How to Heat a Concrete Driveway
When winter buries your concrete driveway beneath a thick blanket of snow, the idea of a heated driveway is appealing. It seems amazing that, with the flick of a switch, the snow will start melting and soon you can have a dry surface without the hard work of shoveling. Heated driveways are expensive, and the best way to install one is to plan so the driveway is built with the heating elements installed. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Bury radiant cables under the surface of the driveway in a network. As the temperature drops, the controls of the system trigger the electricity to flow, heating the cables. When snow drops, the moisture hits the warm surface and evaporates, eliminating the need for shoveling or even drainage from the melting snow. This job is often contracted out to professionals.
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Cut ridges in the concrete if it is already in place. Once the specified depth is reached, lay the cables in the ridges and connect them to a control system. Fill the ridges with a patching compound so a sound surface is ready to drive over. When the snow comes, turn on the power to the cables and the driveway will heat up. This is also a job for professionals.
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Lay an electric blanket designed for exterior use (not bedding) over the driveway. Melt as much as 24 inches of existing snow or use it before the snow starts falling. This is better suited to small areas since the blanket itself would have to be quite large to cover a driveway. This is a method the homeowner can perform.
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Turn on infrared heating lamps. Infrared heaters warm surfaces and not the air in front of the heater. As the light shines over the concrete driveway, the molecules of the concrete vibrate and warm the surface. Any snow dries as it melts. The biggest drawback to this system is the number of lighting units required for the entire driveway.
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References
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