Technology compared

Hydronic, electric cable or mat: what fits your driveway.

Every heated driveway warms the slab from below. The difference is what carries the heat. SunFlow builds hydronic systems only, and this page says why, with the trade-offs.

Side by side

Sources: SunFlow's published guides. Cells marked "figure from SunFlow" are waiting on SunFlow's own numbers.
Compared onHydronicElectric cableElectric mat
How it heatsWarm water and propylene glycol pumped through PEX tubing from a boilerElectric resistance cable under the surfaceElectric cable pre-spaced on a mat
Upfront workMore involved: a boiler, a manifold and tubingOften cheaper to installThe easiest to install
Running costLower, according to SunFlow's guide. About $2 to $5 per snow event for a standard two-car executive drivewayCan be significantly more expensive to run on Ontario's gridAsk SunFlow
Response in deep coldEven heat across a large surface, with a manifold balancing the loopAsk SunFlowSlower to respond in deep freezes, in SunFlow's experience
LifespanBuilt to perform for decades when properly maintainedAsk SunFlowShorter, in SunFlow's experience
Other notesQuieter and more adjustable. Can tie into an existing gas or green energy systemNot statedNot stated
Installed by SunFlowYesNoNo

Inside a hydronic driveway

Five layers, one of them warm.

Tube spacing is set from BTU calculations for your local climate. On a new build, insulation goes in under the tubing so the heat travels up to the snow and is not lost into the ground.

The layers of a hydronic heated driveway From top to bottom: the surface (concrete, asphalt or pavers), bedding or slab, the PEX tubing loop laid in a serpentine pattern, insulation below the tubing, and a compacted base. Each layer is drawn with its own material texture. When the diagram opens, the tubing layer glows to show it is the heated one. Compacted baseInsulation below the tubingPEX loop in a serpentine patternBedding or slabConcreteAsphaltPaversSurface: concrete, asphalt, pavers

The parts you never see once it is finished

Tubing on mesh before the pour, the manifold that balances the loop, and the boiler that warms the fluid.

See the gallery
  • Red PEX heating tubing laid in even parallel loops with U-bends, tied to steel mesh over blue foam insulation across a whole driveway, with the tube ends gathered near the garage.

    PEX tubing on reinforcing mesh before the pour

  • A brass and stainless snow-melt manifold mounted on plywood in a garage, with red PEX tubes rising from the concrete floor into its ports and insulated supply and return pipes leading away.

    Supply and return manifold on the garage wall

  • A tidy basement mechanical room with a white wall-hung boiler, a plate heat exchanger, circulator pumps, an expansion tank and insulated piping on a plywood backboard.

    Boiler, heat exchanger and pumps for a snow-melt system

What fits which driveway

Your surface and your timing decide the method.

  • New build or full replacementThe most cost-effective time to add heat. The tubing goes into the base before the surface is poured or laid, with full insulation underneath.
  • Existing asphalt or concrete in good shapeGrooves are saw-cut into the surface, the tubing goes into them, and they are sealed with a weather-resistant polymer.
  • Existing paversThe pavers are lifted, the tubing grid and insulation go in, and the same pavers are reset on top.
  • Cracking or heaving drivewaySunFlow recommends a full replacement, so the heating system lasts.
  • ConcreteHolds and radiates heat well. Needs planned expansion joints.
  • AsphaltThe most cost-effective surface, and its dark colour helps it melt snow.
  • PaversNeed a specific bedding process so heat reaches the surface through the sand and stone.

Planning ahead helps: SunFlow suggests starting at the design stage, or at least 3 months before you pave, to leave time for utility planning and the boiler room.

Next step

Start with a conversation about your property.

Most consultations take less than 45 minutes and come with no obligation. Bring rough driveway measurements and the surface you have in mind, and SunFlow takes it from there.

Request a quoteEstimate your cost first