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Critique my Stair Heater

Square tube, expanded metal, HF 110v winch with wireless remote, buncha cable, some pulleys... I think I'd build an elevator.

I just can't wrap my head around heated exterior stairs. :laughing:
 
45acp said:
Square tube, expanded metal, HF 110v winch with wireless remote, buncha cable, some pulleys... I think I'd build an elevator.

I just can't wrap my head around heated exterior stairs. :laughing:
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I can get behind it.

I can use a snowthrower for everything but stairs.
 
87manche said:
I can get behind it.

I can use a snowthrower for everything but stairs.
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I mean really... besides the eyesore thing... 4x8x8 open elevator with expanded metal floor... sloped roof to keep *some of the snow out, stay dry in the rain. 6 cable attachment points, hold button down and wait.

I know people in the southern U.S. put up with some bullshit weather... but heated stairs on the outside of my house? :laughing:

FWIW my opinion is moot, I'm an anti-stairist. Fuck basements, fuck 2nd floors, fuck balconies.
 
45acp said:
Square tube, expanded metal, HF 110v winch with wireless remote, buncha cable, some pulleys... I think I'd build an elevator.

I just can't wrap my head around heated exterior stairs. :laughing:
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They aren't as good of an idea as you'd think. Icey stairs usually come from snow getting trampled on by people when outdoor temps are near freezing. Snow turns to ice. If you keep it shoveled till it gets cold then the ice won't form. Heat makes ice in snow country. Heated stairs are just going to melt the snow down into ice or onto another walking surface below, or create ice from the snow that would normally blow off.

There are virtually no heated stairs or driveways or similar around here and we get 300" of snow a year. It's a solution to a problem that is created by people not realizing they should have a roof over stairs.
In OP's case since he's building new stairs anyway, they should be made out of bar grating if they aren't going to get covered.

I like the idea of putting pex in the pour for the cases where the ice has formed and needs to be removed easily, you could warm the concrete enough to be able to release the ice fairly quickly. I doubt he wants to keep his steps at 40F all winter, that would take a lot of energy.
 
45acp said:
fuck balconies.
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You’re doing it wrong :flipoff2:

But since you mentioned expanded metal. just cut some to fit the treads, positive on one side negative on the other should get plenty warm :laughing:
 
KacksterK5 said:
So why not just put a vented tank in the basement with a small water heater element in it? You can't send hot water directly into the concrete, it will crack if it's truly that cold out. Use ambient heat from the basement to keep the glycol at room temp. A small circulation pump to send it through the stairs, then when the temp drops below 50 ish in the tank, the heating element kicks in to make up the difference.
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KISS. Perfect
 
Thatg9659 said:
You’re doing it wrong :flipoff2:

But since you mentioned expanded metal. just cut some to fit the treads, positive on one side negative on the other should get plenty warm :laughing:
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Or just make the entire staircase out of expanded metal. 90% of the snow can be mashed through and if anything freezes a quick run over it with a weed burner would melt the rest off.
 
In Soviet Russia:

Stair-Treads-Bar-Grating-9.jpg
 
My heated stairway setup looks a lot like a home depot bucket full of salt.
 
mobil1syn said:
matsupplier.com

Snow Melting Heated Mats

Description Keeping the pathway up to your home or building can be crucial in creating safe environment for your family and guests. Slip and fall accidents are one of the leading causes for injury during the winter, and is only made worse by the conditions we face here in Canada. The snow...
matsupplier.com matsupplier.com
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I went with heating pads like these but another brand. I put them out in fall and they stay out until March. Put them on a timer and within 30 minutes of turning on snow is melting. Plus is the dogs like to sleep on them when outside. I have had them for about 4 years now with no problems. But according to OP, apparently I live in CA, they don't last, and only he knows true snow and ice. So feel free to go with an overly complex system that costs more and takes hours to start melting snow.
 
45acp said:
Square tube, expanded metal, HF 110v winch with wireless remote, buncha cable, some pulleys... I think I'd build an elevator.

I just can't wrap my head around heated exterior stairs. :laughing:
Click to expand...


aside from 2021, when was the last time you even saw snow? :smokin::lmao:

Damn southern hillbillies and their misconceptions about cold weather.
 
My sister's on a well, they ran a piece of pex in their driveway and it exits over the hill toward the pond. Got water trickling through all winter long keeping the slab slightly above freezing. Keeps the well from freezing (it froze the winter before they moved in and cracked the valve) and the driveway clear of ice. If you're on city water this is not a solution but if you have your own well it may be.
 
spork said:
My sister's on a well, they ran a piece of pex in their driveway and it exits over the hill toward the pond. Got water trickling through all winter long keeping the slab slightly above freezing. Keeps the well from freezing (it froze the winter before they moved in and cracked the valve) and the driveway clear of ice. If you're on city water this is not a solution but if you have your own well it may be.
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Doesn't take much, keep the stairs at 33F or 34F and the snow will melt off.

Aaron Z
 
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