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Old 05-08-2014, 11:27 PM   #3
Sean Marconette
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Default Re: Heated Driveways???

Unlike a flat slab of concrete for a building, most driveways are not level. In the hospital ramps with ice melt systems, and helicopter helipads, a means of removing air is in place. So keep this in mind, unless a means of being able to remove the air in the system is not designed into it, the system will be inoperable. The cost of glycol and a heating system that will require added capacity to overcome the capacity reduction from a minimum of a 40% glycol mixture creates a very inefficient heating system. The mass of the concrete and add in the ambient temperature that the heating system will need to raise the concrete slab to above freezing, means a very expensive energy bill to run. In the healthcare world steam boilers run year round, and steam is used for sterilization. So steam to hot water is typically used for these ice melt systems. For a residential application, a gas or electric water system would most likely be the most cost effective heating device. These are just some of the things to be aware of.
Hope this helps
Sean
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