Electric apron heat?

[Waxman]

Has anyone used a product like this?:

In-Ground Outdoor Heating Cable | ThermoSoft

Never shovel or plow snow again! Melt snow and ice easily and efficiently with NeverFreeze heating cable. Custom layouts for walkways, driveways, and more.

us.thermosoft.com

installed like this:

 

[Randy]

I wonder what the operating costs would be on that system and how long it would last?

 

[Waxman]

I'll ask the manufacturer...

 

[mjwalsh]

I wonder how big of a solar panel - wind turbine with battery would generate enough electricity to avoid the kW to BTU cost??? You would not need a circulating pump & antifreeze. Maybe for small areas with less sq footage???

 

[Earl Weiss]

Electric driveway de icers are usually in place to provide deicing when there is precipitation. Running 24/7 for weeks or months is too costly for a SS and 15 hours a day for a tunnel compared to hydroponic.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Electric resistance is the easiest to install, but the most expensive to operate. I have a simplistic spreadsheet somewhere that shows the exact difference in operating costs among fuels ... (did that quick analysis when I built my house 20 years ago and needed to know if I could cost justify a geothermal heat pump). Iirc the difference between electric resistance and natural gas was about triple. Pretty sure it is worse today, meaning that electricity has gone up in price at a faster rate than natural gas.
If you want to actually calculate the cost difference let me know, I might be able to find the spreadsheet.

 

[Waxman]

Electric resistance is the easiest to install, but the most expensive to operate. I have a simplistic spreadsheet somewhere that shows the exact difference in operating costs among fuels ... (did that quick analysis when I built my house 20 years ago and needed to know if I could cost justify a geothermal heat pump). Iirc the difference between electric resistance and natural gas was about triple. Pretty sure it is worse today, meaning that electricity has gone up in price at a faster rate than natural gas.
If you want to actually calculate the cost difference let me know, I might be able to find the spreadsheet.

check your pm's

 

[mjwalsh]

Electric driveway de icers are usually in place to provide deicing when there is precipitation. Running 24/7 for weeks or months is too costly for a SS and 15 hours a day for a tunnel compared to hydroponic.

Some geographical climates like here in ND ... it snows even at way below 0°F. That also would be a factor for using it like Earl made note of.

 

[John J Spokas]

Some geographical climates like here in ND ... it snows even at way below 0°F. That also would be a factor for using it like Earl made note of.

I have installed these with moisture sensors. The advantages I see with electric vs. boiler w/anti-freeze:
1) Much easier install.
2) Less space needed for equipment.
3) Easier to set up controls.
4) Fewer components to wear out.

I don't know what the difference in operating costs is, I will be very curious about that if I ever do another.