I don't believe that for a moment.
If it is below freezing it is going to take a lot of heat just to raise the
temperature of the surface above freezing. A cement walkway has a lot of mass
to bring up to temperature. Then there is the latent heat. it takes something
like 40 calories of energy to change the state of water from solid to liquid
alone without actually raising the temperature.
finally, you need to heat enough area to keep the snow and ice liquid distant
enough for it to run away and not just freeze again.
In locations where one only gets occasional snow and ice and the ambient
temperature does not drop much below freezing then electric may be effective.
Other locations like small areas, steps which are sheltered for example may be
cost effective. Even the hot water systems aren't widely used except under a
loading area like for example an ambulance entrance and that usually under a
roof and behind a wall. The ambient atmosphere will draw huge amounts of heat
off a surface very effectively.
If I was Han Solo I'd probably pet my wookie
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael baldwin
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 9:17 PM
Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Radiant floor heating.
I installed the SunTouch brand in our last house, and it was great on the
feet. It didn't raise our electric bill by any noticeable difference. I
installed 45 square feet on a 120 volt system. After the tiles were warmed
up, it never really ran that much.
I am now installing it here at our new place, under the tile. it is
expensive to install. I think it was over $300 for the 30 inch wide by 14
foot long mat. i tried to find the watts per square foot on there site, but
was unable to. I know i saw it there before.
So, there is my recommendation for a brand if you want to do this.
It does look like they have heating mats for the snow. 120 volt mats draw
36 watts per square foot, and 240 volt ones draw 50 watts per square foot.
There is a sensor, so they only operate when it is snowing, so unless you
get a lot of snow, or are doing a large drive way, the cost would not be
all that bad.
Michael
_____
From: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com [mailto:blindhandy...@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Dan Rossi
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 7:03 PM
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Radiant floor heating.
I've been doing a lot of research into heated floors. There are two main
kinds of radiant floors, electric or hydronic (water). You can bury pipes
in the cement floor, or place them in the joist bays beneath a wood floor,
then use hot water flowing through the pipes to heat the floor.
You can also use electric mesh mats under a layer of cement or cyramic
tile to heat the floor. Depending on where you live, this could be pretty
expensive.
Heating a floor inside a house is a lot less expensive than heating a
driveway or sidewalk. Electrically heating a driveway to melt snow would
be for the rich only I would expect. heating the floor in the house would
be much more cost effective.
--
Blue skies.
Dan Rossi
Carnegie Mellon University.
E-Mail: d...@andrew. <mailto:dr25%40andrew.cmu.edu> cmu.edu
Tel: (412) 268-9081
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
