Warmzone Blog

Most young children think it’s magical to wake up, look outside, and see a world covered with a fresh blanket of gleaming white snow. It’s a serene and lovely sight to see for parents, too. Until you remember you’ve got to shovel that show in order to get out of the house or your driveway…then your peaceful mood is broken and you start grumbling.
Well grumble no more. With new advances in outdoor heating systems technology, snow melting systems for driveways, sidewalks, and patios are more affordable, and economical than you might assume.
Outdoor heating systems in driveways and sidewalks were once thought to be a luxury most people couldn’t afford. But no, now heating driveways, walkways or even parking areas is becoming common for many residences and businesses. If you live in a cold region that requires snow removal you should consider a automated snow melting system before you begin construction to assure yourself the best design and performance.
With installation of an outdoor heating system that takes care of snow removal for you, you can enjoy watching the snow fall once more.
Outdoor Heating System Tip: Adding an outdoor heating system or heated driveway to your home or business will add safety and value to your property.

Of the many outdoor heating systems available, heated driveways are quickly becoming the most popular.  The best heated driveway systems are radiant heating systems, similar to indoor floor heating systems. There are primarily two methods for heating: electric and hydronic. Electric systems use a line-voltage cable, while hydronic systems generate hot water, then pump it through plastic PEX tubing. The heating elements are embedded in the surface and use resistant heating to heat the surrounding area. Most heated driveway systems incorporate an automatic sensor that detects inclement weather to activate the system. Electric systems tend to be more efficient, require less maintenance, and heat surfaces quicker. Hydronic systems are usually slightly more expensive to purchase and install, but the operational costs can be lower depending on the local fuel rates. Both systems have their advantages, however, the electric systems are gaining a lot of interest due to their price, ease of installation, and threatening future of the cost of fuel.
Some of the obvious benefits are, of course, not having to shovel your driveway again, avoiding injury due to slippery surfaces, and having the confidence that your driveway will be cleared when you need to use it. Other notable benefits include adding value to your home, preserving the life of your driveway, and avoiding damage to bordering landscape with harmful salts and chemicals.

For those of you who are weighing the pros and cons of the different types of driveways, including how they rate for ease of snow removal, you may find yourself wanting an outdoor heating system. For example, if you’d really like a driveway made from paver blocks, which are beautiful, you may find yourself surprised at how difficult they are to shovel in the winter. Therefore, instead of forgoing the driveway you really want, you could install a snow melting system that would automatically melt the snow for you.
Concrete driveways and asphalt driveways are both suitable for the installation of such outdoor heating systems. If you are attracted to a different type of driveway, such as pavers, or cobblestone, you’ll have to weigh its pros and cons (as compared to concrete or asphalt) before deciding.
It’s true, an outdoor heating system is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you’re thinking about stocking stuffers, but it’s the kind of luxurious and affordable gift that you’ll all enjoy for years to come—and even add value to the property, too.
Outdoor Heating Systems Tip: With heated driveways or other outdoor heating systems, not only do you get the driveway you really want, but you’ll have more free time, and less back aches from shoveling snow this winter.

Following the trends of the indoor heating market, where radiant heating systems have been used for decades, the great outdoors is warming up, too. Radiant heat warms the floor and any object in contact with the floor to distribute an even, no-draft heat. Outdoor settings like patios or pathways leading to a hot tub can now benefit from using a traditional hydronic radiant heating system or even more intriguing is the emerging trend of embedding electric heating cables to provide that desired surface temperature. Raising the surface above 38 degrees will conveniently remove any snow or ice and allow you to use your outdoor living areas more often.
Outdoor heating systems are more suited towards new construction since these electric heating cables are actually embedded in the concrete or placed in a sand bed directly under brick pavers. Ambitious do-it-yourselfers will have no problem laying out the cable and preparing them for a certified electrician to do the final hook-up. Outdoor heating systems have always been efficient in delivering heat; the problem has been shutting them off when the job of removing snow from a driveway or outdoor patio is complete.

So spring is here, and maybe shoveling snow isn’t on your mind any longer.  But, consider this.  Spring and summer are some of the best times to take advantage of installing a heated driveway or sidewalk at your residence or business.  Most people do home improvements, or start building in the spring or summer, and if you’re one of those people who are either remodeling your home, or starting a new construction, you really owe it to yourself to check into installing a heated driveway. Warmzone is the leading authority when it comes to outdoor heating applications such as heated driveways and sidewalks. Why wait until fall, or the first snowfall to look into a heated driveway. Install your heated driveway this spring and you can forget all about shoveling snow this upcoming winter.  Contact warmzone for information about installing an outdoor heating system.

For some reason this year spring hasn’t really “sprung” yet. Most of us dream of outdoor entertaining, but it’s been too cold. However, thanks to an outdoor heating system we can enjoy a chilly spring outside. Whether it’s winter or fall, or even a chilly spring, an outdoor heating system enables you to have a comfortable, heated entertaining space year-round.

You might wonder how an outdoor heating system works; well, it’s similar to how indoor radiant heat works. Radiant heat warms the floor and any object in contact with the floor to distribute an even, no-draft heat.

Outdoor settings like patios or pathways leading to a hot tub can now benefit from using a traditional hydronic radiant heating system or even more intriguing is the emerging trend of embedding electric heating cables to provide that desired surface temperature. Raising the surface above 38 degrees will conveniently remove any snow or ice and allow you to use your outdoor living areas more often, not to mention safely and comfortably.

If you entertain at your home often, consider installing an outdoor heating system.

Outdoor Heating System Tip: Many do-it-yourselfers will have no problem laying out the cable for the outdoor heating systems and preparing them for a certified electrician to do the final connections.