Get Winter Ready! 

A fresh blanket of snow is a pretty sight. Maybe for a few minutes. Or in a photograph. Or if you’re a kid and you’re getting a snow-day. However, if you are a homeowner, removing this blanket is no cozy chore.

Snow Blowers

Everyone knows about snow shovels, of course, but an alternative worth considering if you live in a heavy snow area is a snow blower. There are three basic types, with differing uses and capacities.

Single-stage snow blowers are good for most urban and suburban uses. They are lightweight and maneuverable; have a rubber edge auger that gets very close to the pavement; handle wet, heavy snow very well. However, they will not handle the hard, icy accumulation left behind at the end of your driveway by the snowplow, and are not suitable for gravel.

A two-stage snow blower is good for larger driveways or drifting snow. It has an auger that breaks up the snow and an impeller that throws it. Its skids adjust the height and therefore are good for gravel. Most are self-propelled.

If you have a lawn tractor, it may have a snow blower attachment. Check with the manufacturer.

Chemicals

Often, removing the snow is just the first step in the process of making your driveways and walkways snow and ice-free. Dealing with the ice left behind is the next challenge. Ice does not just freeze on the pavement, it freezes to the pavement. Breaking that bond, or keeping it from forming in the first place, is the task of chemical de-icers or anti-icers.

A de-icer/rock salt is a chemical agent that is spread on snow or ice. It does not melt all the snow; it seeps through to the surface of the pavement and melts the ice there, breaking the bond and making it easier to remove the snow.

An anti-icer is a chemical agent that is applied before the snowfall begins. It prevents the bonding, thereby facilitating the removal of snow down to the surface of the pavement.

There are many chemicals and chemical blends available to use as de-icers and rock salt icers. While the chemistry is simple, the choice of which to use is not. Many factors must be considered and much of the information is confusing or even conflicting.

If you apply the chemicals as precipitation begins, their effectiveness is increased and the amount needed is diminished.

New Technologies

If snow falls on a warm surface, it melts. Problem solved. So the question is, how do you warm the surface? There are three basic choices electric, hydronic and infrared.

Electric snow-melting systems use buried cables to heat surfaces such as sidewalks and driveways. They must be laid before concrete is poured and could require upgrading the electric service panel but can conform to any shape. Lower installation and maintenance costs may be offset by higher operating costs.

Electric heat-conducting rubber mats are a less expensive method and need no modification to melt snow. These easy- to-install rubber mats provide many years of use.

Hydronic systems use flexible pipes buried under concrete to circulate heated fluid that warms the surface. They too must be laid before concrete is poured. It is possible to tie them into your existing heating system so that higher installation and maintenance costs could be offset by lower operating costs.

Infrared systems use quartz lamps on poles targeted to warm up desired surfaces. These systems are good for spot applications or remote walkways and require little time for warm-up. They are more easily installed and good for retrofitting, but they consume more energy making them more expensive per square foot to operate when compared to the other systems.

Every winter people hurt themselves shoveling snow, ranging from minor aches and pulled muscles to fatal heart attacks.

What people often fail to realize is that shoveling is more than just a chore. It puts a lot of stress on the body in a short period of time.

Winter Weights

"People don't understand when you start shoveling snow, it's like picking up weights," says Denis Isrow, a North Dakota State University professor of health, physical education and recreation.

Therefore, if you are older or out of shape, there is much more of a chance of hurting yourself by shoveling. Even people who regularly exercise can find shoveling to be strenuous if they try to tackle the job quickly without taking breaks.

"One of the biggest problems we have is people saying 'I'm not going to quit until I get this done,'" Isrow says.

Some signs you should stop shoveling are shortness of breath, heavy sweating or any kind of pain.

"Anything that's not normal is a warning sign," he says.