Removing Snow From Driveway - Best Long Term Solution?

pex tubing heated by a gas or propane tankless. electric will cost far more.

remember all you need is a few degrees above freezing to melt snow and ice.

it will be costly up front, but great at home resale time.

i have a old friend who had a half mile long driveway up a big hill.

the parents sold the home the new owners went with heated asphalt, and thinks its great.

imagine flip one switch and no shoveling

also consider a plow on a atv......... or old truck.

sit in warm and dry while you clear snow,

Get a 4WD or AWD vehicle with decent ground clearance and be done with it. Just drive back and forth a couple times every 6" of snow fall so it doesn't get too deep between packings. Vehicle doesn't have to be a big truck or SUV either, most any Subaru also fits the specs and works fine. Worst you have to do is toss a little sand on the tracks now and then.

The best an only acceptable solution from my point of vew is to MOVE SOUTH and leave the snow behind.

You leave out the important part. how much snow do you get at a time?

-snip-

Read the reviews of the 1800 on Amazon- And search google for my comments on them over the years. [I'm a *big* fan- and though i have a 7hp, 2 stage I still find the little toro quicker/easier for a

Mine hangs on a peg in the garage- the cord takes up more space.

Cost of operation on that would vary quite a bit from, say Tennessee, to say, Maine. In upstate NY I've only seen a few in my lifetime- but boy they sure look pretty in a snowstorm.

Jim

The problem with hydronic is all the moving parts (heater, pump, etc.) and dealing with changing the anti-freeze semi-annually.

Consider we may only get a few snow storms each year and then nothing for a few years, electric seems like a "less hassle" option. Out of sight until needed, no maintenance.

Still, any snow melting option has got to cost more than even the best snow blower.

Anthony

Yep, thought of those, but I don't own an ATV or a truck. So, it would be a bigger outlay.

Not to mention, I don't really have anywhere to "push" the snow to.

Anthony

I know exactly what you mean.

You can buy a single stage model for $400 at Wal Mart. About 10 years ago, when my MIL moved in with us she bought me one and it still works great. Every time I use it, I'm still grateful for it and wich I could thank her.

Single stage is good for snowfall up to about 10". If it is very heavy and wet you have to take smaller ites, but the light anf fluffy stuff goes very easy.

Hi Anthony,

According to this firm, budget roughly 50-watts per square foot for an electric snow melting system, so just that 20 x 30 ft. area in front of your garage would require some 30,000-watts of electric heat (130 amps @ 230-volts). In addition to the cost of those pavers, you might want to price out a new 400-amp service .... (or two).

Source:

Cheers, Paul

The option i find best is to just drive over the s*it and not be so anal about getting it off. Unless you're driving a go-cart, you should be able to keep it under control just driving on it twice a day.

When damnyankee snow does come to the Pomised lLnd o of North Carolina, it is gone in a day or two. Too bad the damnyankees don't go with it.

However, rather than agreeing that you emigrate to the better side of life, I suggest you replace you driveway with concrete or asphalt and buy the snow blower.

Dick

Cost will definitely be high. Not just the installation, running it also even with low electric rates. It takes a lot of BTU to turn a pound of snow into water and it is not a fast project.

My condition is about the same as yours. Drive 100' by 30' wide. Most years I only need to clear the drive a couple times and then it isn't very deep but comes the occasional winter and there is no getting out without clearing it. This is one such. Last snow was last Thursday, area is still digging out.

I went with a snowblower. My old one died in this storm and I bought (internet) a Poulan $1500 one for $900 via Amazon (still on AFAIK). It has electric start so there shouldn't be any problem with struggling to start it.

Harry K

HerHusband wrote in news:Xns9A3AB414A591Aherhusband@216.196.97.136:

My gas snow thrower has an electric start. In the small event of loss of power it has a pull start.

Get a gas powered snow blower with electric start. Get a good one, like Aryens, from a power equipment shop that does service, even though you won't need much with an Aryens. Be happy. You can find space for it somehow.

HerHusband wrote: (snip)

Some people find that the cheapest option (other than shoveling) is to hire it done.

It really varies. The last several years, we haven't had more than a few light dustings, except maybe for one storm leaving 4" or so.

Then again, we go through periods like this year where we've had snow on the ground for two months, with at least two storms piling up to more than

That's why I hate to invest in a huge snow snowblower or some other expensive solution. It just may not get used that often, and maintaining it might be more work than shoveling snow. But when we need it, we really need it.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate the first hand experience. It does sound like it would be a good match for the majority of our snowfalls.

Our gravel drive concerns me more than anything. Can these be adjusted somehow to stay an inch or so above the ground?

Anthony

Yes. A friend of mine has a gravel driveway, and has her snow blower adjusted so that it never gets involved with the rocks at all. Hers in an Aryens. Check whatever model you buy to make sure it can be adjusted enough.

Gravel in a gas thrower is a million laughs. 4th word in the post.

Steve

With a GRAVEL DRIVEWAY, is there ANY practical method?