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Electric Floor Warming and Radiant Heating In California

By Steven D. Bench, Heatizon Systems

California’s Building Energy Standards, Title 24, Part 6 allows for the use of electrical radiant floor warming and electrical radiant space heating products whenever said products meet the definition of “supplemental heating.”

So what exactly is “supplemental heating?” According to the Building Energy Standards for the state of California “supplemental heating” is heating which is: (a) not the primary space conditioning system (defined as that system used in energy compliance analysis); and, (b) installed in an area that is also directly served by the primary space conditioning system. Of course common sense and the Building Energy Standards require that the primary space conditioning system have sufficient capacity to condition the entire building or home.

In other words, anytime the primary space conditioning system does not have sufficient capacity to condition the entire building or home, and/or the primary space conditioning system does not directly serve the space where the electrical radiant floor-warming or electrical radiant space heating product is to be installed, then said products are not considered “supplemental heating” and they must be included in the energy performance analysis to comply with the Building Energy Standards. As a result, the energy use of electrical floor warming and space heating products installed in areas such as bathrooms, that do not have supply vents from the primary space conditioning system, must be included in the energy performance standards compliance analysis.

The fact is that electric resistance space conditioning is difficult to justify as the primary space heater in California. The reason for this is that California uses source energy as the measurement for efficiency. As a result, even though electric products generally have energy efficiencies of 99 percent or greater, the efficiency of electric radiant floor warming and space heating products are reduced by the inefficiency of generating and delivering the electricity to the point of consumption.

The good news is Californians can enjoy the comfort and cleanliness of electric radiant floor warming and space heating anytime they have a primary system that has sufficient capacity to condition the entire space and the space is directly served by the primary system.

Why Should You Consider Radiant Heat?

As the cold months approach and temperatures drop, every home owner is faced with increasing power bills. It is costly to maintain warmth throughout your home if you are using a conventional furnace as your main heating source. Radiant heating offers many benefits and the decrease in your power bills is just the beginning!

Radiant heating products like ZMesh and Tuff Cable offer a clean, quiet alternative to traditional heating systems. That means no more cold floors, drafts, heat loss and no more cold or hot spots in a room.

Our radiant heat products can be installed in new construction or worked into any type of remodel or retrofit.

Using a low voltage electric radiant system, like Tuff Cable, means that 99% of your energy is used for heating and there are no moving parts or service required. Tuff Cable and ZMesh can be installed in any size room and each room, or zone, is operated by a thermostat that you can program. Just set it and forget it! Heatizon systems are self-regulating – you set the temperature for each zone and you never have to worry – and that means smaller power bills, since you are not heating rooms you are not using.

ZMesh and Tuff Cable are both made from recycled materials in the United States of America. They also come with a 25 year warranty, are 100% efficient and can be controlled by thermostat or sensor. You can cover them with virtually any type of floor covering – hardwood, stone, tile, laminate, linoleum or vinyl. Just imagine the feeling of getting out of bed stepping on warm floors!

Now Is the Perfect Time to Install Radiant Heating

Summer brings with it a multitude of outside chores of home remodeling projects, whether it be landscaping your yard, pouring a new cement patio, re-shingling the roof or repainting the home. What many Utah homeowners don’t realize is that summer is the perfect time to install a snow-melt radiant heating system.

According to Steve Love, sales manager for Heatizon, snow-melt and interior floor heating systems have been around for about 25 years and are becoming more and more popular in and outside of Utah. Heatizon manufactures a complete line of low-voltage radiant heating products.

“Imagine snow and ice automatically melting from your driveway and sidewalks. Or your tile and hardwood floors being comfortably warm to your bare feet,” Love explains. Unlike forced air systems, radiant heat, which is installed underneath flooring, warms objects, not just the air. It’s a much more comfortable and even heat.

Heatizon’s radiant heat systems use one of two products that can be installed in new construction or retrofitted to existing applications. The Tuff Cable, a copper element, is used in snowmelting systems for driveways or sidewalks. In an existing system, technicians cut thin, inch-deep channels that are 6 inches apart into the pavement, which is where the cable is laid and then closed with a sealant. For new driveways or walkways, the cable is installed just before the concrete in poured.

One of the most recognized local projects that Heatizon undertook using The Tuff Cable was Utah’s TRAX light rail system. The snow melting system was installed on all the passenger station access ramps to keep the area from snow during the winter. One of its largest projects- 20,000 square feet- was the LDS Conference Center, where the cable was installed on plaza sidewalks and stairs.

For interior flooring applications, as well as under-shingle roof systems, Heatizon uses Z Mesh, a bronze wire mesh, which is placed over an existing concrete floor or on top of the wood subfloor. Tile, carpet or wood flooring can then be placed over the heating system. In roofing systems, the mesh is installed underneath the shingles, making it virtually invisible.

An in-floor radiant system is ideal for homeowners who are finishing off their basement, yet not sure how to make walking across cold floors more bearable during the winter.

For Richard Hull, who is building an addition on to his father’s 1950 home in Hooper, installing a Heatizon system was a no-brainer. In order to install a conventional forced-air system, he would have had to run new ductwork throughout the new part of the house, which he says would have cost the same as installing a radiant system. Hull also had managed the 7,000-square foot Hidden Springs Resort Ranch in Nephi, which had been heated by a Heatizon system. It was only after living there that he was convinced that radiant heat was the only way to go.

“It’s a more efficient, uniform heat that is distributed more evenly because the heat rises from the floor,” he says. “Also, I anticipate my heating costs will be about the same as if I had a forced-air system.”

“What makes the technology so unique is that Heatizon uses a low-voltage system, ranging from 8 to 30 volts AC,” Love notes, “eliminating safety concerns for water, cuts and nails or screw driven through the element.”

Besides safety, radiant heat offers a number of other benefits over the traditional heating systems- one being that radiant heat is 51 percent more efficient than forced-air systems, making it less expensive to run.

“With a radiant heat system, you can reduce your heating bill between 23 to 26 percent, whether it be natural gas or electricity,” Love says.

A Heatizon System does not need to cycle constantly, like other systems, making it more cost-effective. Therefore, homeowners can program the system to go on and off at specific times based on their needs. For example, to run a zone of a snowmelting system during a snowstorm would cost about $1.53 for four hours (based on Salt Lake City electricity rates).

From a health standpoint, radiant heat is also cleaner and environmentally friendly. With a forced-air system, pollen, dust, and other particles are circulating throughout the air, making it uncomfortable for those who suffer from allergies or asthma.

With other heating system, homeowners are limited on where they can place furniture, wall coverings and decorations because of register and radiator placement.

Because all Heatizon systems are solid-state and are not comprised of moving parts, homeowners do not need to worry about maintenance. There is also no risk of broken pipes or tubes or expensive repairs resulting from water damage.

Because it offers such high-quality and durable products in its heating systems, Heatizon provides its customers with a 25-year warranty.

For more information on Heatizon Systems products, call 801-293-1232 or visit the Web site at heatizon.com.

Radiant Floor Warming Design

Radiant floor warming is a wonderful addition to any living or working space. The warm floor makes the space the most comfortable in the entire building. Designed to provide years of trouble free service, high quality floor warming systems are designed to last substantially longer than the flooring covering itself. Given their long life expectancy and the repair/replacement expense incurred if the heating element or tubing gets damaged or, improperly installed, a significant amount of time should be devoted to the design, product selection and installation of radiant floor warming system.

Design

Designing a radiant floor warming system is relatively easy, provided; a few simple rules are followed. Listed below please find a list of simple rules for designing a radiant floor warming system:

The design should deliver 7.5 to 12 watts (25 to 41 Btu) per square foot to effectively warm floors. The National Electric Code limits the maximum heat that should be installed in the floor to 15 watts per square foot.
Only the floor areas where the occupants will stand or walk require warming in order for a radiant floor warming system to effective. Radiant space heating however may require different coverage to satisfy the requirements of a Heat Load or Loss Calculation.
Proper spacing of the heating element or tubing is very important because the human foot is very temperature sensitive and even a few degrees temperature differential will be noticed.
The spacing of the heating element or tubing will vary depending upon the R-value of the insulation below the sub-straight, the sub-straight material, what ever will cover the heating element or tubing, and the floor covering.
Keep the heating element or tubing away from the base of the toilet and/or bidet because the wax ring that makes the drain water tight may be compromised by the heat.
Determine if it is desirable to heat the shower floor or the shaving bench.
Avoid one size fits all products that require the project to adjust to the radiant floor warming product rather than the other way around.

Once the design is complete the best products for that design can be determined and a final selection made.

Product Selection

Often times, product selection occurs simultaneously with the design process. The nature of the design process helps focus on the advantages and disadvantages of different technologies and thus helps determine which are best suited for the project. At the very minimum the design process should help eliminate most of the competing radiant floor heating technologies from further consideration leaving less than a hand full for further evaluation.

Remember number 7) under design and do not allow the product to control the project. Since many competing products are available and they differ in technology, quality and warranty coverage, most buyers are well served by contacting a radiant floor warming professional to assist in determining which is best suited for their needs and their project.

Installation

More difficult than design and product selection (but equally deserving of attention to detail), is the proper installation of the radiant floor warming system. As a matter of fact incorrect installation and/or product damage during installation are the two leading causes of problems in the radiant floor warming industry.

No doubt the best way to insure proper installation is to choose a product made by a manufacturer that has a comprehensive installation manual, offers unlimited technical support and has been in business for more than a couple of years.

Steven Bench is Managing Member of Heatizon Systems a leading manufacturer of radiant snow melting, floor warming, roof snow and ice melting, pipe warming, and radiant space heating products located in Murray, Utah.

The Benefits of Radiant Heat

The Product

Z Mesh, Heatizon Systems bronze mesh heating element, is so advanced that it can be installed under non-conductive roof coverings, ceramic tile, stone, laminant flooring, carpeting, and hardwood flooring. Typical installations for Z Mesh include total space heating, roof snow melt, and floor warming. Z Mesh is made to go on something…like concrete and wood sub-floors and sub-roofs.

Heatizon Tuff Cable heating element is a very durable coated copper cable that is chemical and gasoline resistant. It is designed to be installed in asphalt, concrete, tile mortar bed, thin set, or a Heatizon Heatsink Kit. Typical installations for Tuff Cable include total space heating, floor warming, snow melting, and roof snow melt. Tuff Cable is made to go in something…like asphalt, concrete, a sand bed under pavers or a heatsink kit.

Benefits or Advantages:

Radiant Heat is more comfortable and efficient than forced air or convection heating. In space-heating, occupants feel more comfortable even when the space air temperature is maintained lower than typical forced air heating. Radiant heat results in less heat-loss from a room. Forced air registers and baseboard heat strips are always located on outside walls between windows. These systems heat air that comes in contact with the external windows and walls to temperatures much higher than the desired room temperature. This results in more heat-loss from the space. Heatizon System’s products provide a uniform heat flux from the floor into the space, resulting in less heat-loss from the room.

Mass Warming results in less temperature variations in the space being heated. The flooring material is heated by the element which then radiates the heat into the space. The floor surface can be maintained at a very uniform temperature which prevents the hot and cold temperature swings that occur as other systems cycle on and off. Warming the mass of the floor results in what is called thermal capacitance. This allows the space to remain warm even when extreme temperatures occur. Essentially, heat energy is stored in the mass of the floor and other objects in the space. This applies to any type of floor–wood, concrete, tile, etc.

Efficiency of the Heatizon Systems products is excellent. When compared with a heat pump, forced-air furnace or baseboard heating system, Heatizon Systems low-voltage products are more efficient watt for watt. An article in the July, 1996 ASHRAE Journal, “Radiant Heating for Thermal Comfort” reported on experimental results comparing a heat pump, baseboard heat and radiant heat. The radiant heating system consumed 33% less energy than the heat pump system and 52% less energy than the baseboard system.

Reliability of Heatizon Systems products are superior. The entire system is solid-state, has no moving parts to wear out, and has nothing that requires routine maintenance. There are no water lines to break or crack. Our products have been satisfying the needs of hundreds of customers since 1979. Both z-mesh and Tuff Cable are easy to repair in the event they get cut or damaged. The controls allow for power failures or spikes, yet brings the system back on-line as quickly as possible.

Comfort of radiant heat is superior because the radiant heat flux is uniform throughout the heated space. There are no “point-source” hot spots like there are in baseboard and forced air systems. Thermal comfort is sustained as the system cycles on and off, because the heated mass temperature remains almost constant.

Convenience of installation is superior to any other system. There is no ducting to deal with, no lost floor or wall space. Other than a thermostat, Heatizon Systems products are out of sight. Retrofitting is easy. Adding the system to an existing space is much easier than installing a hydronic or high voltage system.

Safety is a major advantage of the Heatizon System. Heatizon Systems products are ETL listed to UL standards 1673, 1693, and 1561.

Quiet and clean. The Heatizon System produces no more noise than a light fixture. There is no fan starting and stopping, no filter to change or clean, no valves to wear out, and no pipes to rattle.

Life-Cycle Costs are less, especially when heating exterior concrete surfaces. The cost to replace a driveway, sidewalk or patio is many times the cost of the Heatizon Systems products.

Typical Installations:

Finishing a Basement is an excellent application for Heatizon Systems. Z Mesh heating element can be placed directly on the concrete with padding and carpet installed over the top.

Tile is cold to step on in bare feet both summer and winter. The Heatizon Systems Z Mesh or Tuff Cable heating elements can be installed under tile in bathrooms, kitchens, entries, etc. making them nice and warm to the touch.

Hardwood Floors tend to be cold. Z Mesh can be installed between the subfloor and the hardwood floor and maintains the surface at a constant temperature that is comfortable to the touch.

Nurseries or anywhere that babies crawl is ideal to keep warm. Small children are always close to the floor. Heatizon Systems floor warming products keep them from getting chilled.

Driveways, Sidewalks and Porches can be kept clear of snow and ice. Heatizon systems nearly 100% efficiency keeps operating costs reasonable and helps your concrete last longer, because it is not subjected to salt or snow-melting chemicals.

Handicap Ramps are of no value if they are not clear of snow and ice.

Parking Ramps and Loading Docks are often sloped and difficult to clear of snow and ice.

Remote Locations and Moderate Climates where electricity is the only utility available are ideal applications for installing the Heatizon System.

In Construction, Many Things Are Not As They First Appear!

by Steven Bench

One contractor recently received four different proposals, each with different materials and costs, for the same project. “How can this be?” he asked. I listened as he continued to grumble: “I do not understand, my instructions were very clear and the requirements for the project were well documented in the specifications and on the blue prints.”

The answer, upon closer inspection, is that while one proposal was for the specified product, the other three were for products, that were not specified but which could potentially satisfy many of the requirements established by the specification writer.

Upon further investigation it became obvious that my friend the contractor had failed to ask for proposals from more than one vender of the specified product line. This simple mistake left him with four proposals and the inability to make a comparison that made sense. Worse yet it left him with the inability to explain to his customer, the project owner, why he did not have more than one proposal for the specified product and/or why the research preformed by the specification writer was being ignored at best or, worse yet, duplicated.

In business, in general and in the construction business in particular, it is very likely that four different suppliers armed with the same project description and specifications will come up with four different recommendations. How? By making assumptions or taking liberties with the specifications.

While it is the job of the Architect and/or Engineer is to specify the products that are best suited for the project, it is the responsibility of the General Contractor to “police” the process by sorting out which proposals satisfy the exact requirements specified and which do not.

Another problem, my contractor friend pointed out, is: “If only one of the four proposals is complete and satisfies the specifications of the project how can anyone legitimately compare the proposals?” Unfortunately, the only viable answer may be to re-bid the project.

Ignoring the specifications of a project causes a great deal of confusion and extra work on the part of everyone involved, yet it is very prevalent in today’s construction business. Frequently the bidder(s) that failed to meet the requirements of the project is rewarded because his corner cutting proposal is lowest in terms of cost. The ultimate loser? Of course, is the owner of the project who, months or years, down the road discovers that he is not happy with the performance of that portion of his project.

Steven Bench is Managing Member of Heatizon Systems a leading manufacturer of radiant snow melting, roof snow and ice melting, floor warming, in-floor space heating and pipe heating/warming products located in Murray, Utah.

Roof Snow Melt and De-icing Systems

by Steven Bench

“Good grief, the last thing I thought I would need to worry about is a leaky roof!” Said the owner of a newly constructed Class A office building. “Why does my 2 year old metal roof have ice dam problems?” asked a homeowner that recently replaced a 10 year old cedar shake roof with a standing seam metal roof in an effort to get away from leaks. “The snow causes singles from my tile roof to fall off each winter!” proclaimed a home owner that purchased his tile shingle roofed home new 5 years ago. “How can I keep sliding snow from taking my rain gutters off??” inquired a condo complex property manager.

These are just a few of the questions that I get asked each week from people all over North America. Make no mistake; I am not in the roofing business! I am however in the business of warming things up. My company makes products that warms floors, heats buildings, melts now off of paved surfaces, melts snow and ice off of roofs and warms pipes and their contents.

Of course the simplest, but most impractical, solutions to cold weather caused roof and rain gutter problems is simply don’t build in places that experience snow and cold temperatures during the winter or, budget for, yet to be determined, roof and rain gutter repairs. But the best answer is to rely on a combination of design and snow melting technologies to offer long term solutions to the problems caused by snow and ice.

Many different snow and ice melting technologies are available on the market today, some have been around for years, and thus are tried and proven, while others are new and yet to be fully vetted. When selecting which product is best for any given application, it may be helpful to answer each of the following questions:

1) How important is the appearance of my home or building to me? Electric heating cables or hydronic tubing in an extruded metal pan system, electric heat trace, electric heat tape and all other on top of, or replacement for, the roof covering material and will affect the aesthetics of the building. If the unaltered appearance of your home or building is important to you then look at one of the low voltage under roof covering products available from you radiant heating and snow melting professional.

2) How important is product warranty in my decision? Generally roof covering materials have a life expectancy measured in years or decades. As a result, purchasers of roof covering materials usually expect long periods of trouble free service from the materials they select. It only makes sense that products designed to melt snow and ice off of the roof should also have long warranties and the purchasers ought to expect comparable performance from any other product installed under or on top of the roof.

Steven Bench is Managing Member of Heatizon Systems a Murray, Utah based manufacturer and marketer of low and line voltage electric heating and snow melting products.

My Winter Entertainment – Roof Snow & Ice Problems

By Heather Gwilliam

It’s that time of year where I get to sit back, peek out the window at my next door neighbor and enjoy my annual winter entertainment. It’s absolutely fascinating to watch him slowly and painstakingly remove the snow from his roof using a series of long handled rakes, brooms, and shovels.

I, on the other hand, eliminate ice and snow from my roof by flipping a switch and then settling back with a mug of hot chocolate to take pleasure in the show next door. Melting the snow on your roof with the flip of a switch, you say? How is that possible?

With a roof de-icing system from Heatizon Systems.

Cold temperatures and heavy snowfalls can quickly create dangerous and destructive conditions on the roofs of homes and buildings. Sharp icicles, thick layers of ice known as ice dams, and heavy snow slides cause millions of dollars in damage and injure hundreds of people every year.

Cosmetic Damage. The most obvious damage from snow storms is cosmetic damage, including damage to individual shingles, damage to gutters and fascia and other roofing elements. As the snow melts each day, some of the water re-freezes at night. As this cycle continues, ice can accumulate in valleys, gutters and at the eaves of the roof.

Thomas Remodeling says this freeze-thaw cycle is the cause of most of the cosmetic damage they see each year. Ice will expand in the gutters and cause seams to fail and the weight can bend and break the brackets holding the gutters to the home. Down spouts can split especially as water freezes in the down spout.

Structural Damage from Weight of the Snow. Another type of damage can occur from the sheer weight of the snow sitting on the roof and in the gutters. Not all snow is the same. The water content in heavy wet snow will be much greater than dry light snow. One cubic foot of heavy wet snow can weigh up to 20.81 pounds. That’s twelve inches of snow. Keep adding snow, and you can see how quickly the weight can add up. Excessive weight can lead to structural failure. It is no wonder that we see roof failures after major snow storms.

These types of structural failures are most often seen on commercial buildings with flat or low sloped roofing. Some of the worst collapses occurred where a winter storm was followed by a heavy rain some days later. The rain simply has no place to go.

Personal Injury. Every winter, hundreds of injuries result from people trying to deal with winter roof woes.

Although attempting to clear heavy ice and snow from their roofs is a common occurrence, experience shows that it can also be dangerous. The Journal of American Insurance says that they’ve seen people do “some bizarre and even crazy things…over zealous homeowners continue year after year to attack these rooftop glaciers with an arsenal of household weapons that would have left General George S. Patton’s celebrated Third Army running for cover. These include, but are not limited to, ice picks, hammers, chisels, pickaxes, blow dryers, space heaters, shovels and brooms, garden hoses connected to household water heaters, and even panty hose stuffed with rock salt.

These household warriors, while brave and well intentioned, often don’t do themselves or their homes any good. Ventures onto slippery roofs in cold weather can exact a heavy toll in the form of bruises, broken bones and other serious injuries. Moreover, a homeowner armed with an ice pick or pickaxe has been known to cause more damage than if the roof had been left alone in the first place.” “As you can imagine, falls from roofs can cause very serious injuries, some of which are compensated by millions of dollars,” says attorney Michael Bersani. “Take it from me; my law firm and I have successfully won millions for workers who have fallen from roofs.”

Another source of injuries can happen when icicles, ice chunks or large amounts of snow suddenly and unmercifully slide off roofs onto walkways and entrances. One notable example of this type of injury took place in Dallas in 2011 when six people were hurt by snow falling off of Cowboy Stadium. One person suffered head trauma and a concussion, and five others were hospitalized.

Interior Damage from Ice Dams. Although the most obvious damage occurs on the exterior, with ruined shingles, fallen gutters and even roof collapses, some of the worst damage, takes place on the interior when ice and water penetrate roofing materials and create leaks.
”Ice dams are caused by heat escaping into an attic warming the underside of a roof, which melts the snow,” explains Daniel Morrison, Executive editor of Fine Homebuilding & Green Building Advisor. “The water runs down the roof until it gets past where the exterior wall is, and then it freezes — because the roof deck is no longer warm. The ice builds up and forms a dam as more water runs down onto it.”

The water beneath seeps into the cracks and crevices of the roof filling them with water, which expands when it freezes again, spreading the materials the roof is made from and creating gaps in the seal of the roof that keeps the building dry.

When those gaps become large enough, the roof will begin to leak, causing large amounts of water damage within the buildings structural interior which will require extensive repairs. If the damage is not addressed immediately, it can spread, causing a lot of damage to the structural integrity of the building.

Roof deicing and snow elimination systems help prevent the problems of ice and snow buildup around eaves, drains, valleys or entire roofs. These systems not only stop the damage caused by winter stress on a roof, but also remove the hazardous conditions of falling snow or ice and eliminate potential liabilities.

An effective system can prevent ice dams by heating the critical areas of a roof. The system maintains a consistent water flow off the roof or safely diverts melted water into heated gutters that drain into designated locations. This is achieved by having a uniform heat source properly installed.
“It’s important to prevent the buildup of snow and ice around roof eaves, drains, and valleys,” states Steve Bench, Managing Member of Heatizon Systems, based in Murray UT. Heatizon manufactures low-voltage electric radiant roof snow melt and deicing, radiant snow melting, radiant in-floor space heating and radiant floor warming systems.

An investment in a radiant heating system produces the perfect long-term solution to dangerous and destructive ice and snow build up on roofs, diminishing liability issues and increasing peace of mind. The Heatizon roof deicing and snow elimination system is the only way to permanently protect a home or building from winter woes.

Radiant Snow Melting For Sidewalks

by Steve Bench

Over the years, I have had three homes all with different sized sidewalks. My first home had a 3.5 foot wide sidewalk, the second one 4 foot wide and the third, and current, home has a 6 foot wide sidewalk. City and County sidewalks extending along the frontage of home lots are generally 3 feet wide but sometimes they are 4, 5 or even 6 feet wide. In downtown shopping areas it is not unusual to find sidewalks that are as wide as 10 or 15 feet. Needless to say sidewalks come in many different widths and lengths which are designed to handle different amounts of foot traffic and bridge different points.

Since sidewalks come in many different sizes and shapes it seems that the question, “How much does it cost to install a radiant snow melt system into a sidewalk?” has many different answers. Whenever a question has many different answers the potential for any particular answer conveying meaningful information decreases dramatically. So how does one go about finding out how much a radiant snow melting system installed in his or her future sidewalk cost?

The simple answer is to contact a reputable and professional manufacturer or supplier that has been in business for several years and has more resources that just a website, telephone and smooth taking salesman. A true professional radiant snow melting company will seek answers to the following questions prior to giving you a cost estimate.

How wide and long is the sidewalk going to be?
Is the sidewalk going to be made of concrete, asphalt, brick or stone pavers, ceramic tile, or other material?.
How many strike, saw cut, crack control, cold and other joints will be in the sidewalk?
Will insulation be installed under the sidewalk?
Do you want the radiant snow melting system to be manually or automatically operated or both?
Where is the geographic location of the sidewalk?
How much and what kind of traffic is the sidewalk designed to handle?
What energy sources do you have available to energize the radiant snow melting system?

Once a radiant professional has the answers to the above questions he or she can design and price a radiant snow melting system that satisfies the needs of the project. Until a radiant professional, or a website salesman for that matter, understands the answers to all of the above questions the best you are going to get is a guess that is either in or out of the ball park.

Letter to Heatizon from a Happy Customer

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.

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