Safe and Effective
Snow Clearing Tips
According to an Expert
How hard can it be to clear some snow? Most of us have been shoveling out driveways and sidewalks and clearing off stoops since we were kids, and we never had much trouble, right? Granted, the walkways were nearly impassable and the cars still half snowed over when we called it quits, but still.
And as it happens, snow clearing-related injuries are much more common in older adults than they are for young people. According to USA Today, about 11,500 people end up in the ER each year as a result of a snow-clearing accident, with soft-tissue injuries accounting for 55% of the cases and lower back injuries for 34.3%. (There are also a lot of snow shoveling-related heart attacks each year, so know your limits and stay safe.)
We take it for granted that you want a driveway, walkway, sidewalk, and front stoop that’s safely and effectively cleared of snow and we also assume you don’t want to get hurt in the process. To help you achieve both of those admirable goals, we talked to an expert in the area of proper snow removal, Teresa Stallard, who is the Category Manager for Walk-Behind Products at Troy-Bilt, a company that knows a thing or 10 about moving snow. (And tilling soil and mowing lawns and more.)
Why is proper and thorough snow clearing important in the first place?
“Proper snow clearing is important to help keep an area safe. Clearing away snow in a prompt and proper manner helps to prevent slippery and unsafe conditions. Proper snow removal can also help prepare your lawn for spring and summer.”
What are the best steps someone can take to prep their property before predicted snowfall?
“Marking the driveway is one of the simplest and most critical protective winter tasks. Staking boundaries where the driveway or paths meet the lawn or garden bed ensures proper, effective and safe snow removal. Prepping the driveway and pathways with salt pre-snowfall is a critical element of ice prevention because salt melts snow and ice by lowering water’s freezing point. It’s also important to ensure your snow blower has fresh gas and oil prior to a predicted snowfall. This will ensure the unit starts and is ready for use when needed.”
Which parts of a property require the most attentive and complete snow clearing? Is there an ideal order of which areas are cleared first?
“The order in which snow is cleared is property-specific. However, starting near the house and clearing walkways, garage doors and entryways while working away from your home helps keep snow buildup away from entries. The end of your driveway will typically have icy buildup from the plows that will be difficult to snow blow through. This area may need a two-step approach: removing the accumulation and then removing the plow pile.”
How does the approach to snow removal vary based on location, meaning a suburban home, a city property, a rural residence, a place of business, and so on?
“The snow removal approach is mostly based on where the snow can be thrown, how large the area is, and how many twists and turns there are. For tight areas that need creative snow placement, having a snow blower with chute controls – such as overhead crank and remote pitch control – is very helpful. This alleviates the need for the user to stop each time the chute needs to be turned. Most Troy-Bilt® two-stage units, such as the Storm™ 2600, have an overhead crank and remote pitch, while larger Troy-Bilt two-stage units, such as the Arctic Storm™ 3010 XP™, have a 4-way electric chute control right at your fingertips.”
Of course a good shovel works for smaller areas, but beyond the basics and the units you mentioned already, what are some of the best tools for use in snow clearing?
“Having the appropriate snow blower based on your property is important. The options include single-stage snow blowers such as the Squall™ 123R or Squall™ 179E, two-stage models like the Storm™ 2420, and three-stage models such as the Vortex™ 2610 for areas that receive large accumulations. And then snow shovels can also get into the very narrow areas that are smaller than the width of the snow blower.”
What are some common snow clearing-related injuries, and how can people avoid them?
“Using a snow blower as intended, and using only tested and manufacturer-approved aftermarket products are extremely important measures to follow. Ensuring the snow is not being blown at people, animals, vehicles, etc. is also important, as the snow blower can pick up and throw small pieces of gravel and such causing injury. Wearing proper attire and footwear is also important, as snowy areas tend to be slippery. Even with the right preventive measures, snow and ice create dangerous outdoor conditions, and clearing it the wrong way can create strain on the back or legs.”
Snow comes in different forms: are there different approaches to clearing wetter, heavier snow vs. icier snow vs. lighter, fluffier stuff?
“Preventing ice is important prior to snowfalls, but there are different options for clearing snow based on the type. For lighter snow, bringing out the leaf blower is a great way to clear it from steps, sidewalks and even the top of the car.”
What are common mistakes people make when dealing with the snow on their property?
“Using the appropriate type of salt is important when trying to prevent ice. While rock salt is the simplest way to prevent ice, salts that contain sodium chloride can damage the lawn and tend to be the most commonly available. Alternatives with calcium magnesium acetate or magnesium chloride may be less damaging. Tossing snow onto an area that still needs to be cleared is also a common mistake. That just creates more work for the user and typically creates heavier snow, which is harder to get through. To avoid this, be sure to shovel or throw the snow out of your clearing path.”
images c/o Troy-Bilt