I should suggest my city to install solar freaking stairs

[Red Squirrel]

My city installed heated steps for like 170k a few years back.  The very concept is a joke, the amount of heat needed to actually melt snow and keep up with it is ridiculous. Needless to say, they don't work.

[retrolefty]

It seems to be a real problem that needs an effective answer. The fact that it is city hall means there are 'deep pockets' for any injury suffered on those stairs. Or does Canada not allow sueing of government?

 Debunking is the easy part, suggesting a cost effective (operating & initial installation) solution(s) would possibly engage some creative and/or past experience that we can all learn something about the subject.

[nctnico]

Nobody put a bucket of salt next to it or is it too cold for using salt?

[Ampera]

I suggest flamethrower.

[SeanB]

How about a cover over them, so they do not get too much snow. Clear sides, and a few buckets of sand liberally applied outside, along with some salt, and then a good few dirt trapper mats on each riser to catch the melt. then add in a wheelchair ramp with similar matting to catch the dirt.

[Ampera]

How about you take the entire city, and push it somewhere south!

[tronde]

Needless to say, they don't work.

Then they must have done it very wrong. We have a lot of heated stairs and entraces and pavements in Norway. They work very well. You don't need to heat exept when it's falling snow (best result if you start an hour or two before it start to snow) or the weather conditions will give ice on the surface. For stairs 250 - 350 W/m² is recommended.

[vodka]

If you've ever seen someone slip on icy stairs you might not be so willing to stand on the sidelines and ridicule. A momentary slip by an elderly, infirm or even a fit young person could lead to a fractured wrist, a detached retina or a broken hip. Months in hospital and possibly a greater feeling of vulnerability into the future.

I slipped on a icy stair and even though I was holding onto the rail my feet slid out from under me in an instant. I was fortunate I just got a sore arse and a bruised ego.  And there was only two or three stars(*). It was at the Parkes radio telescope on a frosty morning. As an Australian It was the first time and the last time I ever encountered an icy stair. Which is not to say there aren't places where frosty mornings aren't common. But not in my experience. One time was all it took.

On another tangent this is precisely why I am against debunking. It just creates unproductive threads and even more waste heat. I'd rather be inspired by people building things, solving problems and learning from others.

(*) I liked the spelling mistake so I left it in.

The people have more possibility of to break the neck than they will become blindness by  detached retina when they slip or fall .

Now, i don't know how many money pay to goalkeepers but i believe that is more cheapest than using stoves for stairs.
My city installed heated steps for like 170k a few years back.  The very concept is a joke, the amount of heat needed to actually melt snow and keep up with it is ridiculous. Needless to say, they don't work.

[Red Squirrel]

How about a cover over them, so they do not get too much snow. Clear sides, and a few buckets of sand liberally applied outside, along with some salt, and then a good few dirt trapper mats on each riser to catch the melt. then add in a wheelchair ramp with similar matting to catch the dirt.

Yeah I think salt stops being affective after a certain temp, like -20 or so, but I don't recall.

Best bet is they just shovel them like any other building.   They basically threw tons of money for a solution to a problem that had a very basic existing solution. Typical of a municipal government though.  The people that would normally shovel it are on duty anyhow.

[raptor1956]

Many places have ordinances that require the snow be removed within a certain time period or face fines.  How unsurprising that City Hall would feel no need to follow suit.


Brian

[Skimask]

Solar freekin' toilet seats