Natural And Effective Methods For Removing Snow From Driveways And Walkways Around The Home

Winter officially began on December 21st for those living in polar regions and temperate climates, bringing shorter days and stormy weather. With that weather comes snow, which after it accumulates, can create a formidable task. However, having a proper snow removal plan can provide peace of mind and help keep your property free of winter-related hazards all season long.

Understanding Snow

Dry snow is lighter than wet snow, making it less strenuous to remove. However, dry snow that is allowed to melt quickly turns into heavy, wet snow. That’s why homeowners should try to remove fresh snow as quickly as possible especially before it exceeds six inches. Severe weather that drops over a foot of snow may require homeowners to clear their driveways and walkways frequently to avoid excessive accumulations. 

Homeowners should also assess snow accumulations on their roofs. As snow melts, it flows into gutters. If the water freezes, it can create ice dams that can damage a roof, and the same process creates icicles that can drip onto driveways and steps as they thaw. When temperatures drop, ice forms, creating hazardous walking conditions. 

Using The Right Snow Shovel

Standard snow shovels have a straight aluminum handle with ribbing to prevent bending. Wide scoops allow for maximum coverage. The shovel you choose may be made of metal or plastic with an added strip for scraping compact snow or ice. These shovels are the mainstay of snow removal equipment; however, they lack some ergonomic features that can minimize the risk of physical injuries while shoveling snow.

Ergonomic Shovels

Shovels with bent or curved handles provide greater leverage, reducing the effort involved in lifting snow. Many ergonomic shovels use lightweight aluminum and have a smaller scoop. Limiting scoop capacity minimizes back injuries from lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow.

Recommended Snow Removal Shovel Features

When looking for a snow shovel, test the shovel before purchasing to ensure it is a comfortable size that does not strain your back. You should also look for shovels that have the following:

• Heavy-duty construction
• Lightweight frames
• Wide shovel blade
• Toughened edge for dislodging compact snow or ice
• A comfortable grip for pushing
• Curved handle for easier lifting

Pro tip: If snow sticks to the shovel blade, spray a little WD-40 or cooking spray to keep snow from accumulating on the edge of the blade.

Shoveling Snow

Shoveling snow may be a routine part of living in colder climates, but it can also be a health hazard, especially if not performed correctly. Improper snow shoveling causes 100 deaths per year and 11,500 injuries that require treatment in an emergency room.

Use the following tips to help ensure your safety.

• Warm up before snow shoveling just as you would before exercising. Shoveling stresses your cardiovascular system and strains your muscles and joints.
• Lift with your legs, keeping the scoop close to your body.
• Push the snow to a cleared location if possible to avoid excessive lifting.
• Keep your back straight rather than twisting from side to side.
• Take breaks and hydrate.
• Switch between your left and right hands to reduce the strain on one side.
• Carry your cell phone in case of an emergency.

If your home receives regular heavy snowfall and snow shoveling poses a possible health concern, consider investing in a snow blower to keep your walkways and driveways snow-free.

Choosing a Snow Blower

Snow blowers are an alternative to shoveling snow by hand. They are commonly divided into stages:

Single Stage

Most electric-powered snow blowers are single-stage or what you might think of as the lightest-duty models. They remove snow by spinning an auger along the ground, picking up the snow, and pushing it out of the discharge chute. They typically lack self-propulsion capabilities and are designed for paved driveways and walkways. Single-stage snow blowers work well in locations that receive less than six inches of snow at a time.

Two Stage

Two-stage blowers use the auger of the single-stage models but move the snow to the discharge chute using a fan. The auger blades may be serrated to help break up compacted snow, and most models are self-propelled. Because the auger blades do not touch the ground, they are better suited to gravel and uneven surfaces. Most two-stage blowers are gas-powered.

Operating a Snow Blower

Before using a snow blower, be sure to read the owner’s manual carefully and always use the following best practices:

• Keep the shields aligned.
• Point the discharge chute away from people, buildings, and vehicles.
• Watch and remove items from the snow blower’s path.
• Keep hands and feet away from moving parts.

Snow blowers, like lawnmowers, can pick up debris or other objects that act as projectiles, causing injury or property damage, so be careful when operating one and be aware of what you are pushing the blower over and of the people around you as you are working.

Snow Removal Options For Areas With Light/Moderate Snow

For areas with light to moderate snow, like many places across the country, there are several great options that can help you deal with pesky snow when it comes around. These options are also more pet friendly, environmentally friendly, and lawn friendly than your traditional hardcore deicer you may see stacked out front in bags at your local grocery store. Here is what we found.

Non-salt based deicers are an excellent alternative to shoveling or snow blowing, but you have to know which ones are best for you and your home. Yes, salt is a powerhouse when it comes to helping to melt snow and ice buildup, but did you know that there are alternatives that can be just as if not more effective than salt based ones? 

• Clay Based Cat Litter is excellent at discouraging ice buildup and gives fantastic traction for your boots and car tires when spread over your driveway.
• Beet Juice
  • Yes, beet juice can help to melt snow and ice and it is very pet friendly and grass friendly as well. Just be careful not to track it in the house as it can stain carpets.
  • To make it you can simply buy about a dozen beets or sugar beets and dice them and boil them for about 10 to 20 minutes or until softened. Then remove the beets from the water and set it aside. You can use it right away or keep it in a cool place like your garage. To store it, you can keep it in a bucket or you can up-cycle a few gallon milk jugs.
• Coffee Grounds
  • Yes, loveable coffee has yet another use besides helping to jolt us awake in the morning. Save your grounds (if you haven’t already been doing this for your compost) and then mix them in a five gallon bucket with a few handfuls of sand and sprinkle that mixture all over your driveway or walkway and you should see melting ice and snow rather quickly. 
  • The acid stored in the coffee grounds helps to melt the snow and the dark color of the grounds absorb just the right amount of heat from sunlight to tip the scales into the melting range of the surrounding ice and snow. It also smells great!
• White Vinegar And Water Solution
  • This is a little harsher on plants because the runoff can be a little acidic, but if your soil is already too much in the alkali side of things, this can actually be a good thing to help balance out your soil’s PH levels. 
  • Mix equal parts white vinegar and water (you can adjust as needed for stronger or weaker solutions) and then spray or pour your solution on the afflicted areas.

In Conclusion

By following best practices outlined for snow removal, homeowners can protect themselves from the hazards caused by uncleared driveways and walkways while also protecting the environment as well, and when we are able to do that, everybody wins. That’s definitely ok in our book. We hope that this guide has been helpful to you and we look forward to hearing about your own solutions to snow and ice removal so feel free to share below in the comments or shout it out on social media and tag us or contact us directly. Best of luck with snow removal this year!