Snow and Ice Management: How To Get Rid of Snow and Ice Fast?

Ahh, winter is upon us at last! We can once again enjoy traditional joys like pumpkin spice everything, holiday celebrations with family and…snow and ice. Those last two may not exactly fit your definition of “wintertime joys”, but they’re certainly a part of the season.

Snow and ice management is a major part of maintaining your property in the winter. Thankfully, while it may not be your favorite seasonal activity, it doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult either.

Today let’s talk about snow and ice management and some tips to keep your property beautiful and safe, even in winter!

What is snow and ice management?

Snow and ice management is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: managing snow and ice! This can involve identifying snow and ice removal services for your business or personal ice management for your home. After all, slippery sidewalks and collapsing gutters don’t exactly fit into anyone’s idea of a winter wonderland!

Keeping ahead of the storm with your snow and ice management is critical, as failure can be both expensive and dangerous. In fact, freezing conditions typically cost Americans around $3 billion per incident according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

That’s a lot of money, and time, wasted. To avoid those costs, it’s a good idea to have a snow and ice management company lined up ahead of time. It’s also important to take some preventative steps to mitigate snow accumulation and prevent dangerous icy conditions on your property.

How can we prevent snow from becoming ice?

A big part of snow and ice management is prevention. The question is, how can you prevent snow from becoming ice in the first place?

Well, we can’t control the weather, but we can control our response to it. For example, try these simple tips to help prevent snowfall from turning into dangerous ice later:

Use your de-icing spray before temperatures dip below freezing. This will help prevent the accumulation of snow and ice.
Make sure you’re prepared by stocking up on salt before the snow falls. Preparedness is key to snow and ice management!
Be creative! You can use leaf blowers or even a shop vac to blow snow from your sidewalk or other slick surfaces. This will prevent ice from forming later.

How do you clear an icy path?

Even with the best preventive measures, icy paths are a regular part of winter conditions. When your snow/ice management plan calls for clearing a slick path, remember these helpful tips:

Use cooking spray to keep your shovel clean while clearing. Believe it or not, this simple life hack will help keep snow from sticking to your shovel while clearing. Who knew?
Gain traction with kitty litter. No, we mean it! The last thing you want to do is slip while clearing an icy path. By throwing some kitty litter down first you’ll add some traction to help you stay right side up! Don’t own a cat? Sand works just as well!
Remember what we said earlier about prevention? Now’s a great time to spread that ice melt you stocked up on before the storm hit. If you run low on traditional ice melt, dishwasher salt also works great to clear ice.

Can you be sued for clearing snow?

Of course, we’re not lawyers, but in general, clearing snow is a good practice in winter. Someone who clears snow from their property would seem more responsible and less likely to be liable for injuries.

With that said, snow hauling can be difficult for most folks just trying to do the right thing. And that’s where we come in! Exscape Designs can help you by providing snow removal solutions for any need.

9 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Ice and Snow

Snow and ice management can seem a bit intimidating this time of year. Here are nine easy tips for dealing with Jack Frost this winter:

Using Water to Remove Ice or Snow is not the Solution

Despite the temptation of quickly removing snow and ice with hot water, this is actually not a good idea. Applying hot or even warm water to icy car or office windows is a great way to crack the glass. That’s not something you want in the winter or any time!

Even cool water can cause damage in certain weather. Besides, all that water will simply form even more ice afterward!

Instead, try to prevent ice from forming on your windows in the first place, by covering windshields, for example. The quickest solution isn’t necessarily always the better one.

Try Using Snow Cutter

This handy tool has been around forever and is not only cheap, but easy to use! Use a snow cutter to remove looming icicles from overhangs and roofs. A snow cutter can also be used for scraping away snow and ice on your car’s windshield.

Open Your Sink Cabinets

Few things are as disruptive–or expensive–as burst water pipes! Keep your indoor pipes from freezing on cold nights by opening your sink cabinets to let in the room’s warmth. A simple fix for a big problem.

You Can Keep Your Car in the Garage

Now, this may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s good advice! Parking your car in the garage will prevent it from being covered by snow or ice overnight. That can save you a lot of trouble in the morning.

Add Weather Stripping to Windows

Weather stripping is a beautiful tool that can keep your home safe and warm this winter. It also has the benefit of keeping your heating bills down! By weather stripping your windows ahead of time, you’ll prevent cold air from sneaking in and also prevent ice from gathering. How about that for a win-win situation?

Shovel Snow Frequently

The longer you wait to get out there, the more snow will pile up! Keep your snow removal quick and easy by shoveling early and shoveling often. By shoveling frequently and when needed, you’ll avoid being over-exhausted by deep snow.

Sprinkle Salt Before Snow Accumulates

Remember the old adage about “an ounce of prevention”? Well, add to that an ounce of salt! By laying down ice melt before the snow falls, you’ll help keep your walkways clear.

Why work harder later when you can work smarter now?

Clear Your Gutters

Now here is some advice that’s good all year long: clear your gutters! Clearing gutters helps by allowing them to function properly in the first place, but also as a preventative measure.

When gutters are clogged with debris, they aren’t able to drain properly. This can cause water to build up in the gutters rather than flowing away. Once winter comes and the temperatures begin dropping, guess what happens to all that water?

Yep, it freezes. And once it does, the weight of all that ice can cause gutters to warp or break. It can also contribute to the formation of dangerous icicles.

That’s why we recommend clearing your gutters regularly. If there is only one thing you take away from this list, it should be this: be prepared!

Utilize Your Dehumidifier

For ice to form naturally, there has to be moisture present. Most of us are aware of this. Some of you, however, may have forgotten about those places on your property that can get a little moist.

Think about the basement, crawlspace or even under some cabinets. In these areas of higher humidity, ice or frost can potentially form when the weather’s cold enough.

To avoid this, use a dehumidifier in these areas to reduce moisture. The dryer the area is kept, the less likely it is to form ice. Now there is an easy fix we can all remember!

Are you looking for the best in professional snow and ice management for your property?

You certainly should be. Winter is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. When it comes to serving your winter needs, you may be asking “who are the snow plow contractors near me?” Well, you’re looking at them!

At Exscape Designs, our mission is to help you realize your landscaping needs year-round. Even in the winter! Still unsure? Feel free to check out our portfolio.

We offer commercial lawn care, snow removal, or just about any residential landscaping solutions you may be looking for this season.