My local area is often referred to as the “snow belt.” We are located in the far northern part of the country, along the shores of one of the Great Lakes.
- The winter season is long and extreme, frequently breaking national records for cold temperature, wind chill and snowfall.
The weather causes a great deal of work and expense. The heating system needs to be especially powerful and reliable. It runs from sometime in September until at least the end of April or even May. We expect several feet of snow on the ground throughout the majority of the year. Shoveling is labor-intensive and time-consuming. It’s also a repetitive job. The snow falls throughout the day and night, regularly accumulating several inches within a couple of hours. It’s not unusual to need to shovel out the driveway in the morning before work, again in the evening and again before bed. Otherwise, the snow builds up to the point where the driveway becomes impassable. There’s also the problem of where to put all that snow. I am very thankful that my home is equipped with a snowmelt system. We have a boiler heating system inside the house that links to radiant heated floors. In my opinion, it is the most advantageous type of heating option. The components are completely hidden and silent. The heat is spread evenly across the floors, rises slowly and avoids drafts. It works by way of hot water passing through a series of pipes beneath the floor. The snowmelt system is equally as effective. Just like the radiant floors, we have a network of pipes installed beneath the cement of the driveway. The snow melt system senses temperature drop and moisture and automatically starts up. The heat spreads across the surface of the driveway to melt away ice and snow. We don’t need to shovel, plow or sprinkle chemicals. There is no worries over tripping and falling on icy pavement.