# Heating outside gravel area.



## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

I doubt you could put out enough heat with cables to keep ground/gravel warm enough to prevent freezing as surrounding air and ground will be a huge heatsink, sucking your heating dollars away. Also, won't the gravel be a bit sharp for the dogs' pads? Not sure what kind of gravel you were thinking of?


----------



## joey1320 (Feb 16, 2011)

Sorry, I guess pebbles is a best description of what I want to use on the ground. If I'm not mistaken they are called "beach pebbles" at home depot and they are small, round and have a soft finish to them. Same thing used on our local dog parks.

As for the heating cables, this is what I'm referring to:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...cable&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

You really don't think it will work?
I have to figure something out...
Thanks
Joey


----------



## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> You really don't think it will work?
> I have to figure something out...


Ayuh,... Let 'em poo in the snow, 'n pick it up after it melts...


----------



## joey1320 (Feb 16, 2011)

Bondo said:


> Ayuh,... Let 'em poo in the snow, 'n pick it up after it melts...


Lol nah I gotta do something, it gets really nasty out there


----------



## fabrk8r (Feb 12, 2010)

Could you pour a concrete pad this spring. If you can you could add in-slab heat.

You wouldn't happen to have hot-water heat in your house would you? If you do it would be possible to add a hydronic loop to the pad. I don't know how much you are willing to invest on this, but hydronic would be the way I would go. It's used for deicing driveways a lot anymore.


----------



## joey1320 (Feb 16, 2011)

fabrk8r said:


> Could you pour a concrete pad this spring. If you can you could add in-slab heat.
> 
> You wouldn't happen to have hot-water heat in your house would you? If you do it would be possible to add a hydronic loop to the pad. I don't know how much you are willing to invest on this, but hydronic would be the way I would go. It's used for deicing driveways a lot anymore.


Yes I could pour concrete but the only issue with that, as with the backyard in the summer, is the smell of the dried-up urine after sittif all day under the hot sun. That's why I wanted to use pebbles because it will at least "irrigate" some and not be a puddle. 

My home is forced air, so no hot-water heat. Did you get a chance to see the items on the link I posted? Do you think those cables could be used to melt the snow? I'm not planing on having them on all the time, just when there is some snow in the forecast.

Joey


----------



## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

You can melt the snow, but where will it run off to?

It either stays on your property or the neighbor will put 1 and 1 together.

Just clean up frequently and avoid the accumulation. Did you ever have any kids and tried to put off changing diapers until they got "potty trained". Maybe it just calls for routine maintenance/cleaning and training unless you want to install a waste disposal system for the kids (dogs). - I saw that in an apartment penthouse in China.

Dick


----------



## Steeler99 (Jan 30, 2011)

After thinking about it, is there a possibility of building a covered kennel for them? I'm wondering if the cost of what you're trying do is worth it to you. In my opinion, it's probably cheaper in the long term to build one and it will also allow a place for them to get out of the weather too...then again, I'm sure you've probably considered that already and maybe that's not a realistic option for you.


----------



## joey1320 (Feb 16, 2011)

The melted snow/ice will run off towards the sidewalk. That side of the house faces the street. No kids for my and I just yet 

As for a kennell, I was thinking of maybe adding a roof/cover to that side of the fence, but I'm not sure it will look right. The 100ft. radiant heater cable is about $69(if I'm not mistaken) and if it can be used, it will look better.


----------



## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> Yes I could pour concrete but the only issue with that, as with the backyard in the summer, is the smell of the dried-up urine after sittif all day under the hot sun. That's why I wanted to use pebbles because it will at least "irrigate" some and not be a puddle.


Ayuh,.. The pebbled area is gonna Stink, just like the backyard come summer....
Atleast with concrete, you can flush it with the garden hose occasionally...


----------



## Steeler99 (Jan 30, 2011)

I was referring to the long term costs....and thanks for the pricing part, I didn't realize it was that cheap. From what Ive seen/heard, heated driveways were expensive to operate, and I guess I made an assumption that gravel would be even more expensive to keep thawed.


----------



## warmsmeallup (Apr 3, 2008)

You can't put radiant heat under "pea" gravel ) (no pun intended). There is too much heat loss. You need to have some kind of mass to sink the het off the cable or the heat just dissipates from all the air in between. It just won't work.

I understand the concept, I have a Bernese Mtn Dog and it would be nice to have a source that would drain off yet hold the solids to clean up...all well!


----------



## God's Fixit Man (Feb 17, 2011)

*Anti-freeze circulation*

Hi Joey,

I live in an area where snow removal is always a problem. Therefore in this town, the norm is becoming "road heating" and "floor heating". The whole system is very simple and only as expensive as you wish to make it. You simply bury vinyl pipes that circulate anti freeze/anti boil fluid. You use a pump and whatever form of "water heater" you desire. I always use spare parts and the system you are desiring sounds like it could be made for a few hundred dollars. Especially if you start with a scrap water heater. However, you should always include an air-float valve to keep air out of the lines and a pressure valve to protect the system. Also, it is good to make a small (maybe 1 gallon) expansion reservoir with a spring filler cap. If you need more info just ask.


----------



## joey1320 (Feb 16, 2011)

God's Fixit Man said:


> Hi Joey,
> 
> I live in an area where snow removal is always a problem. Therefore in this town, the norm is becoming "road heating" and "floor heating". The whole system is very simple and only as expensive as you wish to make it. You simply bury vinyl pipes that circulate anti freeze/anti boil fluid. You use a pump and whatever form of "water heater" you desire. I always use spare parts and the system you are desiring sounds like it could be made for a few hundred dollars. Especially if you start with a scrap water heater. However, you should always include an air-float valve to keep air out of the lines and a pressure valve to protect the system. Also, it is good to make a small (maybe 1 gallon) expansion reservoir with a spring filler cap. If you need more info just ask.


Im very interested in learning about this heating setup. I'm going to google for it but if there is a particular site you can point me towards, that would be great.

Thanks!


----------



## God's Fixit Man (Feb 17, 2011)

*Suggestion*

Hi Joey,

Wikipedia has done a decent job of describing the system. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underfloor_heating#Description

After looking at wikipedia I remembered the one great benefit that I have in my own system is that I have run copper pipes through my wood stove so the wood stove does all the work with a kerosene boiler as a back-up. It is very efficient.

I am not sure how this site works but I could give you a lot more detail through e-mail. But, I am not interested in displaying my e-mail address on the site. If you know a way to "request" an e-mail address via this site, I'm game.


----------



## joey1320 (Feb 16, 2011)

I'm gonna look into the wiki site and learn as much as possible. I cant seem to find a way to private message you, once I find it I'll pm you.
Thanks!


----------



## scottevestceo (Mar 30, 2017)

joey1320 said:


> I'm gonna look into the wiki site and learn as much as possible. I cant seem to find a way to private message you, once I find it I'll pm you.
> Thanks!


Joey, I have the same issue but in my case I have a blind dog so need to melt the snow. Let me know if this worked for you and any advise you may have.

Scott


----------



## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> *Last Activity: 07-29-2011 11:01 PM*


Ayuh,.... Look at the post dates,...

Joey ain't been back in nearly 6 years,....


----------

