The HeatTrak Homeowner Blog

How to Deal with a Steep Driveway during Winter

To avoid slip-and-fall accidents or slide-offs in your vehicle, it’s worthwhile to spend some time considering the best snow-melt system for your steep driveway. Asking these questions should help ...

The Ultimate Winter Survival Guide: 15 Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

"Surviving" winter, both in terms of safety and finances, is not at all automatic. Winter weather brings with it numerous challenges that will test your property's durability and your ability to co...

The Quick but Handy Guide to Buying a Snow Shovel

In recent years, innovations in snow shovel technology have led to a wide range of new and unique shovel types. These innovations are a blessing, but they can also make finding your ideal snow shov...

The Dangers of Rock Salt on Roof Shingles

Rock salt's ability to damage driveways and other outdoor pavements is relatively well known, but there is another place where rock salt can do damage to your home — on the roof top. Here are a num...

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Heated Driveways

When it comes to heated driveways, there are both pros and potential cons of installing either an electric coil or hydronic heated driveway. Let's review them and also take a look at an exciting ne...

Tree and Landscaping Hazards Caused by Snow & Ice

Ice and snow can also create tree and landscaping hazards that put you at risk of both injuries and (should a visitor be hurt on your property) expensive lawsuits. When trees enter winter already i...

Should You Install a Heated Driveway?

Harsh winter storms, snow and ice accumulations, black ice, shoveling and de-icing: It’s enough to make a homeowner seriously consider installing a heated driveway. The idea sounds tempting, but ho...

Tree and Landscaping Precautions to Take Before Winter

When snow and ice damage or destroy your turf or trees, this is commonly known as "winterkill." Let's look at four ways winterkill affects your turf and four ways it can affect your trees, while of...

Senior Safety Tips: Staying Warm Inside & Outside

Winter is in full swing, which can mean different things for different people. For seniors in particular, one thing is unanimous: winter can be hazardous to your health. It’s important to take proa...

Senior Safety Tips: Health Hazards of Cold Weather

It's important to be aware of the health hazards involved during these times and taking the necessary precautions to stay safe. Take a look at some of the more common winter ailments and what to do...

Understanding and Preventing Roof Ice Dams

While some may feel ice dams are inevitable, there are actually numerous concrete steps you can take to limit or even eliminate ice dam formation on your home's eaves. Understanding how and why ice...

How to Melt Snow and Ice Without Rock Salt

Rock salt is easily the cheapest option when it comes to melting snow and ice on U.S. roadways as well as on pavements at U.S. homes. Over a third of the salt sold in the United States every year i...

What Are the Dangers of Using Rock Salt Around Pets?

Rock salt (sodium chloride), as well as many other deicers, pose major hazards to your pets when applied in significant quantities to your driveway and other outdoor pavements. Being aware of thes...

How to Melt Snow and Ice Without Damaging Your Walkway From Salt

Outdoor walkways, whether a simple path connecting your driveway to your main entryway or a winding backyard path that lets you more fully enjoy your landscaping, add value and usability to your ho...