Best Snow and Ice Removal Tips for Homeowners

All shovels are not created equally, especially if you want to know how to shovel snow fast. Rather than a heavy metal shovel, find one made with a lightweight plastic or aluminum blade coated with a nonstick surface, and resist the temptation to buy a shovel that’s too big.

There are other things you can do to save your back while shoveling snow fast, such as finding a shovel with an ergonomic S-shaped shaft or getting an ice shovel back-saver attachment to allow you to grab the shovel in a more ergonomically advantageous place.

No Shovel to Get Rid of Snow?

Need to get rid of snow now and don’t have a shovel? Here are some ideas for how to remove snow without a shovel:

• Lay down a plastic tarp before the snow arrives. When the snow stops, simply pull the tarp off your driveways and walkways. You can even throw a plastic tarp over your car.
• If you have under 3 inches of snow to get rid of, you can always use a trusty leaf blower to clear away snow quickly right after a snowfall. So don’t store away your fall leaf blower just yet, you may get some extra use out of it this winter as well. But remember, this will only work if the snow is light, not heavy.

These may not be nearly as effective as having a snow shovel or snowblower, but they’ll still help if you’re in a pinch.

Shovel Often

If you need snow shoveling tips, here’s the most valuable one: for the easiest snow removal, make sure you shovel often. The easiest time to remove the snow is right after it has fallen and hasn’t had an opportunity to harden and be packed down before a vehicle has driven on it. In addition, removing this top layer of snow will allow any liquid de-icer to work more effectively.

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Move Faster With A Snow Blower

As we mentioned above, a snow blower is a fantastic alternative to removing snow without a shovel. As a best practice, make sure you start in the middle of your driveway and throw the snow toward one edge of the driveway. Then make a u-turn and come back down the other way, continuing to alternate. For the best snow blowers on the market, visit Ninja Deicer here.

Remove Snow and Ice from Your Roof

In addition to dealing with driveway snow removal, it’s important to deal with the snow and ice on your roof as well. If not monitored and dealt with, snow and ice can create major issues, such as roof leaks and ice dams.

However, removing ice from your roof isn’t as easy as just stepping outside. So, how to remove snow from the roof? Constant monitoring and removing any icicles as they appear is a good place to start, and use a deicing agent if snow and ice start to accumulate. But that’s just a starting point. For more tips on how to remove snow from your roof, visit our blog post here.

Shovel Snow Away from the Foundation

You’ll also need to shovel snow away from the foundation of your home. You don’t want to have to deal with frozen pipes or cracks and leaks caused by the buildup of snow next to your home. During your regular snow removal, make sure to move any snow away from your home.

Choose the Right Ice Melt or De-Icing Agent

Most importantly, if you want to get rid of snow fast and effectively, you need to make sure you have the right ice melt or deicing agents ready to go when you need them. If you’re using rock salt or an alternative like calcium chloride, do so sparingly. Using more ice than what is recommended will only backfire on you – it will not speed up the melting process, and you’ll be possibly creating more issues than you originally started with. So make sure you pay attention to the usage recommendations for whichever ice melt you’re using.

If you decide to use any type of deicing agent, make sure you buy up enough supply before the big storm. You don’t want to be left with buckets of empty deicer when you really need it. And before applying anything, make sure you check the labels carefully for application instructions. Urea, for example, is promoted as a “lawn-friendly” de-icing option yet requires far greater application quantities than other de-icers, and the excess urea often ends up in streams or water supply.

You also want to make sure that whatever you’re using is effective. For example, while more expensive, calcium chloride requires far less application and works at lower temperatures. On the other hand, using an “environmentally friendly” option like kitty litter or sand will not actually melt the snow or ice at all, and they are only marginally effective at adding traction. Using a blend of salt and sand is a better option if you don’t want to use as much salt.

Ninja De-Icer Is Your Trusted Deicer Supplier

Removing snow and ice from your home is a serious job during the winter months, and in addition to understanding the right techniques for snow and ice removal, it’s absolutely critical that you have the right supplies.

Visit us at Ninja De-Icer for all your home ice and snow removal needs. We’ll help you stay stocked for the upcoming winter and beyond!