Taking Radiant Floor Heating Outside Your Home

Radiant Floor Heating Solutions
With Canada experiencing unusually severe winters in the past few years, with an average winter snowfall of 107cm in many areas, homeowners dread stepping out of the home at the crack of dawn with a shovel in hand.
After all, digging ones property out from a blanket of snow is not the best start to the day. But it’s one of those chores that you cannot put off for long. So, you either hire someone to shovel the snow or hire a snow plough contractor, which can be a pricey service, especially if your driveway is not very large.
As a result, an increasing amount of Canadian homeowners are considering radiant in floor heating Toronto systems for their driveways.
What Are Radiant Heating Systems?
Radiant heating systems which are also known as in-floor heating systems rely on the principle of radiant heat to heat the surface and then the surroundings. When used outdoor, it is mainly used to prevent snow and ice from forming on the surface.
There are two main types of radiant heating systems that are used to melt snow. The first one is a “Hydronic” system in which a network of PEX pipes is laid and then liquid glycol is run through these pipes to heat the surface. A hydronic snow melting system is a very robust one and can be connected to your existing boiler. It has a low operational cost. But, the cost of installation is obscenely high and hence, most homeowners shy away from it.
An electrical radiant heat system uses a network of electrical cables or mats and has become an increasingly popular choice owing to its ease of installation, flexibility and lower price. In many cases, you may not even have to rip out the existing driveway and an electrical snow melting system can be retrofitted with your existing setup.
The Types of Electrical Heating Systems
Electrical snow melting systems are available in the form of 120v and 240v cables or in the form of mats that are 3 feet wide. Matts typically generate around 50 watts per square foot whereas cables generate approximately 12 watts per linear foot. A combination of the two can be used to customize an install, with matts being used for square areas and cables used to fill in the rounded ones. Calculating the operating cost is fairly simple too.
Will The System Be An Expensive Choice?
That depends on how frequently you run the snow melting system. In most cases, it is run typically over a three to four month period and it comes equipped with a smart sensor that detects precipitation before activating the system. So, it will not run unnecessarily and add to your power bills.
If you compare the initial cost of installation, the cost of electricity over a ten or fifteen year period and compare it with the cost of hiring a professional to shovel your lawn, a radiant heating system definitely is a better choice. It will save you a lot of time, effort, hassles and also keep your premises safe. Give us a call at 1-877-523-566 now and our team of experts at Heavenly Heat will help you get the best and most efficient electric heating system with quick setup and delivery services provided by Cargo County.