Snow Melting
Electric cables or matts are designed to prevent snow build-up on sidewalks, driveways & stairs. The system parts include:
- Mineral Insulated (MI) cables, plastic resistive cables or mats
- Snow controllers
- Aerial and slab temperature/moisture sensors
- Pavement marker plates
Use of Heat Trace in the Application:
System is designed to melt snow as it is falling to prevent accumulation & to keep areas clear of snow. Controls can be adjusted to remain on up to 10 hours after snowfall to account for possible thawing & re-freezing.
- Please note that National Electric Code requires ground fault protection (GFEP) for all heat tracing.
Important Design Notes/Best Practices:
Calculate heat losses based on the following:
- Dimensions of area or details of stairs & landings
- Material of slab (concrete, asphalt, pavers)
- Location of expansion joints
- Voltage
Calculate number of circuits based on the following:
- Supply voltage & phase
- Circuit breaker size
- Area dimensions
