Removing Snow and Ice

Oh yes, a fresh blanket of snow and how beautiful it looks, that is, from inside your home! If you’re like most people the removal of snow and ice can be a dreaded chore. However, it's a chore that must be done. Here are some tips on equipment and chemicals to help you complete the job.

Snow Blowers are worth considering especially when you live in a heavy snow area. There are three types to choose from. They are, single-stage, two-stage and a lawn tractor. Most common are the single-stage blowers since they are good for most urban and suburban areas. They are lightweight and handle great. They also handle wet and heavy snow. A two-stage snow blower is good for larger driveways or drifting snow. It breaks up the sow with it’s auger and the impeller

throws it. This type also has adjustable skids for height differentials which is great for gravel driveways. If you have a lawn tractor check with the manufacturer since it may have a snow blower attachment that is available.

CHEMICALS: Often removal of the snow is the first step. Suddenly you realize there is a blanket of ice that is now frozen on the pavement. If it freezes to the pavement, you must break that bond of ice to the pavement or keep it from forming in the first place. Chemical de-icers and anti-icers take care of this task.

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

An anti-icer can be used before the snowfall begins. This prevents the bonding and helps removal of the snow from the pavement. There are many chemicals and chemical blends available to use as de-icer and anti-icers. Chemistry on these are simple but the choice is more complex. You should consider the possibility of indirect damage to your driveway and environmental concerns.

For many years, the most common de-icer choice was rock salt. The indirect damage and environmental concerns were offset by it’s cost-effectiveness. Today, more environmentally friendly and considerably more effective chemicals are available. Remember, any de-icing chemical has the potential to harm the environment if misused. Some will chemically attack concrete. Over application of any, can damage vegetation. Even the products that claim being made from fertilizing ingredients can cause damage. Check with your local hardware store for what is best for your driveway.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES:

Snow falling on a warm surface, melts! All your problems are solved. So you ask, how do you warm the surface? Good question. There arethree basic choices. Electric, hydronic, and infrared. Here is a brief summary of each.

Buried cables are used for electric snow-melting systems and must be laid before concrete is poured. This may require you upgrading your electric service panel but does conform to any shape.

Electric heat-conduction rubber mats are less expensive. They don’t require modification to melt the snow and are easy to install. They 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 however, possible to tie them into your existing heating system so that higher installation and maintenance costs could be offset by lower operations costs.

Infrared systems use quartz lamps on poles targeted to warm up the desired surface. This system is good for spot applications or remote walkways. They require little time to warm-up and are easily installed. They do, however, consume more energy and are more expensive to operate than the above.

Thomas J. Monaghan
Ridge Line Home Inspection LLC
414-530-7773