Say Goodbye To Snow Shoveling With A Heated Paver Walkway

Did you know that shoveling snow is actually not recommended for people over the age of 50? Although many cities require that homeowners keep the walkways in front of their homes clear from snow, it's possible that the act of lifting many pounds of heavy and wet snow could actually cause some shovelers to go into cardiac arrest, so older people and anyone with heart conditions should consider getting rid of snow without a shovel. Avoid the health issues — and the snow pile-ups — this winter by considering handy hacks to take care of ice and snow outside without shoveling. One such hack is investing in a heated paver walkway, which has plenty of pros and cons (alongside the aforementioned life and death ones). 

Heated paver walkways work by warming the paths from underneath. In other words, heating systems are installed underneath a paver walkway and can be turned on externally, so that the area stays warm and snow and ice quickly melt away. In some cases, the switch for turning the heating feature on is kept outside and triggered when the air temperature dips below freezing and moisture is detected. That way, the heating can turn on overnight so homeowners can wake up to an already clear walkway — no work necessary. 

There are certainly many positive reasons to opt for a heated paver walkway. If you live in a snowy climate, you'll save your own time and energy by not having to shovel every time it snows, relieving yourself of the physical burden and avoiding any of those frustrating mornings where you're late for work because you had to take care of the ice and snow before leaving for the day. Heated paver walkways also get rid of the need for harsh ice-melting chemicals, which can be toxic for kids and pets. 

The biggest downside of going this route is cost. For instance, a 214-square foot heated paver walkway costs around $2,448. These features are typically installed by professionals, because installation can require repaving an entire area, and the paneling and electric connection can be convoluted. You might also choose to completely upgrade your driveway by reinstalling a new layer of heated pavers there, too. To cut down on costs, you can add radiant heated walkway mats, which go on top of the path and use electricity to heat the area. Depending on the size, these mats retail at around $200 and require the owners to manually place them, detracting from the "set it and forget it" positive of the automatic heated paver walkways.