1.Put Tall Stakes Around Driveway, Walkway & Sidewalk
These helpful reminders show you and your snow plow company where to shovel, plow and melt. While it may be obvious for you to locate your driveway, the same can not be said of your snow removal service. They plow hundreds of streets and driveways and as you know, not all are the same. Make it easy to find your driveway or you could be faced with a ruined yard come spring.
2. From The Table
Table salt is a great temporary deicer, when used in moderation. To prevent a hard frost from forming on your car windshield overnight, try placing table salt in an old sock and rubbing it over the windows the night before, making sure to rub firmly over the entire surface. Use this trick sparingly as repeated use can cause damage to the surfaces you are deicing. You also can use salty liquids like pickle juice as a spray deicer. For large areas and long-term use, you may want to pick up a bag of salt specifically designed for snow and ice removal.
3. Buy A Good Shovel
We understand the desire to buy a cheap shovel. After all, we don’t really use it year-round, so why fork over all that money? Well, once those first few inches hit your driveway, you’ll be thankful you purchased the right shovel. We understand that shoveling is a hassle, tiring and just plain boring. As a result, many wait until there are at least a few inches of snow until we shovel. Do your best to fight the urge and shovel as often as you can.
4. Melting Point
Consider installing a snow melt mat—constructed with radiant heating cables—underneath the driveway or walkway. These cables use electricity to generate heat, which radiates upwards through the surface, keeping the entire area free of snow and ice. If you or your budget aren’t up for replacing the walkways, try heated mat that can sit above the surface to keep steps and entryways clear of slippery ice.
5. From The Shop To The Driveway
A trusty wet/dry vac is another tool that can be pressed into service as a snow removal aid. You can use the shop-vac to suck up the snow and dump it somewhere else. Alternatively, you can turn the vacuum onto “exhaust” mode and blow the snow away.
