Sioux Falls, South Dakota, accumulates a great deal of snow every year.
We can expect to get approximately four feet of snow over the winter. It creates a lot of work and difficulties. In the morning, before leaving for work, I need to take the time to brush the snow off the car and scrape ice from the windshield. It’s necessary to let the defrost and heater run in the vehicle for at least fifteen minutes to clear the glass. In order to reliably drive in and out of the driveway, plowing is essential. I used to hire someone to plow my driveway. I would pay each time the company performed the service, and it was sometimes needed twice per day. I also was forced to bundle up in heavy boots, wool coat, scarf, hat and gloves to shovel the front step and walkways. A couple of years ago, I invested into a snowmelt system. I have a boiler in the basement that handles the heating requirements of the home. There is a looping network of pipes concealed beneath the floors that carry hot water provided by the boiler. This heat spreads across the surface of the floor, warms every object situated on the floor, and radiates heat into the air. It creates a very gentle and consistent comfort, with no cold spots or temperature fluctuations. On the coldest days and nights in Sioux Falls, my house is perfectly comfortable. The snowmelt system also links the boiler and operates much the same as radiant floor heating. The system reacts to temperature drop and moisture, automatically starting up and melting away snow and ice. It eliminates the need to plow and shovel. I no longer worry about the huge drifts of snow that used to obstruct access to the driveway and garage.