Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Another epic post from the old days in 2012... but let's face it, this is LI, where utility rates and energy costs are among the highest in our fine nation. The cost of running a heated driveway would be huge, electric or hot water, simply huge. Good luck with this
Another epic post from the old days in 2012... but let's face it, this is LI, where utility rates and energy costs are among the highest in our fine nation. The cost of running a heated driveway would be huge, electric or hot water, simply huge. Good luck with this
Very true, resurface with black top and at least you can use rock salt on the ice and snow
The hotwater systems run antifreeze not water. Also the antifreeze doesn't need to be that hot. All it has to do is keep driveway above freezing so snow won't stick. I don't see why a person couldn't mount a little boiler on the wall of the garage to serve the driveway. Concerning moisture sensor. I don't see why you couldn't just not have one. Instead if snow is coming turning on the boiler for the driveway. Snow is over shut it off.
Finally 110 i don't think the water would need to be this hot. Maybe 90-100 maybe a little lower. The cement just needs to be above 32 in temp. Say 40. Snow won't stick. If you see snow sticking outside its usually in the 20's or below. Just like snow plows don't drop salt unless its below freezing 32
If no one is home and it snows, who is going to turn the system on so you can return to a clean driveway?
'Mount a little boiler' -- how much more do you wish to spend?
Bear in mind the length of the driveway will dictate how much antifreeze has to flow through. What starts out leaving at 110 will not return 110 degrees.
The concrete and bedding surrounding the tubing has been freezing. The fluid is at the temperature of the environment. First all the fluid has to circulate through and the surrounds will gradually warm through the radiant heat given off during circulation.
You're going to be reheating that fluid for quite some time to achieve a clean driveway.
We just installed this for a client. There's a sensor inside the unit which only turns the electric on after the temperature(ambient and walkway) & moisture drops below a certain point.
Toward the bottom of the link is a breakdown of cost and a cross-section diagram of the install.
The client loved it -- she sent an email showing her nice, snow-free walkway after the storm we recently had.
I did some quick math using LIPA rates for the full-sized driveway in your example and I come up with $740/year electric charges. And I am probably low. You can have someone plow your driveway for less than that, although you'll have wear and tear by putting a plow over it.
I did some quick math using LIPA rates for the full-sized driveway in your example and I come up with $740/year electric charges. And I am probably low. You can have someone plow your driveway for less than that, although you'll have wear and tear by putting a plow over it.
You have to bear in mind that the blanket system is on a sensor and only when the temp and moisture reach a certain point will it activate the heating element. Most of my clients keep their systems turned off until snow is mentioned in the forecast.
We have a couple of months in which we might get snow, typically Nov-Mar. The mat will melt the snow and ice, leaving a completely clean surface -- driveway and/or walk -- while the plow can only blade your driveway, leaving snow patches which can turn to ice, or leaving existing ice behind.
How did you arrive at $740 per year?
According to their website, $312 per year represents 200 hours @ $1.56 per hour; 22.5 KW. They are working off of a 16' x 32' driveway
KW x hours = kwh
22.5 x 200 = 4500 kwh
LIPA's rates (I'm residential 180) vary per X number of kwh, so I will use the higher figure, .0975
4500 kwh x .0975 = 438.75 based on 200 operational hours
Remember that 1) we live in what would be considered a light snowfall area. 2) Our average snowfalls wouldn't require 200 hours of use per season. IF we used it 100 hours per season (based upon the above dimensions and LIPA rate) you're looking at $219.38. No waiting for the plow guy to show up when you're scurrying to get to work, no worrying about the plow guy damaging anything, no worrying about icy patches left behind.
RE:I've loooked at normal radiant heat, but my question to you is, is it really set up so that it is on based upon temprature? or does the sensor sense something else?
I would think, the only time to have it on is when ti snows, like putting on the night before. Otherwise you're wasting energy to heat something that doesn't need it.
Chrisk, My controller activates the boiler when all three separate sensors are activated.
1) outdoor air temperature
2) moisture (on the slab sensor)
3) slab/paver temperature
As I said all three sensors have to be activated for the controller to turn on the boiler. Conversely any of the sensors can then turn off the boiler. The controllers a pricey but in the long run save you money by just running the boiler only when truly needed.
It's not just snow it could be ice. You really have to find a plumber and electrician that has installed these in the past.
How long does the system take to get the driveway to operation tempature? Thats alot of mass to heat.
This is something we want to do too, I know it's expensive but IMO it's worth it. I am hoping to do a new driveway with heat in 2 years.I agree with mongoose this is definatley an awesome thing to have done.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
