74 Reviews

Heated Driveway

When the days are shorter and the mornings are colder, the last thing you want to do is get out of bed early to shovel snow from your driveway. With a heated driveway from WarmlyYours, endless shoveling is a thing of the past, even in the harshest of climates. Learn more about driveway heating systems and just how cost-effective a heated driveway really is!

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What is a Heated Driveway?

Our driveway heating systems are available as either heated driveway mats or cables, which can be installed in asphalt, concrete, or under pavers in mortar. They're ideal for both residential use and commercial applications, and for any size or shape of heated driveway.

A complete driveway heating system will typically include at least the heating elements (snow melting mats or cables) and a control to sense things like air temperature or moisture on the pavement, but may also require additional components like a relay panel or an identification plaque to mark the location of the heated driveway mats.

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How Much Does a Heated Driveway Cost?

There are a number of variables that you have to keep in mind when considering installing a heated driveway. These variables include, but aren't limited to, labor costs for professional installers (even if you do most of the actual installation yourself, we always recommend hiring a licensed electrician to do the final hookups), material costs (such as cement and asphalt), and product costs (for the snow melting system itself).

The size of your project can have a substantial impact on all of the aforementioned variables, since you'll need a bigger snow melting system (and more materials and labor too) for a heated driveway than you will for a small walkway.

Material and labor costs will vary from area to area and based on the market, so you'll want to make sure to do your research when prepping for a project.

As far as product costs are concerned, for a heated driveway it will cost between $10 and $25 per square foot for the heating elements. Then you'll also have to account for between $1,000 and $3,000 for a control to operate the system.

Check out our blog for more information about heated driveway costs.

Use our Quote Builder to Calculate Your Heated Driveway Cost

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Coverage Options for a Heated Driveway, Full Coverage vs. Tire Tracks

Full coverage is certainly a functional and attractive option, as it means your entire heated driveway will be clear of snow and ice. If you’re concerned about the operating cost or the energy demand for full coverage, make sure to consider zoned heating. By using our multi-zone controller for your heated driveway system, you break your project into "zones" which are heated one at a time. The entire surface will still be cleared but you'll cut down significantly on heated driveway costs like the operating cost.

One popular alternative to full coverage is to simply heat tire tracks. This economical option helps users cut down on the cost of a heated driveway in terms of both installation and operation, while still providing great functionality in a functional heated driveway.

This coverage system works by installing two sets of heating elements, typically 2 feet wide and the length of the heated driveway, which will keep the driveway passable, even in the heaviest of snow falls.

Example Installation with Snow Melt Mat
Heated Driveway Full Coverage Example Cropped Full Coverage
Heated Driveway Tire Tracks Example Cropped Tire Tracks

How Much Does it Cost to Operate a Heated Driveway?

One of the most common questions we get about snow melting systems is How much energy does a heated driveway use?

The answer to that question is a complicated one that involves a number of different factors, primarily the total square footage of the area being heated and the cost of electricity in the region where the project is located.

Our Snow Melting Operating Cost Calculator is a really quick and easy to use way to figure out how much a system might cost to run for you. Just enter some project information and let the tool do the rest!

When using the tool, the heating coverage type and the project dimensions help us understand the total heating area and the ZIP code option will let us find the electrical cost in your area (you can also enter it manually). The calculator will then let you know how much the system would cost for an hour of operation and for 6 hours of run time, which is the typical duration of operation for a snow melting system.

Check out our blog on how to figure out how much it costs to run a heated driveway.

Operating cost by driveway size and coverage 20ʹ wide by 20ʹ long
Typical two cars driveway		 20ʹ wide by 20ʹ long
Typical two cars driveway		 10ʹ wide by 20ʹ long
Single car driveway
Coverage Full 2 pairs of Tire Tracks (2ʹ wide) 1 pair of Tire Tracks (2ʹ wide)
Heated surface 400 sq.ft. 160 sq.ft. 80 sq.ft.
Total kilowatt per hour (kWh) 20 kWh 8 kWh 4 kWh
Rate per kWh $0.15 $0.15 $0.15
Runtime hours 6 6 6
Total runtime cost $18 $7.20 $3.60

Use our Snow Melting Operating Cost Calculator to see how much a heated driveway would cost to operate in your area.

Operating Cost Calculator

How to Install a Heated Driveway

The installation of your heated driveway will depend on a number of factors but one of the most important is the material your installing in (asphalt, concrete, pavers, etc.). Each surface-type has its own method of installation. For example, with concrete or cement, the heating elements will need to be secured to a rigid framework that is propped up on blocks so that they are a consistent distance from the finished surface to ensure optimal performance. With pavers, the heating elements can be staked down in position before being embedded in sand beneath the pavers.

Asphalt is one of the most common options for installing a heated driveway. A popular installation method for this surface-type is to lay down an initial "binder coat" and then lay out/secure the heating elements on top of that. Finally the heating elements are completely embedded in the second coat of asphalt. You can check out this process in greater detail in our Asphalt Heated Driveway Installation Design Guide.

To retrofit a snow melting heating system into an existing driveway, check out Retrofit Snow Melting for Existing Concrete and Asphalt Surfaces

Looking for an installer for your snow melting system? Visit our Dealer/Installer page.

Heating Solutions for Asphalt, Concrete, or Pavers

Our snow melting systems are available in two formats: Snow Melting Mats and Snow Melting Cables.
The mats are designed to deliver 50 watts of heat per square foot and allow for quick and easy installation.
The cable system allows for maximum flexibility and generates 12 watts per linear foot.

Once you've decided what type of heating system, you'll need to choose a control for your snow melting system. WarmlyYours offer a selection of controls, ranging from a basic manual control to our premium option that provides the ultimate in convenience and hands-off operation. We even offer an affordable and user-friendly WiFi control that can be configured so that the heating system can be controlled remotely or can be energized based on real-time weather events.

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Snow Melting Mat Heating System Banner
Snow Melting Mats 31 Reviews

Cut-and-Turn Format for Easy Installation

  • 10 Year Warranty
  • As low as $11 per sq. ft.
  • Up to 38.5 or 50 watts per sq. ft. (depending on cable spacing)
  • Available in 120/240 VAC
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Snow Melting Cable Heating System Banner
Snow Melting Cables 22 Reviews

Maximum Flexibility at a Minimal Cost

  • 10 Year Warranty
  • As low as $9 per sq. ft.
  • Up to 50 Watts per sq. ft.
  • Available in 120 VAC, 208 VAC, 240 VAC, 277 VAC
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snow melting control premium lifestyle
Snow Melting System Control Options

Our range of controls provides the ultimate in convenience and hands-off operation for any budget

  • Automatic or manual
  • Moisture, air-temp, slab sensor options
  • WiFi Available
  • 2 Year Warranty
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Other Snow Melting Systems Applications

Our snow melting systems can be used to keep nearly any outdoor surface clear of snow and ice. From heated driveways to outdoor patios, WarmlyYours has spent many years helping heat a huge variety of projects. Check out some of our Snow Melting Design Guides with great install photos, product pricing information, and much more.

Accessibility Ramp
Accessibility Ramps (Concrete and Pavers)
Electric snow melting mats being dry-fitted before they're embedded in a heated concrete patio
Heated Concrete Patio
Walkway snow melt
Heated Walkways and Paths
Decorative concrete stairs and driveway with snow
Deicing systems for Outdoor Stairs

Questions & Answers for Heated Driveways

How quickly do these systems melt the snow?

That depends on a number of variables (like the temperature outside) but generally speaking these snow melting systems are designed to melt 1" - 3" of snow per hour. Anything above 3" per hour is typically considered blizzard conditions. 
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What is the lowest temperature that a snow melt system can handle?

Our systems can handle low temperatures, but many controls come equipped with a Low-Temperature Lockout Feature. This feature prevents the system from running in very low temperatures. At very low temperatures it can become difficult for the system to effectively melt the snow. It is however possible to turn off this feature should you need the system to keep running during such low temperatures.
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Will the snow refreeze into ice once melted?

All of our automatic controllers have a Hold-on time feature after the initial warming up of the snow melt system. This feature ensures that all the snow is melted from the surface, and also that the system continues to operate and evaporate the surface water without it refreezing.
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Does it affect life of the existing driveway?

This type of installation should not significantly affect the longevity of the driveway. Be sure to have a professional for your surface material type evaluate this during installation.
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How deep should snow melting heating elements be embedded in an outdoor surface like a driveway or walkway?

To ensure optimal performance, snow melting heating elements should be installed so that they are consistently 2"-3" from the finished surface. For installations using pavers, the maximum thickness for pavers installed over heating elements is 2.5". 
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Can I retrofit a snow melting system to my existing concrete or asphalt driveway?

Yes, you can retrofit a snow melting system into a preexisting driveway made of concrete or asphalt. You can do this by using an appropriate tool to cut properly spaced lines (or trenches for tire tracks heating) in the surface. Then you can place the the heating elements in the lines (or trenches) before sealing them with either hot asphaltic sealer for asphalt retrofits, or backer rod and expansion joint sealer (SikaFlex or similar) for concrete retrofits. Of course, you'll want to make sure this step is done in accordance with the filler manufacturer’s recommended procedures. Check out our snow melting retrofit guide for more information about this process. 
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Heated Driveway Customer Reviews

Rated 4.9/5 based on 74 reviews

We take pride in providing both exceptional service and great products. But don't just take our word for it, check out what some of our customers have had to say.

Just What I Needed

Snow Melt Mats

I needed a small area heated to melt snow that comes off the roof by our front door. The 3x5 mat was just right. The website write-up was accurate, ie I got just what I expected. It was easy to install (wiring can be the trickiest part, but that's not a WarmlyYours issue -- I wired it to an inside manual switch). All in all, it was what I needed, easy to install, one or two phone discussions were helpful, and it works great.

Scott B. in Sunriver, OR

Its a thing of beauty!

I could not be any happier with the system. It works better that I had ever hoped for and I can now sleep thru the night. My bad weather anxiety is now gone for my driveway.

Anonymous in Elmsdale, NS

Snow melting system

Snow Melt Cables

We recently purchased and installed a WarmlyYours snow melting cable and snow sensor controller for less than $1000. The installation instructions included with the cable were easy to follow and it took us about a week to get it installed. Now we're just waiting for snowy weather to test our snow melting system.

Alex L. in Richmond Hill, ON

Works perfectly!

Snow Melt Cables

Buried in blacktop driveway to provide clear path from house to garage. Works perfectly!

Thomas F. in Saint Charles, IL

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