# Melting snow and ice in driveway **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2022, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583 "2022-01-28T17:56:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Danger\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Danger\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danger_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/1 "2022-01-28T17:56:53Z")
I know some people build underground electrical heating in their driveway. But what about if your driveway is already built. Is there some kind of electric heating mat that you can just roll out on top of the snow/ice and just turn on for a few hours? Is that even practical? I am especially thinking about the cases where it has snowed weeks ago, but it has stayed cold, so you have a thin layer of ice in your driveway. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/2 "2022-01-28T18:20:15Z")
There are plug-in heated mats you can use in winter but most are designed to keep snow and ice from a rather small area, like an entryway. Something large enough for a whole driveway is going to be rather large and bulky to store, and probably very expensive. What’s wrong with salt? Or if it’s too cold for that, putting sand down for traction? I’ve also found that after a while packed snow and ice won’t adhere to the surface very well and a scraper tool will easily break it apart, or start a crack where you can push a shovel along to break it and lift it up. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/3 "2022-01-28T18:20:20Z")
I kinda doubt you are going to find a solution for what you want to do. But for construction, there are ground heaters for helping heat the ground before excavation. [Ground heater](https://www.powerblanket.com/blog/how-does-a-ground-heater-work/) ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/4 "2022-01-28T18:22:01Z")
Here is a “heated walkway” for hundreds of dollars: > **[Amazon.com : RHS Heated Walkway, Non-Slip Snow Melting mat, Diamond Shape Design...](https://www.amazon.com/Walkway-non-slip-melting-traction-Shoveling/dp/B01MYCQQUA)** > > Amazon.com : RHS Heated Walkway, Non-Slip Snow Melting mat, Diamond Shape Design for Extra Traction, Safety Bright Yellow Edge, Color Black, Helps Prevent Shoveling Your Walkway, Buy Factory Direct (15" W x 20'L) : Patio, Lawn & Garden I’ve also seen a video of a flame-thrower type contraption, but I’m guessing that was home-made and not something you can just pick up at Home Depot. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/5 "2022-01-28T19:35:56Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > flame-thrower type contraption, but I’m guessing that was home-made and not something you can just pick up at Home Depot. A friend bought her husband a backpack flamethrower for his birthday recently from Tractor Supply or someplace similar. He confided in me that it’s not really that great a tool. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/6 "2022-01-28T19:42:24Z")
Heat lamps will do a good job of applying their heat to the driveway after it’s built. But you’d need quite a few of them depending on how quickly you want them to work. A backpack flamethrower? I have a hand wand propane burner that throws a flame a foot or two long, with a somewhat scary roar. It attaches to the kind of propane tank most people buy for backyard grills. It probably would take quite a long time to clear snow with it (I’ve never tried). But for some things it’s amazingly great. In my gravelly back lane I get thin scrubby grass which I can mow but can’t get clean down to the gravel. This tool burns it away very fast, especially if I hit it with Roundup a few days before and it gets dry. This tool clears it so fast I can basically walk as I wave the wand around. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/7 "2022-01-28T20:21:46Z")
First, get a giant magnifying glass, then wait for the sun… ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/8 "2022-01-28T20:22:42Z")
I know it’s too late at this point, but I’ve found the key to keeping a driveway clear of ice is to shovel/remove the snow quickly, never let it build up, and never drive on it. Driving on it packs the snow down and just one night of sub-freezing temps will turn it into ice that can be very hard to remove. Clearing the driveway the same day as it snows, or the morning after it has snowed makes maintaining it relatively easy. Of course, I’m retired and don’t have to be anywhere first thing in the morning. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/9 "2022-01-28T20:52:43Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Heat lamps will do a good job of applying their heat to the driveway after it’s built. But you’d need quite a few of them depending on how quickly you want them to work. > > A backpack flamethrower?.. It probably would take quite a long time to clear snow with it (I’ve never tried). [The xkcd what if? blog has actually covered this](https://what-if.xkcd.com/130/). The takeaway: it takes a _lot_ of energy to melt snow. > Melting a gram of snow takes about 335 joules of energy. To put that another way, a 60-watt lightbulb is capable of melting about a pound of snow an hour. The flame thrower would not only take a lot of time; it would require a lot of fuel. And his example is using gasoline. Propane is a little less energy dense than gasoline. > Gas mileage in the US is often measured in “miles per gallon” of gasoline. With your flamethrower guzzling fuel, your mileage would be about 17 _feet_ per gallon. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/10 "2022-01-28T20:56:16Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > I know it’s too late at this point, but I’ve found the key to keeping a driveway clear of ice is to shovel/remove the snow quickly, never let it build up, and never drive on it. Driving on it packs the snow down and just one night of sub-freezing temps will turn it into ice that can be very hard to remove. Clearing the driveway the same day as it snows, or the morning after it has snowed makes maintaining it relatively easy. QFT. And this is pretty much the only thing that will get me out of the house Ass Early anymore 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/11 "2022-01-28T22:10:01Z")
I was pretty picky when buying our last house in that I wanted a driveway on the south side of the house and it had to be asphalt. Now on any sunny day if the temp is above 20 degrees that compacted snow and ice layer will just melt itself off. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/12 "2022-01-28T22:10:20Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > It probably would take quite a long time to clear snow with it (I’ve never tried). Earlier threads: > [@Is there any reason I couldn't try shovelling the sidewalk with a flamethrower?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-i-couldnt-try-shovelling-the-sidewalk-with-a-flamethrower/336397): > > Or rather, clearing the sidewalk of snow with a flamethrower? There are a number of businesses by me that haven’t shovelled the snow and its been stomped into ice and is quite treacherous. Removing it by hand or chisel would be pretty involved, but would there be any ill effects to using a flamethrower, like cracking the sidewalk? How long would it take to clear say a 3’x3’ foot section completely? > [@Can I use a flamethrower to clear away snow?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930): > > Yep. Purely hypothetical question, I suppose, but there you go. Due to yesterday’s blizzardey conditions on the east coast, I’m stuck with a huge pile of snow blocking the garage door. Yeah, I could shovel it out, but that would require shovelling snow – the single worst job known to mankind. I’ve got several pressurized sprayers that you can fill with the chemical of your choice; conceivably, it would be really easy to fill them with a flammable liquid, rig up a pilot light, and boom: minia… > [@Trying to Find a Snow Removal Device](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-a-snow-removal-device/603459): > > I’m not sure of the right google terms to find what I’m looking for, so here’s hoping someone around here can help. I’m looking for prices on snow removal machines that use heat to melt the snow. I know such things exist - Papahomie said he’s seen the maintenance guys at a local hospital using them. Basically they’re self-contained units that carry a heat source in a backpack, while the user points the heat output at the ground, clearing snow from the sidewalk without having to shovel. I’ve tr… > [@Why Don't We Melt Snow?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-melt-snow/570161): > > I grew up in Michigan and Indiana. We had some good snows every year. Kids, of course, look forward to a foot or two of snow and getting out of school for a while. I know I did. But, the fact is that a few inches to a few feet can be troublesome for some cities. People miss work, emergency workers get stuck, and many more problems. I was just reading that some cities are considering dumping snow into waterways to get it off the streets and sidewalks, even though it would contain enough sal… Tldr: not practical ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/13 "2022-01-28T22:14:56Z")
Smart. Very smart. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/14 "2022-01-28T22:33:39Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I was pretty picky when buying our last house in that I wanted a driveway on the south side of the house and it had to be asphalt. Now on any sunny day if the temp is above 20 degrees that compacted snow and ice layer will just melt itself off. The house where I grew up has the driveway on the wrong side, so it doesn’t get as much sun as the houses across the street and while the driveways on those houses clear, ours remained snowy. In particular, the part directly in front of the garage received more shade, so the snow would melt during the early part of the day and then later, the water would refreeze, so there were dangerous icy patches. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/15 "2022-01-28T23:16:49Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A friend bought her husband a backpack flamethrower for his birthday recently from Tractor Supply or someplace similar. He confided in me that it’s not really that great a tool. Super Soaker. Gasoline. Bernzomatic. Duct tape. Fireproof blanket. Bandages. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/16 "2022-01-28T23:43:49Z")
I’m not keen on ground heaters and the like because they waste energy like crazy. Neither am I keen on salt as it eventually becomes part of runoff and can kill grasses and enter our water sources. What’s the good solution? Sand is okay, but it has some of the same problem salt does. Coal dust was used many years ago, but again, pollution. Ideas? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/17 "2022-01-29T02:38:15Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@SmellMyWort](#): > > > > flame-thrower type contraption, but I’m guessing that was home-made and not something you can just pick up at Home Depot. > > A friend bought her husband a backpack flamethrower for his birthday recently from Tractor Supply or someplace similar. He confided in me that it’s not really that great a tool. I read a whole bunch of articles a few years ago about why flame throwers are shit at melting ice. One person said it took them about half an hour to clear a stair of ice. One single stair. ---
**Author:** ![Danger\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Danger\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danger_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/18 "2022-01-29T02:38:52Z")
Does it really waste that much energy if you only turn it on for a few hours to clear the ice and then turn it off again? It would of course depend on how often it snows in the area. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/19 "2022-01-29T04:31:59Z")
Hold my beer! ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/20 "2022-01-29T12:48:18Z")
If you’re in a place like Montreal, there’s always the [Tempo](https://joneakes.com/jons-fixit-database/1866-Tempo-the-temporary-winter-garage) . They’re not legal in all jurisdictions, so check before you do anything. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583.md?page=2)