HEATIZON BLOG

Dear Heatizon,

This past summer I had one of your electric snow melting systems installed as part of a remodel project on my home. Since then I have waited with anticipation to see the snow melt as it falls on my new formal entry sidewalk and steps. As fate would have it, we have not had the significant snow fall that we normally get because, the meteorologists claim, the snow storms are trending to the North. Following a dry December, and a very dry 2012 so far, the snow has finally started to fall.

I am happy to report that I was amazed at how well my new sidewalk  snow melt system melted the snow and I am happy to report that its performance exceeds my expectations by a big margin. I am so thrilled with the results that I had to write this letter.

The idea of investigating a snow melting system for my project was first presented by my Architect who mentioned that installing electric snow melting cables into new concrete made a lot of sense given our winters in general and for my north facing home in particular. At first I thought that snow melting was a luxury that I probably could live without.

As luck would have it I attended a party a few days later and one of the other guests commented that he was glad that he had installed an electric snow melt system a few years ago because his health would no longer allow him to shovel snow. As an ice breaker I seized the opportunity to ask him several questions pertaining to his snow melt system including; “Where did he purchase it?” and, “How satisfied has he been with its performance?”

During our conversation he told me that his snow melting system was manufactured by a company located in Utah named “Heat is On” or something like that. A quick Google Search for “heat is on, electric snow melt, Utah” lead me to www.heatizon.com.

I feel so lucky to have found your company and to have discovered its products.

Sincerely,

Dean B.
Utah

P.S. The nearest distributor of your products was WarmQuest which was professional and very capable of helping me with design services for my heated sidewalk, the right product selection, and technical support from people that have actually installed snow melt systems.

By Steven Bench

For a Radiant Heating Professional there are few things more gratifying than a well designed, properly installed and correctly operating snow melting system on a cold and snowy winter day. The satisfaction of watching the snow melt as it hits the pavement of the driveway, walk-way, handicap ramp, truck ramp, and/or parking area is difficult to explain. While a correctly operating snow melting system is gratifying to those in the industry and their valued customers, one that is poorly designed, miss-installed or not operating is discouraging and damaging to our industry.

It takes both a good design and correct installation in order for a snow melting system to operate correctly. Unfortunately not all snow melting systems are designed correctly and, equally unfortunate, not all correctly designed snow melting systems are installed correctly.  If one or the other is missing, no doubt, customer dissatisfaction will soon follow.

So how does one go about making certain that the snow melting systems they are contemplating for purchase is designed correctly? It is easier than you would initially think.  Often times it’s as simple as asking the radiant materials supplier and/or installer a few questions.

How did you determine the amount of energy needed to melt snow for my project?
If the answer includes something along the lines of: “the watts or Btu’s needed was determined using ASHRAE snow melt standards for your projects geographic area and that the materials were selected and the design finalized based on those standards”, keep asking questions. If, on the other hand, the materials selected, energy output determined, and/or design parameters adopted were based on a particular product based on the idea that one size fits all projects then you might want to run as fast as you can from that company and find a qualified radiant supplier/designer.

How far apart have you spaced the radiant heating cables or liquid carrying tubes? If the answer is greater than 9 inches in a 4 inch or less thick sub-straight then expect to have snow accumulation (otherwise known as striping)  between the radiant heating cables or liquid carrying tubes.

Joint Jumpers for a Snow Melt System

Does your design include jumpers through or under all joints in my concrete (crack control, expansion, and saw-cut joints)?

A yes answer is good and consistent with the National Electric Code, Canadian Electric Code and ASHRAE. A no answer is a good indication that the designer does not know what he or she is doing?

ALL JOINTS MEAN ALL JOINTS

Given the location of my project do you recommend insulation or a water barrier under the asphalt, concrete, or pavers?A blank stare or an answer without support could mean that you have the wrong designer, material supplier and/or installer.

Steven Bench is Managing Member of Heatizon Systems, a leading manufacturer of low and line voltage electric radiant heating products located in Murray, Utah.