Property owners in Calgary, AB, face the very real threat of snow each year! Despite how gorgeous the white covering can look, the minuscule snowflakes can rapidly pile up on driveways, sidewalks, and outdoor living spaces, rendering these areas unusable! This means you have to remove snow often to clear the areas. Here are four tips to help you out! For one, you should clear the snow before foot traffic compacts it. You should also limit your use of ice melt and steer clear of harsh tools that can scratch any glazed concrete hardscapes. Lastly, you should find an area for your piles that can hold a lot of snow! Keep reading to learn more about these snow-clearing tips!

1. Clear the snow before it becomes compacted.

Snow over lawn in Aspen Woods, AB.

In Alberta, snowfall can last a few months and cover your property in a soft, white blanket! As appealing as it can look, the sight can quickly become dangerous if the snow isn't removed. As you walk back and forth on your lawn, the snow on your property can become compacted. Compacted snow from foot traffic can then turn into slippery ice, which makes for dangerous conditions. This is why it is so important to clear the snow before it becomes compact and dangerous.

2. Limit your use of ice melt.

Ice melt over road in Calgary, AB.

If given the option, most of us would obviously opt to not shovel snow! This is why you might use ice melt instead. Unfortunately, the chemicals in ice melt can be detrimental to the health of your lawn and hardscapes.

Ice melt can indeed help reduce compaction and ice, but the same salt-like components that create this effect can decrease your lawn's growth in the spring. The particles can infiltrate your lawn and diminish your turf's development after the season changes. The chemicals can also affect concrete by breaking it down.

3. Steer clear of harsh tools to avoid scratching hardscapes with a glazed concrete finish.

A glazed concrete finish can give any hardscape that final sprinkle of magic it needs. In the spring and summer, the finish adorns beautiful outdoor living spaces, driveways, and walkways. However, in the winter, shovels with metal edges and snow blowers can scratch and destroy it!

To protect your glazed concrete surfaces, opt to use other tools! This can save you the heartache of noticing scratches on your property after the snow melts.

4. Push snow into areas that can hold a lot of snow.

Snow piles placed in front of home in Signal Hill, AB.

Here in Alberta, we can see up to 100 to 150 cm of snow each year. As the snow continues to fall over time, it will start to pile up on your lawn and hardscapes. Most people will then opt to plow the snow to the sides to clear out driveways and sidewalks.

However, this can just create mountains of snow in inconvenient places! Instead, look for an area on your property that can hold a massive amount of snow and won't inconvenience you as the pile gets larger and larger. When the first few flurries of snow begin, start pushing it over to that spot.

In Calgary, not removing snow from bordering public sidewalks within 24 hours of snowfall ending can lead to a fine!

Call us today to sign up for our snow removal services!

Most people love the look of snow! However, there comes a point when the snow is too much to handle, and it's no longer enjoyable. Instead, it becomes a nuisance that you need to rid your driveway and sidewalks of to avoid fines and even injuries. At Prestige Outdoor Services, we can help you! We offer a stellar snow removal service in Calgary, AB! Call us today at (403) 250-8464 to schedule our snow removal services for both your residential and commercial property! It'll save you a headache this winter!