LESLIE: Vivian in Rhode Island, you’ve got The Money Pit. What can we do for you today?
VIVIAN: Hi. I called regarding installing electric radiant heat in a driveway.
TOM: OK.
VIVIAN: And what are the pros and cons about it?
TOM: Well, it’s pretty expensive to operate. Has this been a big issue for you in this driveway?
VIVIAN: Not really.
TOM: No?
VIVIAN: The house is about 12 years old and it’s on an incline.
TOM: Oh.
VIVIAN: And to have the landscaper come in and plow when it does – when we do have a snowstorm, it’s inconvenient. It’d be so nice to just put the …
TOM: Right. Well, what kind of driveway material is it?
VIVIAN: Asphalt.
TOM: Asphalt? Well, you realize that to install the electric radiant, you’re going to have to tear up the driveway.
VIVIAN: Yes.
TOM: So, it’s a really, really expensive solution because by …
LESLIE: And does it really melt all the snow? I mean how much money would it cost to generate the heat to do that?
TOM: (overlapping voices) Well, it does. Well, it does but it’s going to be real expensive to run it and it’s going to be real expensive to install it. So you’re talking about – you say you have to have the guy come in and plow but I think the cost of the plowing is going to be less than the cost of the demolition plus the utility of running this plus the cost of the installation over many, many years.
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