When you do this job long enough, you come across some real nuggets of misinformation. Sometimes, you even hear them multiple times from difference sources. In many cases, it's simply harmless, but in other cases, it can lead to serious problems, such as injuries and liability.

In this post, we are going to clear up some of the most common misconceptions about snow and ice removal.

Misconception: Since de-icers melts snow, I can just use them and not worry about shoveling.

Reality: Don't put away the shovel just yet. De-icers do some things very well. Rendering your shovel useless, however, is not one of them.

First, different de-icers only work in certain temperatures. So, depending upon what the mercury says, you might not even be able to get any kind of results with de-icer. Next, de-icer doesn't actually melt ice; it works in a way that makes the ice unstick from the pavement or cement. So, if the ice already has a pretty solid hold on the ground, it's already too late for de-icer to be effective, regardless of the temperature. De-icers can certainly be very helpful, but they serve a very distinct purpose. Replacing your snow shovel is not that purpose.

Misconception: If some de-icer is good, then even more de-icer is better.

Reality: Using an excess of de-icer just makes a slushy mess, which is just a different problem to address.

As already mentioned, if the ice in front of your house, store, restaurant, or whatever, has already clung to the pavement, de-icer is not going to be effective in freeing the ice from the pavement. Instead, it creates a slushy hazard on top of the ice below. So, now you have slush <i>and</i> ice.

It's best to use the de-icer before icy conditions start. If you have missed your window, you should shovel away all of that slush and do your best to keep your walks as clean as possible.

Misconception: And eco-friendly way to melt ice is with hot water.

Reality: This one is a pretty short-term solution. Is hot water better for the environment than chemical de-icers? Sure. Will it melt ice? Yes. But what, exactly, is ice again? That's right, it is the state of water below 32 degrees. So, while the water is hot, it can raise the temperature of the ice above 32 degrees and effectively "melt" the ice.

What happens when the temperature gets below 32 degrees again, though? That hot water and melted ice is just going to freeze again and leave you with more ice than when you started. So, if the temps are going to be above 32 for a while, this isn't a terrible option. But if the temperatures are going to be above 32 for a while, the ice is just going to melt by itself anyway.

Misconception: You should remove snow from parking lots at night, when they are empty.

Reality: Actually, the best time to remove snow is when it is coming down.

If the snow is falling at night when a parking lot is empty, then you have hit the jackpot. You should certainly be clearing the snow in that situation. Still, clearing snow from parking lots is best when the snow is falling. If you wait until night when the parking lot is empty, you are left with compacted snow that may have iced over by that time.

Further, if you are clearing snow during the day, you sometimes have the benefit of the sun to help melt some of the cleared areas so that they don't ice up.

As mentioned several times already, the best time do deal with the ice is before it starts. If that is at night, then great. Otherwise, getting your de-icer down in advance, no matter the time of day or night, is going to achieve the best results.

In Conclusion
In short, it seems that most misconceptions stem from trying to find shortcuts in snow and ice removal. Don't get us wrong, we are certainly fans of working smarter and not harder. Still, sometime shortcuts actually make things worse. In the end, effective snow and ice removal often requires some elbow grease to get the best results.

Of course, if you are looking for commercial snow removal services, we'd sure appreciate it if you would give E.P.M. LawnScape and Supply an opportunity. Simply contact us online or call us at (517) 990-0110 today!

When the snow really starts to fly and the plows start piling it up, the resultant snow piles can look pretty impressive. While snow is known for being soft and (dare we say) pretty, there can be some inherent hazards in snow piles. Far be it from us to put a damper on some of the fun you can have with these snow piles. Working with snow on the regular, though, has given us some knowledge we'd like to pass along to keep everyone as safe as possible this winter.

In this post, we are going to be covering three main hazards of snow piles so you can keep you and your family safe.

The Location of Snow Piles
When the snow is really coming down, the first priority for snow plowers and shovelers is to the get roads, walks, and parking lots clear as quickly as possible. While speed is certainly important and allows you to keep pace with a storm, where you put that snow is just as important.

You should keep snow piles away from the following locations:

fire hydrants

driveway aprons

stop signs

street corners

handicap accessible locations

It's also a good idea to keep snow piles away from the entrances and exits of both residential and commercial locations. In the event of an emergency, snow piles could make it difficult for emergency response personnel to safely do their jobs.

Children Playing on Snow Piles
We know. We know. Hey, we were kids ourselves, too. And while it seems like harmless fun, kids playing on snow piles can actually become very dangerous very quickly. That's because some snow piles that may seems nicely compacted and sturdy can still have soft spots or even air pockets that could collapse under your child, causing them to fall in. If even more snow tumbles down on top of your child, suffocation is a concern, as is hypothermia.

In addition, a very common location for snow piles is along driveway aprons or by the side of the road. If your children are making snow forts in these piles, it is nearly impossible for snowplow drivers to see them. This could result in the plowing adding more snow on top of the existing pile and covering your child, or even crashing into your child while plowing.

Melting and Refreezing
During the day, it is common for the sun to melt snow piles. As this happens, the resulting water starts to spread to the area around the snow pile. This could be driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, and the like. As the sun goes down and it gets colder, that melt can refreeze and lead to very slick and dangerous conditions.

If you have the option, snow piles should be set close to drains, preferably the higher side, so that runoff goes toward the drain and out of the way. Otherwise, deicer around snow piles is a good idea.

In Conclusion
While playing on snow piles can be a lot of fun, there should always be supervision present to ensure that, should something bad happen, help can be offered right away.

Of course, if you are looking for commercial snow removal services, we'd sure appreciate it if you would give E.P.M. LawnScape and Supply an opportunity. Simply contact us online or call us at (517) 990-0110 today!

We've dedicated several posts to different techniques and tools for removing snow. We've even done a whole post on knowing your deicers. One thing we haven't covered yet, however, is pre-wetted salt. Since we are in the thick of snow and ice removal season, you might want to know a little bit about pre-wetted salt.

In this post, we are going to talk about pre-wetted salt and its advantages versus regular rock salt.

What is Pre-wetted Salt?
Pre-wetted salt is actually much like its name implies. In short, it is just salt that is coated with a liquid chemical blend before it is applied to sidewalks, driveways, and any other icy areas. While the chemical blend comprises several different chemicals, the three that are doing the real heavy lifting are:

Liquid Calcium

Magnesium Chloride

Sodium Chloride

There are some real benefits to pre-wetted salt. First, it melts ice and snow on particularly slippery surfaces much better than traditional rock salt. That's because the pre-wetted nature of this salt allows it to cling to surfaces better and not bounce around like traditional rock salt. The implications for this are significant, because it allows you to target areas better and you don't have to worry about the salt being moved around by foot or vehicle traffic. This means you can actually use less pre-wetted salt than regular rock salt, because you need not worry about displacement. This is also helpful for minimizing damage to your landscaping come the spring thaw.

Another notable benefit of pre-wetted salt is that you can use it in just about any temperature without worrying about the level of moisture in the air. Because the salt is pre-wetted, it contains enough moisture to work in even the driest of conditions. This is ideal for when the temps get down to those bone-chilling levels.

Is Pre-wetted Salt Right For You?
Everyone's situation is unique, so there isn't really a blanket statement with regards to whether pre-wetted salt is right for you. There are a few factors to consider, such as:

how cold does it get where you live?

how long is your driveway and sidewalk?

how much foot or vehicle traffic do you get?

Pre-wetted salt is more expensive than traditional rock salt, so you might want to consider having both on hand and employing whichever one is sufficient to meet your needs at different times and locations. While the pre-wetted salt costs more, you could still end up saving money, because you generally have to use less of it to get the results you want. Also, as mentioned above, the ability to target areas with pre-wetted salt could help stem off problems with your landscaping that could cost your money in the spring.

Of course, if you are looking for commercial snow removal services, we'd sure appreciate it if you would give E.P.M. LawnScape and Supply an opportunity. Simply contact us online or call us at (517) 990-0110 today!