Say Goodbye To Shoveling: The Benefits Of Heated Driveways In Utah

In Utah, winter gets COLD and one of the worst parts is having to shovel your driveway when the temperatures are freezing.  

In this day and age, the brilliance of heated driveways is a thing that some people have taken the time and money to implement. If you are currently shoveling your Utah home while shivering and wondering why your wife is nice and warm inside, it may be time to consider a heated driveway.  

There are a few things to know about how these work and an alternative option if you don’t want to fully redo your driveway.  

The Home Serve blog breaks it all down into how much you might be spending on this home improvement project.  

If you are looking for something cheaper for your Utah home, then the alternative to a heated driveway may be the way to go. You can purchase heated mats instead that are different sizes to fit your driveway needs. Some cost a few hundred dollars while higher quality heated mats can be anywhere from $1000 to $3000.  

The downside is that you must be ready for the snow and ice to hit and then haul them out. Once the storm is over you must bring them back inside and have a place to store them.  

If you don’t mind redoing your driveway and are just sick and tired of shoveling snow during and after every storm, the built-in system might be for you. There are two options for the heated driveway systems; hot water and wire grid.  

Hot Water System 

The hot water system is more common and uses tubes that run beneath the driveway. Hot water mixed with antifreeze heats the driveway surface and melts the snow and ice before it can accumulate. Water runoff is generally managed by drains you have installed keeping it away from your driveway.  

These heated systems cost anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 and that's just to install them. It doesn't include the costs of repaving your driveway.  

The Wire System  

The wire grid system requires an electric grid beneath the driveway. It will cost around $3,200 to $5,800 to install. However, some think the heat is more evenly spread with this system. The biggest downside, besides the cost, is the electricity bill that comes with it.