How to Install a Heated Driveway (Concrete)Concrete heated driveway being installed

Snow Melting System Installation Overview

ClearZone® electric heated driveways and snow melting systems are easy to customize and install. The radiant heat cable can be installed in all the typical mediums such as asphalt, under pavers, and concrete driveways. Radiant heat is often installed in ramps, steps, loading docks, walkways and more.

Designed to withstand the rigors and stress of concrete pours and hot asphalt applications, Warmzone's ClearZone snow melting system is a proven snowmelt solution that is ideal for small, custom residential heated driveways as well as large commercial projects, and even runaway truck ramps. Once installed, these fully automated systems are virtually maintenance free and extremely reliable.

ClearZone line-voltage radiant heat systems produce either 37 or 50 watts per square feet, depending on your project (custom systems can be designed). The driveway heating cable carries a 10-year manufacturer warranty.

Keep in mind that a heated driveway / snow melting system is only as good as its installation, so it is imperative to follow the instructions provided in the Warmzone® snow melting system installation manual. Another valuable service Warmzone offers is free installation training courses as well as personal installation support services. It makes sense for customers to take advantage of Warmzone's installation support team and services. A professional radiant heat expert is available to you throughout the installation process to help ensure that your system is installed correctly and performing as advertised. Below are some general guidelines for installing heat cable correctly for your electric radiant snow melting system.

Snow melting system installed under pavers
Important Installation Tip:

The most important aspect of installing an electric heated driveway system is to perform OHM tests of the heat cable out of the box, during, and after the installation. This helps to ensure a successful install. Make sure you document the results and send them to Warmzone to establish the warranty. Also, be sure to always read the installation manual and follow the instructions.

NOTE: Warmzone offers a wide selection of documentation, including installation manuals, data sheets, technical guides, illustrations, and instructional videos - all available for free download. Please refer to the product literature section on Warmzone.com to freely access the installation manual and/or other helpful documents and drawings.

THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS NOT INTENDED TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE CLEARZONE INSTALLATION MANUAL. To ensure proper installation, carefully read and follow the instructions provided in the product documentation.

General Heated Driveway Installation Overview

Prepare the area for the heat cable. Clear the area to be heated of all debris that may pose a threat to the heat cable. Jagged rocks and nails may damage the insulation of the cable and cause it to fail, so clearing the area is important.

Lay the cable (or heating mat) out over the area you want to heat (as determined by the layout provided by Warmzone). Remember to never allow the cables to touch one another or be too close to each other. Always refer to your installation manual for detailed instructions. (The heat cable comes with cold leads pre-spliced.) Be sure that your electrician has experience or has received training to install radiant heat systems and is willing to contact Warmzone's installation support team with any questions. Fasten the heating cable to the remesh reinforcement using plastic tie-wraps, zip ties or cable strapping. Make sure that the free cable is fastened at regular intervals to prevent it from being pushed down by the weight of the heavy concrete pour. (Never let the cable rest on the ground. The heating cable should typically be covered by 2 inches of concrete. A thicker surface may be required depending on the pour and application.) On new concrete pours, it is recommended that you use Mesh-Ups to position the heating cable or mat so that the cable is about 2 inches from the surface.

Installing the heat cable and power lead

Do not stress the heating cable in the mat in such a way that it is damaged. If needed, cut the mat tape using scissors so you can shape the heating cable to your area. Do NOT cut the heating cable.

When installing, it is important to remember that all of the heating mat, including the splice to the cold leads, is to be embedded so that only the non-heating leads are exposed outside of the pour. (Refer to illustration.) By NEC standards, a conduit is used to bring the leads out of the pour. The ClearZone mat must be laid out evenly over the entire area to be heated. Center-to-center (C-C) spacing is pre-set in the mat, but care must be taken so that the heating cable never crosses, touches or overlaps, otherwise a failure will occur. See our Common Installation Mistakes web page to learn what to avoid when installing a heated driveway. Feel free to contact Warmzone technical support if you have any specific installation questions. Also refer to the layout provided and always reference your installation manual.

IMPORTANT NOTE: NEVER CUT THE HEATING CABLE.

Make sure the cable/mat is not subject to excess strain or tension. HEAT CABLE SHOULD NOT CROSS AN EXPANSION JOINT. Where expansion joints are present, separate mats/cables should be used. To ensure proper installation and maintain a valid warranty, connection of the heating cable must be completed by a licensed electrician.

The fully automated, electric ClearZone driveway heating system includes a contactor panel and snow sensor / activation device. When the snow sensor detects precipitation and the temperature is below the set point (usually 39°F), power is sent to the embedded heat cable to heat the driveway. The snowmelt system's control box housing is typically mounted onto a wall in the garage. (For more information, visit our automated snowmelt systems and control units web page.) The activation device (snow sensor) is either installed in the pavement or mounted discreetly above the roof edge, where it should have a 360 degree open access to the elements.

For more details, call and speak with a friendly snow melting system expert today at 888-488-9276.

 

 

Snow Melting System Applications

Concrete New Pour
Various snow melting system applications being installed

Concrete is one of the most popular applications for the ClearZone radiant driveway heating system. The heat cable is typically designed to produce a minimum of 35-37 watts per square foot. During installation, the heat cable is laid down and securely fastened to the remesh with plastic zip ties to prevent cable movement. Use Mesh-Up® plastic supports to keep the re-mesh and cable from resting on the ground. (View the Mesh-Up instructional video.) The heat cable should be about 2 inches from the driveway surface. The system is easy to customize and can be laid out to heat any size or shape of driveway, sidewalk, patio, parking lot, or even steps. Be sure to exercise caution when using shovels and rakes during the concrete pour so that the cable is not damaged. The ClearZone system is popular in large commercial snow melting applications as well as for residential heated driveways. Once installed, the electric radiant heating system is virtually maintenance free. The heated driveway system has no external moving parts and is fully automated, making it an excellent, reliable, long term solution for all snow and ice melting applications.

Asphalt New

For asphalt heated driveways, Warmzone carries a specially designed heat cable that can withstand the extreme heat and compression of new asphalt installations. The heat cable is rated for temperatures up to 460°F for up to 10 minutes. The cable is laid out over the base surface and the asphalt can then be applied over the cable.

Retrofitting Asphalt and Concrete Driveways

The versatile ClearZone radiant heating system can be installed in existing driveways as well as new driveway construction. If you are repaving your existing asphalt driveway then you can easily retrofit your driveway with radiant heat. The cable is laid over the original layer of asphalt and secured. Then new asphalt is hand shoveled onto the existing driveway and cable. The ClearZone cable should be embedded in an least 1½-2 inches of asphalt. The Warmzone ClearZone system is simple to install and provides reliable, fully-automated performance for heating asphalt driveways. Concrete driveways can also be retrofitted by using saw-cut technology.

Installing Radiant Heat Under Brick Pavers

Installing a ClearZone electric snowmelt system under brick pavers is the easiest method of installation and the most effective for heating a paver driveway. The heat cable is laid out on the base surface of the area to be heated, and then a layer of paver dust is applied over the cable. Then the pavers are placed on the paver dust, on top of the cable. The versatile snow melting system can be easily installed to heat brick, stone, or most any other type of paver. ClearZone radiant heating cable has been rigorously tested and approved for wet conditions and is designed so that moisture can come in contact with the cable without affecting its performance.

Warmzone also offers portable snow melting and ground thaw solutions. Visit our WarmTrax® portable snow melting web page as well as the Powerblanket® portable heating mats page for more information.


Additional Snow Melting System Links

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Snow Melting System Product Literature