

Heated driveway in concrete

Reasons for investing in an electric radiant heat snow melting system:

Affordability – Warmzone electric radiant heat systems are easily installed in a fraction of the time and cost of more elaborate systems, and still outperform the competition.

Safety – Sometimes icy conditions aren’t obvious until you slip and fall. These problems can be prevented with pavement that’s dry and clear, free of ice or snow during the winter months.

Maintenance Free – Unlike many systems on the market, Warmzone snow melting systems have no moving parts, making them extremely reliable and virtually maintenance-free.

Self-contained – Warmzone electric snow melting systems are fully automated and monitored and controlled by an advanced, UL listed master control unit mounted on a garage wall without sacrificing space.

Efficient –Warmzone snow melting systems are extremely efficient, with 99% of all energy used going directly to snow melting.

Low Operation Costs and Minimal Operation Time –Melt snow on a 300-square-foot area for under $0.50 per continuous hour of operation. Operating time of Warmzone’s automated systems typically run about 30% less than other radiant snow melting systems.

Professional Design and Engineering – In addition to Warmzone’s wide selection of proven radiant snow melting systems and products, Warmzone provides unparalleled system design services and installation support. When it comes to the complete radiant heating solution package, no one can match Warmzone.

Added value and protection –A simple radiant heat installation could save your driveway (and surrounding landscape) from the harmful effects of snow removal equipment and harsh snow melting chemicals.

Ok, so you’re probably wondering how much an automated snowmelt system will cost you. (Get a free quote!) You may be pleasantly surprised with the options available. Regardless of your requirements or budget, Warmzone has the expertise necessary to design and install the perfect snow melting solution for you. Snow melting systems are easily customized to meet your needs – and your budget. You can install radiant heating cable under an entire paved driveway, an 8-10 foot wide strip, or two 24-inch wide tracks. (View some radiant snow melting system options.)

Because Warmzone is not limited to offering just one brand of products, the experts there can recommend – without bias – the system that will best meet your needs. By choosing from Warmzone’s wide selection of proven products, you can be assured that you will be receiving the best service, price and solution available.

For more information about automated snow melting systems, heated floors, or roof deicing systems, contact Warmzone at 888.488.9276.

Radiant Roof Deicing Systems

Invest in Your Home with Roof Heating and Gutter Trace Systems
Right now you probably have a good idea of the condition of your home, from top to bottom. If you’re coming up short above the roofline, the fix could be as simple as a Warmzone electric radiant heated roof or gutter trace system. During the winter months, ice and snow build up can have a devastating effect on your roof, causing gutters to sag and shingles to break free. The good news—an electric radiant snow melting system can eliminate this damage without emptying your wallet.

Low-voltage roof heating system being installed.

Just what can a good roof deicing system do for you? A well-fitted, properly installed radiant heat snow melting system along your roof line will eliminate prolonged ice-damming during the winter months. Eliminating ice damming, in turn, can prevent unwanted seepage through roofing materials into roof decking. This can cause some serious damage to the roof before finding its way inside to damage ceilings, walls and floors, resulting in mold growth. A Warmzone roof deicing system is the optimal solution for melting snow and ice from roof eaves, valleys, even entire roofs.

What’s in an electric radiant roof deicing system? These radiant heat systems feature three main components:

  • Heating Element – The low-voltage roof heating systems feature a polymer heating element, which is polypropylene fused during fabrication for water proofing and to provide protection from alkaline or salt damage. The thin, flexible heating element is installed discreetly underneath the shingles. The roof gutter trace systems feature self-regulating heat cable that is placed in the gutters and downspouts to keep gutters free of snow and ice.
  • Power/Control Unit – The controller monitors power and output to ensure safe, accurate, optimal system performance. The power unit monitors the heating element under the roof to melt snow and ice, protecting your roof from ice damage.
  • An activation device (snow sensor) – Warmzone offers different types of sensors. The aerial sensor (which is typically used for roof heating systems) is a gutter-mounted snow switch. Like the aerial sensor, the pavement mounted sensor also detects precipitation and temperatures to signal the controller when conditions warrant. However, this sensor is installed in the pavement (and is used more for heated driveways and snow melting systems than roof deicing. Both sensors provide fully automated snow melting for your roof deicing system.

Warmzone roof heating solutions are customizable for just about any roof type and configuration. And Warmzone is the recognized industry leader for providing one of the largest selections of state-of-the-art radiant snow melting systems, including electric and hydronic options. Unlike other “one-solution-fits-all” providers, Warmzone bases a solution on your budget and specific needs to deliver the best performing roof deicing, driveway heating, or floor heating system possible.

Determining the ideal heat cable, thermostat and sensor for your roof heating job depends in part on the size, type and construction of the roof, and also on the overall requirements of a particular installation. Warmzone is always available, with the experts and expertise necessary to assess your system and determine what you’ll need to optimize overall performance for your home. So, if you’re ready to pull the trigger on a roof deicing system, give Warmzone a call at 888-488-9276 to discuss your options.