The latest weather reports might have you a little worried about how you are going to deal with all that snow as a homeowner. Unless you’ve decided you’re done with living in areas that seem to get hit by a snowmageddon every year or have lots of kids to pass the dreaded task off to, you are going to have to do some shoveling. Peak Construction shares three helpful tips on how to make snow shoveling go a little easier this winter.
- A recent trend that some people are using to keep their windshield clear of snow could also be adopted as a shoveling shortcut. There are products made out of a material that is laid over the windshield that only need to be removed to remove the ice and snow for an instantly clear windshield. The same can be achieved with your walkways. Put down a tarp before it snows, weigh it down with bricks or something equally heavy, and mark it to prevent pedestrians from tripping over it. Remember that this snow may be pretty heavy, so take care when moving the snow filled tarp out of your walkway. You can use twine to attach it to an upright shovel in your yard to make it a little easier to pull it as you will be adding a handle.
- Use cooking oil to help the snow slide right off of your shovel is another quick little shoveling hack. Spray on a little non-stick cooking oil, and voila, the snow will slide off much easier. Other lubricants like WD-40 could be used, but then toxicity would need to be considered, especially if you have pets or children that enjoy playing (and possibly eating) that recently moved snow pile.
- Mix up a batch of de-icer that can remove that annoying ice that dares you to try to move it easily. Most commercial “salts” that are used to clear ice from your walkway and driveway can be bad for the environment, your concrete, and your pets’ feet. A vinegar concoction can help with de-icing before the storm. You will want one part water to 3 parts vinegar for this to be effective. After the storm, use a rubbing alcohol concoction to keep things from icing up. This should be 1 part water to 2 parts rubbing alcohol. These concoctions are also a great bargain since vinegar and rubbing alcohol are relatively cheap in comparison to those commercial products.
The snow will never see you coming, and you’ll be happy you tried all these amazing tips to shorten your shoveling duties. Until next time, stay warm!
