Warmzone Blog

Let’s be honest…most of the time, you’re probably not thinking about the weather and its effect on your home, right? But sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of icy weather to remind you how much damage they can inflict upon your home. You are aware about the problems of slick and icy sidewalks and driveways, downed power lines, and dangerous icy roads. One thing many homeowners forget about is that ice storms or wet winter weather and cold temperatures can do a real number on gutters and roofs, too.

Boy do we have a great solution to these problems: outdoor heating systems. They can help prevent the ice from building up and destroying gutters and roofs on your home. There are numerous systems available to prevent roof and gutter damage; one such system is WarmZone’s RoofHeat system. When mounted to your roof eaves and/or valleys, the RoofHeat system is designed to eliminate ice and snow in those areas keeping your home or business perimeter safer and reducing the risk of winter roof damage.

RoofHeat outdoor heating system receives its heat from one of two sources. A “cut to length” commercial grade, self regulating heat cable can be inserted into custom channels or ⅜ inch radiant PEX tubing from an existing hydronic system. These panels are attached to the roof eaves and valleys to prevent ice and snow build up in those areas.

Outdoor Heating Systems Tip: The RoofHeat system is available in a wide variety of panel colors and textures to complement your roof.

It’ll open a new world of possibilities to you.  If you entertain at your home often, consider installing an outdoor heating system. Maybe if you live in a snowy climate, being able to entertain outdoors year-round has been just a dream, but thanks to an outdoor heating system that dream can become a reality.

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.  An outdoor heating system works similarly 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 with an outdoor heating system will conveniently remove any snow or ice and allow you to use your outdoor living areas more often, not to mention safely and comfortably.

Outdoor Heating System Tip: Most capable 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.

Lawn care in the wintertime??  It’s true! Just because it’s wintertime and the grass isn’t green doesn’t mean you should forget about taking care of your landscaping. In the colder months, heating systems are the best option to melt the ice and to protect your landscaping. Heating systems like heated driveways actually do more than just melt snow and ice from driveways and sidewalks. They also help preserve your landscaping while avoiding the use of harmful salt and chemicals.

Ask any gardener, nursery owner, or landscaper, and they could probably tell you that salt spread over asphalt and sidewalks to melt the ice can do a good bit of damage to lawns and landscape plants. When salt products are spread over streets and walkways, the salt inevitably splashes onto nearby foliage. The sodium chloride burns the plants and gets absorbed by the plants’ root systems.

Before you running out for some alternate “ice-melt” products, let us assure you that they aren’t the solution either. They simply won’t work as effectively as outdoor heating systems. You see, these systems don’t use any harmful chemicals, and they melt the ice so effectively that you don’t have to do any of the work. These heating systems are state of the art but easy to install for any contractor or do-it-yourself expert.

Heating Systems Tip: You’ll find that snow melting heating systems can be installed in almost any driveway and can be retrofit into existing concrete and asphalt.

There’s a favorite restaurant of ours that has patio seating, and the restaurant has recently added patio heaters so that diners can enjoy meals outside even in the autumn and winter months. Outdoor heating systems, such as patio heaters, are making simple things like comfortable meals in the fresh air a reality more and more today.

The significant growth in popularity, accessability, and affordability of outdoor heating systems has prompted many restaurant owners to keep their patio dining facilities open year round, even in those places that suffer moderate to severe winter conditions. While patio heaters are gaining popularity, there is also another outdoor heating systems that is also assisting restaurant owners in keeping their outdoor dining comfortable year round. Heated patios with snow melting systems help keep patio dining safe and comfortable.

In the not-so-distant past, outdoor snow melting systems in concrete, asphalt, and under pavers was thought to be a luxury most small businesses couldn’t afford. However, now heating patios, walkways, and other areas is becoming common and affordable for businesses of all sizes.

Outdoor Heating Systems Tip: Remember that adding a heated walkway or patio to your business will add safety and value to your property, and ensure a comfortable and safe outdoor dining experience for your patrons.

Squirrels and bears aren’t the only ones who make preparations for wintertime. Just like clockwork, in the days after Halloween, just about every house on the block is busy with winter preparations: covering the AC units, buying ice-melt, or buying a new snow shovel. I think about all those folks, busy as bees, and bet that if they had known about the new outdoor heating system available that can automatically melt snow and ice from sidewalks and driveways, there would’ve been a lot more time spent enjoying football games or family time.

Once upon a time, outdoor snow melting systems in concrete, asphalt and under pavers was thought to be a luxury most people couldn’t afford. 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.

Not only is an outdoor heating system convenient, but it’s inexpensive as well. By the time I account for the ice melt I won’t buy, the time I won’t spend, and the money saved on trips to the chiropractor after shoveling snow, I should have the outdoor heating system paid off in a winter or two.

Outdoor Heating System Tip: Adding a heated driveway to your home or business will add safety and value to your property.

Were you like me and got a huge shock to the system (and your wallet) when your most recent energy bill arrived? It’s pretty scary how high those bills can get, we know. Well, we’d like to let you know that new technology in radiant heating can help you cut electricity costs. Now electric radiant heating systems offer you a choice of a thermostat that is controlled by a floor sensor. This allows you to measure floor temperature or with an ambient sensor to control the actual temperature in a specific room. Radiant heat can be used and controlled as a primary source of heat or used as a supplemental heating source to add comfort to your living spaces.

When an Electric Radiant Heat system is turned on, energy is forced through a conductive material to create resistance or heat. For most areas an electric line-voltage system is used. These systems use a special thermostat that has an integrated breaker for safety right at the power source. They are available in 110 or 220 voltage.

Low-voltage systems use the same voltages and consume the same amount of power as line-voltage products. The use of a step-down transformer reduces the voltage supplied to the heating materials. Due to their safe low-voltage current (8-30v) products like Zmesh can be nailed and stapled down to secure the electric radiant heat product to the floor and are therefore useful for installation under hardwood and carpet.

Electric Radiant Heat Tip: One of the low-voltage product recommended by warmzone.com is Zmesh.