The icing of the tiles of the track or steps of the porch is an unpleasant situation, fraught with injuries. We are talking about the most optimal ways to combat her.
Photo: shutterstock / fotodom.ru
The appearance on the tracks and steps of the country house of ice occurs most often in the thaw, when the street temperature "goes through zero", and the water (snow) is first pushed, and then freezes. Therefore, that the tracks do not turn into a rink, they should be regularly brushed from snow and ice floes (for example, fallen from the roof). To do this, it is necessary to stock up the traditional winter snow removal inventory - shovels for snow, manual stages. It is possible to facilitate work by means of mechanization. For the cleaning of fresh snow from the tracks, it is better to choose compact low-power snow blowers (up to 3 l. Or 3 kW), it does not need high performance.
Holly (icing when frozen rain droplets) are often confused with an ice (freezing of water with vibrations of outdoor temperature).
1 Chemical ways to fight ashole
MR Defroster ultra reagent 10 kg (300 rubles). Photo: OBI.
Anticolore materials of different brands are powdered mixtures of sodium chlorides and calcium. There are several stamps of mixtures that differ mainly minimal outdoor temperatures for their application. There are, for example, mixtures suitable for small frosts (up to -10 ... -15 ° C), and there is also strong cold (up to -25 ... -30 ° C), this parameter must be specified on the package.
Photo: shutterstock / fotodom.ru
2 sand, dress, fine-grained crushed stone
Mineral salt reagent, 25 kg, for temperature from -15 ° C (418 rubles). Photo: Leroy Merlin
Environmentally friendly safe agents, which, as well as chemical reagents, are scattered when the icy formation is likely. It is better to use not sand, but a larger (2-3 mm) stone crumb.
3 Electric heated steps and tracks
Electric heating of steps and tracks is especially convenient in areas with a total area of up to 5-10 m². The maximum area is limited by the amount of electricity, which can be spent on heating, the specific power of the anti-change system is 250-300 W per 1 m². Used for this, as a rule, heating cables (or waters based on heating cable) with additional protection against mechanical damage and overheating. Such special kits for preventing icing of steps and paving tracks are Caleo, WST and a number of other manufacturers.
Set of XLayder Street heating thermomat (CALEO), used for heating street steps and tracks. Photo: Caleo.
The anti-stroke system is controlled from the thermostat. For anti-icing systems, special thermostat are used, the main task of which is to remove snow and flash. Simple models worth 3-5 thousand rubles. Measure only the ambient temperature and include the system in the range of + 5 ... -15 ° C, regardless of the presence of precipitation. And more complex and multifunctional meteorological stations with the possibility of connecting the precipitation sensor are from 10-12 thousand rubles. (CST and CALEO) up to 30-40 thousand rubles. (Raychem. Devi).
It is precisely because these meteorological stations include heating only if there are precipitation, they are more economical simple (just for 3-5 thousand rubles).
For greater efficiency, the system can be supplemented with a timer that allows you to arrange an inclusion schedule, for example, only in those days when you are at home. All this helps to reduce the operation time of the systems by about 50%. Is there a lot or a little? In the Moscow region, the order of six cases of the formation of icy for the winter and approximately three times more than the cases of the Holly Chairs are recorded. The debt system will work 500-600 hours per season, unworn twice as much. If, let's say, the system consumes 2 kWh, then the total electricity consumption for the season will be 1000-1200 kW • h or 2000-2400 kW • h, respectively.
Approximate layout layout of the electrical heating system of steps. Visualization: Igor Smirhagin / Burda Media
Installing the thermostat inside the house near the entrance. Visualization: Igor Smirhagin / Burda Media
The heating cable is poured with a concrete mixture, a layer thickness of 2-5 cm. Visualization: Igor Smirhegin / Burda Media
The finishing material is stacked on top (for example, tile). Visualization: Igor Smirhagin / Burda Media
Installation of the anti-icing system is made in the warm season in the concrete tie. It is important to ensure maximum electrical safety of the device and hermetically inhibit all cable connections. This uses special hermetic clutches. In everyday life of platform heating systems, it is recommended to take ready-made sections, with couplings installed at the factory. To achieve greater safety, the anti-icing system should include a Uzo with a shutdown current of no more than 30 mA.
For the effective operation of the anti-icing system, the heating capacity of 1 m² should be at least 250 W / m², and it is desirable for steps to lay the power of 300-350 W / m². As for the control systems, there may be several solution options. More simple cases use analog regulators (for example, Caleo UTH-180SM), including heating in a specific temperature range (usually + 5 ... -15 °). In more complex, digital meteorological stations similar to Caleo UTH-X123 are used with the presence of precipitation and the temperature of the heated surface, they make the system more economical and efficient. The average duration of the work of such a system in about 1-1.5 months.
Denis Golubin
Product Manager Caleo Rus