I will admit that the cold doesn’t bother me, it is the snow. I hate that in Elgin, IL I have to constantly work on snow removal. It is most of the year that the snow is coming down. I have to shovel, brush off my car, and do preventative measures. I complained so heavily to my wife that she started looking into solutions. We found that a snowmelt system is the way to go when you live in a cold state line Illinois. The snowmelt system is a series of pipes under the driveway. Hot water flows through the pipes to melt the snow. It is a hefty initial expense. You need to purchase a boiler, get the piping installed, and redo your driveway. It was worth every penny. My wife and I started slow too. First it was changing our home heater to a boiler. Then it was getting piping installed throughout the house and readily available for outside. Then one summer we tore up the driveway, installed the pipes, and laid fresh cement over top. Then that winter we finally got to experience the snow melt system. Gone is the snowblower. Gone is the snow shovel. No more ice chipping or pre heating the car. The boiler snowmelt system works ideally for Elgin living. I recommend it to every person I see in the area. I love that I maintain the driveway. I love that I have to do absolutely no work. What is great is that the heating system is protected too. No maintenance, repairs, or upkeep. The boiler can live around 50 years and the snow melt system is around 20. It is perfect.