Stop Shovelling and Enjoy Your Snow Days
Patterned Concrete® hydronic heated driveways are maintenance-free, melt snow and ice quickly and effectively – even on extensive surfaces, and aren’t subject to rising utility costs.
Whether a snow day for you means sleeping in and spending the day in pyjamas binge-watching movies, gaming or reading, or getting out to focus on wintry fun, clearing snow and ice is a necessary chore. And if your business beckons despite the snowy weather, shovelling can be a double whammy.
Snow removal is a headache for many reasons. Tightly packed urban homes and businesses lack property space and frequently have nowhere to pile their efforts. Sweeping driveways, walkways and entrances are not only daunting to shovel but a frequent cause of sore, aching muscles and heart attacks. And for homeowners and business owners alike, slip, and fall accidents are a real risk and can result in significant insurance claims.
Snowblowers are, of course, a solid alternative, but they can be expensive, bulky to store, contribute to both noise and air pollution, and still require you to brave the cold and manoeuvre heavy equipment around. The remaining ice still requires salt or expensive ice melter products that often are corrosive and damaging to hardscapes, lawns and gardens. Over time, repeated use of ice melters can also deteriorate common surfaces such as concrete and asphalt and damage the undercarriage of your vehicles.
Snowplowing services are also an option for many homes and commercial businesses, but costs can be prohibitive. You pay for the season regardless of snowfall, and many will limit their service to driveways and large areas, so some shovelling is still required. Snowplows are also likely to damage the surface of your beautiful new surface and work in conjunction with salt and ice melter products that are harmful to grass, shrubs and landscaping.
Today, residential, commercial and public properties are increasingly putting these methods aside in favour of snow-free, ice-free, worry-free heated surface systems for driveways, walkways, and large outdoor surfaces. There are two types: an electrical or radiant system and a water-based hydronic system. Both require professional installation beneath the paving, so optimal timing is during new construction or upgrades to a beautiful stamped concrete architectural finish.
While a common choice for interior floors, Radiant systems are a pricey proposition to install and can be much more costly to maintain over the life of the installation. And with gas and electricity costs constantly on the rise, the price of operating a radiant heated driveway will increase along with your utility bills. If the radiant heating system malfunctions, repairs could entail tearing out all or a large part of the driveway or surface.
Patterned Concrete® hydronic heated driveways are maintenance-free, melt snow and ice quickly and effectively – even on extensive surfaces, and aren’t subject to rising utility costs. In rare instances of a rupture beneath the driveway, a thermal imaging device can detect the precise location, making repairs easier, less disruptive and less expensive than radiant options.
They will add to the value of your property as well.
For up to 25 years of worry-free, shovel-free snow days, pyjama days, game days, or whatever you do for fun days, contact your local Patterned Concrete® Licensed Professional today.
‘Tis the season.