Anybody got a heated driveway?
 

Hi Guys,
Kathryn & I were just discussing the house projects we want to do next year- one of which is replacing our old cracked concrete driveway with one using pavers. (Planning to use Western Interlock in a Camino stone Cambridge II blend- anyone got experience with them?) The drive is kinda steep, and 40' long by about 20' wide. It faces east. I am wondering if it would be possible to heat it so it doesn't turn into an ice rink? I am afraid my snow blower will scrape the bricks and would rather just have it stay de-iced. Would it be possible to put tubes in the sand under the pavers then run heated antifreeze through them? Or maybe a commercial grade electrically heated mat like they put under tile floors? Any ideas? This will be a great incentive for me to find an oil leak-free 911!

Thanks in advance,

Paul.

I have a heated Driveway, heated by a renewable energy source to...doesn't cost me a dime...its called the Sun.

Thanks, that's really helpful.

Tabs,

The problem is that snow in Vegas is not the norm as might be in the NW!

I used to have one and loved it. We had heated floors in the house I grew up in and Dad would turn a switch on and it would clear the driveway in a few hours or leave it on low and nothing would stick overnight.

Neighbours either liked or hated it as they were out shoveling the next day to get out!

Joe

OHHH??? AHHH...I have a question...What is Snow? Growing up in SO CAL its was always Shorts and Tee Shirt weather....surfin 365 days a year in the glorious sunshine...

Shovel snow??? or flip a switch....hmmm let me think now...flip the switch...sounds real good to me...Hope ya find what your lookin for...

Thats what I'm here for...huh Nostatus

Thanks Joe- do you remember what system the driveway had? I have seen the tubes full of antifreeze and a heating unit/pump in concrete, but am not sure if it will work with pavers!

Cheers,

Paul.

Supposedly the first heated driveway in the US is right across the street from me! It was installed in the 1940's or 50's.

My take would be that you would have to embed the tubing in the concrete for it to work properly. I wouldn't think it would work very good installing it in sand.

Paul,

Yep, it was the antifreeze type of stuff. This house was build in the early to mid 50's and was groundbreaking for this time.

As well it was so nice to wake up and put your feet on a warm floor, still remember it today.

Not sure how it would work on sand and pavers but well worth a search on the internet, then sending some emails out to people who have built this type of system before.

This works with pavers. There are probably others.

http://www.warmzone.com/SnowMelting/blueheat-installation.asp

Thanks!

My parents have a geothermal unit that heats their concrete slab driveway in Salt Lake....they love it!

Thats what I want! To use both geothermal and solor on a house would be the cats ass. Someday I want to sell power back to the electrical company and tell them to bugger off otherwise.

I had one when we lived above Boulder, Colorado. It ran off the same pump an manifold that fed the house. Water heated with natural gas. The house was 8000 sq. foot (heated floors was the ONLY source of heat) and had two three car garages with both drives (asphalt) also heated. I loved it and the gas bill was never more than $120 a month (2000-2002).
If I ever again move to a place that needs heat, I will go with a floor system with drive way heaters.
Ben

The last This Old House from Boston (a "moderne" style house) detailed the installation of a heated concrete driveway.

Thanks for all the info guys- I am considering the Blue heat system offered by warmzone (the link Moses posted).

Cheers,

Paul.