Here in good old Heber, Utah we woke up just the other day to our first snowfall! The air was brisk, and the sidewalks were icy; I couldn’t wait to dig out my snow shovel from the depths of my garden shed. After a few minutes of shoveling, I was quickly reminded how difficult shoveling snow is! What a work out! Prepare your snow shovel, and your arms for the heavy winter powder…good thing these snow removal tips will help you tackle it!
#1 Place Tall Stakes Before Winter Snow
Before the winter weather comes a knocking, add tall yard stakes (they can be large Christmas lanterns or something similar) around the perimeter of your driveway and yard. Having a simple marker, like the stakes, will help guide you (and the snow plows!) when shoveling.
#2 Shovel VERY Frequently.
I know, I know. I can imagine that you are probably sighing audibly while reading that! But what if I told you that frequent shoveling actually HELPS you in the long run? Really! I’m not recommending that you head out in the cold during every hour of a snowstorm, but it’s a good idea to completely clear your driveway in between storms.
#3 Salt, Salt, Salt
An abundance of melting salt is NEVER a bad thing! Using salt lowers the freezing temperature of your cement, and prevents the build up of salt. Look for salt varieties like “magnesium chloride” or “calcium chloride. These varieties will keep working in temperatures below 12 degrees, and will help protect your driveway from erosion.
#4 Good Shovels Are Important
Forget about buying that cheap one at Target, you’ll end up having to replace it, anyways! The wrong shovel can make snow removal seem even worse, while causing stiffness and soreness! Purchase a nice shovel; you’ll thank yourself for it! I use this one from Hardware World.
#5 Pile Snow CORRECTLY
This winter, take a special note of the areas of your yard that you pile the snow onto. Many people like to put them on the edges of their lawn. But, how many of your place them around the edge of your home foundation? Hopefully, not too many of you! Piling snow around your foundation can cause foundation cracks and frozen pipes! Yikes!
#6 Invest In a Snowblower
Do you live in an area of the country with ample snowfall? If you haven’t already, invest in a snowblower! I would be exhausted and sore come January if I hadn’t invested in one! I like from Briggs & Stratton.
If you don’t get much snow, but are interested in the convenience of a blower, I like this smaller blower.
Leave a Reply