Getting Your Mats Ready for the Winter

When winter arrives and your driveway is suddenly covered in snow and ice, you may find yourself longing for a heated driveway that could take the snow shovel out of your hand or eliminate the expense of paying for professional snow-plow services.
But you may not be quite sure if a heated driveway is worthwhile, if its "pros" truly outweigh its "cons," or what kind of cost would be involved in installing, using, and maintaining such a system.
Below, we attempt to clarify what a heated driveway is and what are its benefits and drawbacks. We hope you will find this analysis helpful in determining if a heated driveway of some kind is right for you.
Traditionally, there are only two types of heated driveway: hydronic or electric coil systems. But we have also included here a third innovative option on the market — driveway heating mats.
Hydronic systems work by using a boiler and pump to circulate a water-antifreeze mixture through PVC tubing over which concrete or asphalt is poured. The tubes are typically spaced 6 to 8 inches (15.2 to 20.3 cm) apart and arranged in a spiral or wave-like configuration to promote even heat distribution.
Electric coil systems use metal heating cables that are installed under the pavement and activated by a wall-mounted control unit. They are very powerful, often able to reach temperatures over 200º F (93.33° C) and produce as much as 50 Watts of electricity per linear foot of coil.
Driveway mats will function much like a heated driveway that can be installed only seasonally. Two tracks of slip-resistant rubber mats with a central heating element are spaced to align with your vehicle's tire path. They will be strong enough to bear the weight of a car and able to maintain an ice/snow free driving lane or melt one in a matter of hours or even minutes.
While the benefits/drawbacks of heated driveways vary to a degree based on which type you use, we mention here the most significant common benefits of heated driveways in general:
While heated driveways are a solution to many wintertime problems, they are not a perfect solution. There are a few drawbacks that you should be aware of before investing in a heated driveway:
Whether or not installing a heated driveway makes sense will vary greatly based on your situation. For example, a small, easily plowed driveway that gets plenty of sun may not need to be heated, while a longer, shady driveway might be a prime candidate. Homes in the far north, where there are long winters, will get more use out of their heated driveways, but at some point, the winter is too short and mild to justify the expense.
As for driveway mats, their easy portability makes it reasonable to use them in any climate that sees snow/ice. You simply put them away for storage after the cold season ends.