Electric vs Hydronic Heated Driveways
One of the questions many builders ask us these days is why you recommend Hydronic vs Heated Driveway. Although we have covered this before, let’s quickly check the pros and cons of each system.
Electric Pros:
- Much cheaper Installation
- Less area needed to install the equipment
- Smart Automatic Melting
Electric Cons:
- Huge winter electricity bills to the point that many do not turn on their system
- Hard to maintain in the long run
- You are stuck with elements in your driveway which have considerable wear and tear in a few years. Think of it as an electric stove. The elements will eventually wear off under snow, low temperatures, etc.
Radiant Pros:
- You have a network of radiant heating pipes system in your driveway. No matter the day’s technology, you can future-proof this system. Instead of a traditional boiler, you can install a heat pump in a few years. Instead of Glycol, you can put a better liquid that is not invented yet.
- The system is expensive to install but easy to maintain. In fact, the system does not need regular maintenance fees for many years.
Radiant Cons:
- The Installation is expensive and needs the removal and digging of your driveway.
- It should only be installed by professionals; otherwise, you might end up overpaying/underheating your driveway.
- Smart Automatic Melting
AND Yes, we install both systems. As electricians and HVAC professionals, we install both systems if the client wants. However most of the time we only install electric system where there is no place for installing the equipment in the garage of mechanical room.
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About the Author: saman tavasoli
