Home Improvement Outdoors Driveways & Walkways

Heated Driveways: Benefits, Cost, and Options

Is a Heated Driveway Right for Your Home?

Snow covered driveway

mrod / Getty Images

Heated driveways, also called "snow-melting systems," are a technological alternative to shoveling, salting, snow plowing, snow blowing, and other snow-removal methods. The point of a heated driveway is to have a hot surface that eliminates any snow or ice accumulation for convenience and safety since slipping in bad conditions can cause serious injuries.

Read on to learn more about the different types of heated driveways and why one may be right for you.

What Is a Heated Driveway?

A heated driveway is a heating system placed on top of or installed under the driveway material that warms up and melts the snow and ice. There are two different heated driveway products: portable heated driveway mats and fully built-in heated driveway systems.

How Do Heated Driveways Work?

Built-in snow-melting systems can either run with circulating heated water or low-voltage electric radiant heat technology. They can either work manually or automated. Heating mats are alternatives to hydronic and radiant heat systems and run on electricity. Here are more specifics.

Built-In Heated Water Systems

With most built-in snow-melting systems, tubing is run under the driveway (and walkways, patios, ramps, and porch steps, too) to circulate heated water. The heated water is pumped from a boiler through the tubing, which is known as a "hydronic" snow-melting system. The water in heated driveway systems mixes with an anti-freeze (glycol) to melt the ice and snow.

Built-In Low-Voltage Systems

Other built-in heated driveway systems, such as those from Heatizon Systems, work on low-voltage electric radiant heat technology. The grid of wires is installed beneath your driveway and heats it up to combat snow and ice.

Built-In Manually Controlled Systems

Manually operated control systems turn on and off but may not melt ice and snow as quickly as automated systems. If the system is turned on after snow has accumulated, only the bottom layer may be melted and it will take a while for the rest to melt.

Built-In Automated Systems

Automated systems run continuously at low levels until it starts snowing, at which point it begins operating at higher levels. Snow does not accumulate with these systems. Automated heated driveway systems have sensors that keep track of temperatures and detect moisture levels.

Heated Driveway Mats

Heated driveway mats are designed like a sandwich: a slip-resistant rubber top and bottom sandwiches a heating element. A moisture-resistant power cord plugs into a regular outdoor outlet. However, for convenience, you may want an electrician to hook the mats up to your electrical panel. The mat targets the ice and snow in an area of your driveway. Mats are portable and can be driven over without causing damage. The same type of product comes in smaller sizes and can be used for melting snow and ice on walkways and porch steps.

Heated Driveway Cost

Overall, according to HomeAdvisor, expect to pay on average $12,800 for the labor and installation of a heating system for a two-car driveway of about 640 square feet. A smaller one-car driveway may cost around $4,800 for a built-in heated system while a large driveway can cost over $25,000.

Hydronic (water) systems tend to cost a bit more than electric systems:

  • Hydronic systems cost on average $4,200 to $8,700 for just the system. Materials and labor also double the cost. Hydronic systems range from $15 to $30 per square foot, not including labor.
  • Electric snow melt systems cost an average of $3,200 to $5,800 for the system alone. Materials and labor will double the cost. Electric systems range from $5 to $9 per square foot, not including labor.
  • Heated mats for a driveway cost an average of $10 per square foot, not including the option of hiring an electrician to set it up.

Operating Costs

The operating costs to run a heated driveway will vary greatly depending upon factors such as the severity of the winter, whether you install a hydronic or electric system, the electric rates in your area, and whether you choose manual or automatic controls. Regions with lower electricity rates would benefit from an electric system.

Heated Driveway Installation

Not every driveway can become a heated driveway. Before deciding to install one, you should know what types of driveways are compatible with heated driveway systems. Concrete driveways and asphalt driveways are typically both suitable for the installation of snow-melting systems.

Companies specializing in heated driveways can retrofit an existing driveway with the tubing or wires required for a snow-melting system. Comfort Radiant Heating, for example, is a company that can install its Danfoss systems under asphalt, concrete, concrete pavers, granite, bluestone, or even in tar and chip driveways.

Is a Heated Driveway Worth It?

If you are plagued with snowy winters along with swamped snowplow contractors or the strenuous physical work of shoveling snow is tiring and causing dangerous circumstances around your property, you may be a good candidate for a heated driveway.

A built-in heated driveway is costly to install and run. However, it is cheaper and easier to start a heated driveway from scratch with new construction. If you need a new driveway soon it would be the perfect time to install a built-in heated driveway.

The options, however, are not limited to new driveway construction. If you want peace of mind but not the high costs or headaches of a built-in system, heated mats may be the ideal solution, especially if you live in a region that does not have heavy snowfalls.

FAQ
  • Do heated driveways go bad?

    Like all mechanical systems, a heated driveway can wear out over time. If properly maintained, a built-in system could last up to two decades.

  • Do you need insulation under a heated driveway?

    Insulation is highly recommended but not required. Insulation will help push the heat up towards the surface of the driveway for faster melting times.

  • Can you turn a heated driveway on or off?

    Built-in systems or heating pads can be turned on and off depending on your needs if they are manual systems.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Johansen, Antony, et al. Hip Fractures in the Winter – Using the National Hip Fracture Database to Examine Seasonal Variation in Incidence and MortalityInjury, vol. 51, no. 4, 2020, pp. 1011–1014. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2020.02.088

  2. Snow Melting-Heated Exterior Surfaces. Heatizon Sytems.

  3. Ice Melting Stair Mat. HeatTrak.

  4. How Much Does a Heated Driveway Cost? HomeAdvisor.

  5. How Much Does a Heated Driveway Cost? HomeAdvisor.

  6. Snow Melting Systems. Comfort Radiant-Danfoss.