Boden wrote:
George wrote:

TJ wrote:

I am looking for information on installing a water heater to provide
heat to my driveway. The former owner removed all the michanical
equipment just before the bank forclosed. I don't have a choice about
heating or not heating as the driveway is too steap to plow, snowblow,
etc. The toubing installed in the driveway is in good shape and the
cannections are in the garage, I just dont know what to hook to them,
Any help will be apreciated.


How could a driveway be too steep to plow or snowblow and still be
usable for anything?


I've been to this party before. I have a driveway that has a slope that
is a bit more than 16 degrees. It rivals all but Lombard Street in San
Francisco. However I also get 12 feet of snow.

Beware of heating the slope of a driveway until you are firmly convinced
that the water which flows to the bottom will disperse thoroughly.
Otherwise you will have an icy lagoon at the bottom. If the driveway
slopes away from your property it is likely that the local authorities
will tell you to turn the heater off. Attorneys for those injured or
damaged because of the icy lake you place on the road below will send an
even nastier message.

An alternative is to look at high traction surfaces, a good 4 wheel
drive (Mercedes 4-matic works well) and good (Yokohama) studded snow
tires which together solve the problem.

Good luck.

Boden

Regrade yard, build a covered drive-through carport at bottom of slope,
and a covered set of steps up the hill. This house has a mere 60-foot
driveway, with about an 8-foot rise, and it already cost me one
transmission. Even with fresh tires, an inch of snow makes it impossible
to get up without spinning the tires. Sloping driveways look impressive
and inviting 8-9 months of the year. But in snow country, they are
unusable when ice and snow covered, absent extraordinary measures or
industrial-grade 4x4s. A lot of the driveways and parking lots I see
here up north, with slopes that make them impassable in icy weather and
have no place to push off or blow snow, make me convinced that most
landscape architects got their training down south.

--
aem sends...