Heated mats for outdoor use makes winter in Canada just a bit better. Winter lingers for months, with temperatures ranging from -30 to +5 from December to April. This makes it nearly impossible to step outside without bundling up. While there’s lots to do in winter, having ice and snow along your patios and front steps is a slipping hazard just waiting to happen. A heated walkway reduces the need for shovelling while keeping you safe from slips and falls.
How Do Heated Mats Work?
They are usually made from thermoplastics that spread heat across an even surface. It distributes heat based on the ambient temperature outside, so if the temperature outside is -5°C, then the mat’s temperature will adjust to approximately +5°C.
Because of how it distributes heat, outdoor heated mats will typically melt snow at a rate of 2 inches per hour. If your walkways have inches of snow on them, using a heated mat can cut down on your shovelling or snow blowing time.
The Benefits of Outdoor Heated Mats in Canada
Canada is well-known for its winters; provinces like Alberta get approximately 50 inches of snow annually. Some provinces get 124 inches of snow annually, and with all the heavy snow accumulation, pathways, driveways, and other walkways can easily become hazardous. Adding an outdoor heated mat to your walkways makes winter more manageable. Here’s why:
Durable Design: Canada’s snowy weather is tough, and good outdoor heated mats can withstand these conditions. Most heated mats are made to distribute heat for long periods of time and can handle even the lowest freezing temperatures.
Convenient to Use: Heated floor mats are simple to use. All you need to do is roll out the mat where it’s needed, plug it in, and let the mat do the work for you. This makes them great for both residential and commercial use.
Energy-Efficient: Because of how much snow falls per year, outdoor heated mats need to be energy-efficient to keep up. When working properly, the 2 inches of snow melted per hour makes it excellent for cutting down on shoveling pathways.
Eco-Friendly: Methods like salting can bring out a number of issues, such as concrete erosion and health risks to your children and pets. Heated mats remove those problems by giving everyone a safer walkway that doesn’t rely on rock salt for snow removal.
Safer Walkways: Heated mats can have those inches of snow taken care of for you so you don’t have to worry about any winter-related accidents like slips or falls.
Tips For Using Outdoor Heated Mats
Outdoor heated mats are highly effective, and with proper maintenance, they can last all winter while making snow removal effortless. Here are some general tips on how to maintain your outdoor heated mat:
Turn It On Before It Snows: You can easily keep your outdoor winter mat on all season long, but the best way to use these heated mats is to turn it on before the snowfall arrives. While they’ll still melt the snow, any already accumulated snow will take longer to evaporate.
Connect To An Indoor Outlet: A great way to make these heated mats more convenient is by connecting them to an indoor outlet or snow sensor controller. You can have an electrician wire the outlet to a switch inside your home so that just before it starts to snow, you can flip a switch and keep the heated mat on all season long.
Clean Your Mats In Spring: When storing your heated mats away for the warmer seasons, you should clean your mats to remove dirt, salt, and debris. Use a mild dish detergent and soap scrubber, then hose them down and let them air dry. Make sure to clean them in place while connected to prevent water from entering the system.
Store Your Mats: You should put your mats away in a place that’s off-limits to animals and children. Keep the mats flat when you store them, or roll them as they were packaged with the grit surface on the outside to prevent creasing the internal wires.
Why HeatTrak Snow Melting Mats Are the Top Choice for Winter Comfort
Among all the brand options out there for outdoor heated mats, HeatTrack has the most reliable reputation out there. HeatTrack has over 12 years of experience in designing and producing heated mats for both residences and commercial businesses. They’ve served over 30,000 customers with heated mats that have a multitude of features and benefits, including:
Rigorous Testing: Heattrak tests their products under strict safety and performance standards before selling their products. If any product is defective in any way, their products have a 2 year warranty and a highly-friendly customer service team ready to help.
Long Term Durability: HeatTrack uses heavy-duty, slip-proof thermoplastic. Because HeatTrack specializes in heated snow mats, they can last between 4 to 5 years with proper care.
Safe Non-Slip Treading: The company is well-known for its safe, non-slip treading, which means that these mats can be walked on without the risk of slips or falls.
Simple Walkway Care: Most of all, HeatTrack makes shovelling snow less of a hassle by giving you a safe place to walk outdoors. Just turn on the power unit and let the mat do the rest.
At Backyard Canada, we offer HeatTrak mats at competitive prices. As a distributor of HeatTrack, you can make the most out of your backyard and turn it into a private winter getaway. For more information, contact our team at Backyard Canada, and we’ll be happy to help you choose the right outdoor mat and keep the snow away.