How much does a heated driveway cost? The cost of a heated driveway will depend on a variety of factors, including the contractor you want to hire, your geographical location, the type of heating system you want (we talk about this below), the type of driveway you currently have, the size of your driveway, the distance to your utility hookup and the scope of the entire job.
5 Min. Read
Although driveway heating isn’t typically top of mind during the hot summer months, did you know that this is actually the best time to install a snow-melting system? That’s because the warm weather offers the best environment for concrete or asphalt to be poured and properly cured. In turn, a snow-melting system can be embedded in these materials, as well as in mortar under pavers.
How much does a heated driveway cost?
An electric snow melting system for a heated driveway costs between $8 and $20 per square foot. For a typical driveway, this would cost around $3,500 for full coverage.
The cost of installing a heated driveway for a that is 10 feet wide by 20 feet long, WarmlyYours’ snow-melt cable costs $1,430. For a double-car driveway that is 20 feet wide by 20 feet long, WarmlyYours’ snow-melt cable costs $2,935. Although that might seem like a lot of money, it’s actually similar in price to many snow blowers on the market.
For a single-car driveway that is 10 feet wide by 20 feet long, WarmlyYours’ snow-melt cable costs $1,430. For a double-car driveway that is 20 feet wide by 20 feet long, WarmlyYours’ snow-melt cable costs $2,935. Although that might seem like a lot of money, it’s actually similar in price to many snow blowers on the market.
Plus, the heating element comes with a 10-year warranty. If you equate the cost of paying a snow-removal company $25 each time it snows to plow your driveway, you would spend an average of $500 a year if it snowed 20 days, which is the average in Illinois, according to currentresults.com. That comes out to $5,000 in 10 years, which is significantly higher than the cost of a WarmlyYours snow-melting system.
For an even more economical option, WarmlyYours also offers 2-foot-wide tire track coverage. For a 10- by 20-foot driveway, a snow-melt cable for tire track coverage costs only $650. The return on investment for this installation would be less than two years, based on the specifications mentioned above!
How to Get a Quote
To determine how much it would cost to heat your particular driveway, check out our Instant Quote tool.
Step 1: Select Snow Melting and name your project.
![Much Does Cost Install Heated Driveway Much Does Cost Install Heated Driveway](/uploads/1/2/6/2/126277229/923268567.jpg)
Step 2: Select the project location (Driveway, in this case).
Step 3: Enter your project details, including your role, where the project will be located, the surface type, and coverage. Under coverage, this is where you can determine if you would like full coverage or tire tracks only.
Step 4: Enter the square footage or width and length of the driveway. Or, for a detailed custom installation plan, draw the layout or upload a floor plan.
Step 5: Choose your product! The Instant Quote tool will show you a snow-melt mat, snow-melt cable or both, depending on your project. Both products offer 50 watts per square foot (with the cable spaced at 3 inches); however, the main difference between the two is that the cable is less expensive but a bit more labor-intensive to install.
Step 6: The last step is to choose your control and accessories. Then you’re ready to make your purchase!
Of course, if you have any questions along the way, the WarmlyYours team is there to help. Just give one of our experienced customer service representatives a call at 800-875-5285.
Our technical support team is also available 24/7 to answer any questions that arise during installation.
When you’re out bearing the heat this summer, be sure to think ahead to the winter, when this same kind of heat can free you from having to go out in the cold to shovel your driveway — or pay someone else to do it. By installing a snow-melting system in a new driveway now, you can save money and reduce the chance of injury to yourself (from shoveling) and your guests (from slipping on ice or snow). That’s priceless!
How Much Does Snow Melting Cost to Run?
The answer to this question depends on a lot of variables like local energy costs, snowfall, and the size of the project. The impact of these variables on operating cost are explained in greater detail in this post about how much energy a heated driveway uses. However, to get a rough idea of how much a snow melting system for a heated driveway would cost to operate in your area, you can use our Electric Snow Melting Operating Cost Calculator.
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5 Min. Read
If you’ve ever seen a heated driveway in action, you know exactly how valuable they are. They eliminate the need for snow shoveling or plowing, saving the homeowner time, money and — most importantly — back-breaking labor. Snow-melting systems work by heating the driveway from underneath the surface, ensuring that snow and ice never stick to the pavement. Unlike other heating systems that use plastic tubing, electric heating cable can withstand very high temperatures during the driveway installation, meaning it can be paired with asphalt, concrete and mortar under pavers. These electric snow melting cables can even be retro-fitted into some existing driveways if needed.
Snow-melting systems, depending on the controls and sensors selected, can be set to kick on when the sensor detects precipitation of any kind (snow, ice, or rain) and the air temperature reaches a certain degree. This is the most cost effective way to operate a heated driveway system. When the system is in action, it radiates 50 watts per square foot upward through the driveway to keep the pavement clear and dry. For homeowners, it’s one of the most valuable aspects of their home because it keeps them safe and it’s incredibly convenient. However, there’s one thing many homeowners question before investing in a snow-melting system: How much energy does it use? And, in parallel, how much does it cost to operate?
Snow Melting System Energy Usage
As a part of our free SmartPlan service, every single quote and order from WarmlyYours will be supplied with the operating cost, voltage and amperage needed to run your system. We do recommend that your electrician reviews the electrical plan before the system is installed to ensure that house electrical service has enough capacity to power-up the heating system. However, there is also a relatively simple formula to figure this out for yourself.Operating Cost for a Snow Melting System
To find out the operating cost for a snow melting system, you first need to identify the total wattage of the system by multiplying the square footage by 50 watts (which is the wattage per square foot emitted by a WarmlyYours snow-melting system). Then, divide the total wattage by 1,000 to get the kilowattage. Finally, multiply the kilowattage by the average kilowatt per hour (kWh) rate in your area. Locate your latest electric bill to determine your particular kWh rate.
Square footage of heated area x 50 watts = Total wattage
Total wattage ÷ 1,000 = Total kilowattage
Total kilowattage x kWh rate = Hourly operating cost
Total wattage ÷ 1,000 = Total kilowattage
Total kilowattage x kWh rate = Hourly operating cost
For example, let’s take an average 20- by 20-foot driveway. Assuming the homeowner wants full coverage for their radiant heating system, the square footage of the heated area would be 400. Multiply this by 50 watts and you get 20,000 watts. Divide 20,000 by 1,000 to get 20 kilowatts. Then multiply 20 by the national average kWh rate of $0.08, and you wind up with $1.60 per hour. If the snowfall lasts six hours, that snowstorm will end up costing you about $9.60 in operating costs. If you set the same system to run for an additional 3 hours after the snow fall has stopped (a feature we call “after-run time” that helps make sure that the melted snow fully evaporates), then the total operating cost for 9 hours would be $14.40. Much less than hiring a professional plowing service!
An even more affordable option for heating a driveway is to only heat the tire tracks. A WarmlyYours snow-melting heating mat is 2 feet wide, so if you need two sets of tire tracks for a 20-foot-long driveway with a 2-car garage, you’ll wind up with 160 square feet of heated area. When you apply this number to the formula, you end up with $0.64 per hour.
Snow Melting Systems for Driveways, Walkways and Patios
This formula can also be applied to snow-melting systems for walkways and patios. For many homes, nothing’s more treacherous than a walkway to the front door during the wintertime. It’s a prime spot for ice to build up and create a dangerous area for visitors. As a result, it’s a liability and a homeowner’s worst nightmare. To solve this issue, a snow-melting system can be embedded within the concrete or in mortar under pavers. In the example below, a large walkway used two heating cables to cover 110.5 square feet. Using the formula above, it would cost about $0.44 per hour to heat this walkway.
Whether you’re heating a driveway, walkway or patio, a snow-melting system can create a safe, hassle-free outdoor space for any home that’s inexpensive to operate. To find out how much it would cost to operate your very own snow-melting system, use the formula above. If you’re happy with the results, check out WarmlyYours’s free Snow Melting Quote Builder, which will help you choose the right snow-melting mats and cables for your project and see how much they cost. Your snow-free outdoor space is just a few clicks away!
Like this post? Subscribe for regular updatesMake sure you don’t miss out on the latest news in radiant heating by subscribing to our blog. We’ll send you an email with links to the newest posts from WarmlyYours.
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