How do you remove snow and ice from a construction site in winter? on Nedvio
Living in your own country house has many advantages. At the same time, it is also a great responsibility. For example, in winter, unlike living in a condominium, the homeowner must perform additional site maintenance, in particular, timely removal of snow and ice.
Meanwhile, this issue is not as simple as it seems at first glance. It turns out that breaking ice with a crowbar in winter is not the best idea, because it can damage the surface of paths and lawns, and a shovel for snow removal should be used wisely and not scatter it anywhere. About how to properly clean snow and ice at the construction site in winter and what nuances should be taken into account, we will talk in this article.
Cleaning a construction site in winter. Why shouldn’t you throw snow on the lawn?
The most common mistake homeowners make when cleaning their yards in the winter is dumping snow on the lawn from paths and sidewalks. This seems like the simplest and easiest solution, but it will damage your lawn. Why?
First, the heavy, thick layer of snow can cause frozen grass underneath to crumble and break. Secondly, by making huge piles of snow on your lawn, you are disrupting its natural microflora – your lawn will not be able to absorb air and micro nutrients in the right quantity, which will undoubtedly affect its quality in spring.
A thick layer of snow is especially dangerous for the lawn during spring thaws, as a dangerous disease – snow mold – can develop on it under a thick blanket of snow. Treating the lawn from it will be very long and difficult.
What to do in this case? Do not throw snow on the lawn at all? Not at all. You just need to spread it evenly over the lawn, in a low, light and loose layer.
Even your lawn would benefit from such a solution, as a snow cushion will create a natural, natural protection for your lawn from hard frosts. And you can leave this cushion on your lawn until mid/late February, and then remove the thick layer of frozen snow for more effective aeration of your lawn.
Also remember that frozen grass can be damaged very easily in winter. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not walk or stroll on your lawn (whether it is covered in snow or ice) during the cold season. It is best to keep snow collected from your driveway away from your lawn, especially if you are going to use road salt to remove ice.
How do you remove snow and ice from suburban driveways, parking lots and sidewalks?
Okay, we’re done with the lawn. But how to properly clear snow and ice from paths, sidewalks and parking lots on the property?
First, the nature of the substrate (concrete, tile, clinker pavers, etc.) should be considered. Second, snow is best shoveled to site corners and fences. Third, the right tools should be used.
The main tool is, of course, the snow shovel. It can be square or rectangular, plastic or steel with a wooden handle or plastic – here the decision can be arbitrary, the main thing is that it is convenient for you.
In addition, many homeowners prefer electric and gasoline-powered snow blowers for clearing snow on the property. These are powerful and effective devices, but they do a great job (if you need to quickly clear a place from a large amount of loose snow, such as the consequences of a snowstorm), but they are almost useless if you need a quality and effective cleaning of the sidewalk of wet snow. Therefore, shovels are useful here in any case.
How to get rid of ice?
The most difficult thing is, of course, to cope with ice. Neither shovels nor snowplows can cope with snow that is already frozen. Many homeowners use a variety of heavy and sharp tools to remove ice from the site, such as: b.:
- Scrap;
- Pickaxes;
- Hämmer;
- And even a canopy.
Keep in mind, however, that such tools should be used with caution and only in extreme cases. After all, combined with brute force can easily damage paving stones, tiles and even asphalt. For reliable removal of frozen snow or ice stencils from the paths on the territory, experts recommend using special tools with plastic or rubber tips.
You can find them in stores and specialized garden stores.
Auditory methods of cleaning snow and ice
There are other proven methods to get rid of ice in the summer house in the best way.
Sprinkle the building site with sand
Traditionally, an effective way to deal with ice on the property is sand. In addition, scattering is absolutely safe for health and sidewalks with sand for health and does not harm its surface.
However, the disadvantage of this method is that you need to do it very often, as the sand is quickly blown away by the wind or abraded by shoes and car tires.
Breaking up the site with pebbles
Another popular tool for treating ICE is to sprinkle it on top with micro-cobble, small pebbles or garnet. They are heavier and more expensive than sand, but have a sharp structure.
As a rule, they are sprinkled on driveways / entrances to the site, the place for parking the car, as such materials provide the best accountability of the tires on the ice. In addition, granite crumb is not blown by the wind and is a reusable material – after the winter it can be transferred to a bag or container and used the next season.
Sprinkle salt over the area
In order to prevent ice and slippery surfaces on the site, you can also purchase technical salt and scatter it in the right place. The salt will melt the ice in a few hours, as if it had never been there.
Modern technical salt for streets and sidewalks has a very effective composition and is harmless to shoes, animals and the environment. They are sold in convenient 25 and 50 kg bags and in loose form. Thanks to this you can stock up on salt right before the winter season and lower prices.
Keep in mind, however, that it’s best to avoid using table salt and other chemicals to thaw ice in place. Because many of them are harmful to plants in the garden, they can sometimes cause discoloration and stains on the surface of paving tiles or pavers.
How can snow and ice damage shrubs on a property?
Snow and ice are also a danger to the plants in our garden. Large amounts of snow lying on branches can deform or even break the crowns of trees and shrubs. In addition, plants can topple over under the weight of snow drifts, especially in the case of conifers and shrubs with small stems.
To prevent snow damage to plants on your property, you should shake them off regularly. If you notice snow-damaged shrubs or trees on the site (if the branches are heavily bent to the floor), you should tie the damaged branches tightly with rope after shaking off the snow. This way there is a chance that the system will recover.
If a plant branch has already broken off, it should be cut off as quickly as possible so as not to tear the tree further and cut the bark off at an early source or cut the stump from the branch on the left. Then you need to use a product that accelerates healing (e.g., Oarrow, Paint Balm, Eco Balm, etc.).
Heavy frosts, which often occur in late January and February (sometimes in early March), pose a serious threat to some tree species (especially those with smooth bark).
On sunny, frosty days, keep a close eye on shrubs and trees. On such days, trees warm up quickly from the south and southwest and cool down quickly after the sun goes down. This rapid change in temperature leads to cracked bark and wounds on the plant through which viruses, bacteria and fungi can enter, causing wood diseases.
For example, fruit and ornamental trees are susceptible to bark damage:
- Beech;
- hornbeam;
- Chestnut;
- Plum;
- And ornamental cherry trees.
In order to avoid damage to the bark, limbs and branches of fruit trees, you should whitewash them in advance with a solution of kalinga. It is recommended to wrap the trunks of young ornamental trees with straw or cardboard.
In spring, ivy can be planted around the trees for this purpose. The evergreen leaves will eventually hide the course of the system, and next year you will not need additional protection from the sun.
If a frost crack has already formed on the tree, it should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent infestation. In the pen, when the tree has warmed up sufficiently, the crack will close on its own due to tissue healing.
Big cracks in wood in winter are not hard to spot, but you can’t say the same thing about micro-cracks and hidden holes. Use another method: If you notice bark peeling in a certain part of the tree trunk, you can easily knock on this spot (if the noise is deafening, then there is damage). In this case, you can tap the protruding bark on the trunk with small stainless steel nails, and apply a special protective compound on top.
Don’t forget to add the NEMO site to your bookmarks. We tell you about construction, renovation, suburban real estate in interesting, useful and easy to understand language.
Tips on how to clear snow quickly and efficiently
You can remove snow from the area by hand or use specialized devices. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages and disadvantages of manual snow removal
You can use a shovel, broom and squeegee to remove snow on the property, clear paths and parking spaces. Shovels made of plywood, plastic, steel or aluminum are available for snow removal.
The lightest shovels are plastic, aluminum, and plywood.
Plastic shovels are not suitable for shoveling this scoop of cherry, dense snow. Aluminum is a soft metal and loses its shape quickly during operation. Plywood absorbs moisture well, when it is cleaned with wet snow, it becomes hard and can break.
If an ice crust has formed on a construction site, it must be cleared with strong and durable materials: scrapers, ice axes, and iron shovels.
Snow removal equipment does not require a large financial investment. Snow removal on the site can be equated to physical exercise in the fresh air, with the opportunity to lose extra weight.
However, if there is a lot of snow and little time and energy, manual shoveling is not the best option to solve the problem.
Methods of manual snow removal
Shovel
A lengthy method of shoveling an area. Suitable for sedentary and active people who prefer active sports.
Shovels are available in stores in a wide range of sizes made of different materials. Some shovels have an edge with a metal strip for scratching ice.
With a shovel, you can quickly remove snow from the porch, paths and a small surrounding area. Move it to flowerbeds or beds in the greenhouse.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is used to treat the metal edge of the shovel. Once applied, the snow is not shovelable, which speeds up the process of clearing the area.
Salt
Ice, ice and snow on walkways and porches can be removed with table salt. I think this remedy can be found in sufficient quantities in every home. Its effectiveness has been tested over the years, but there is a drawback. It is harmful to the soles of the feet.
Salt can be replaced with sand, but then a lot of dirt is brought into the house.
scraper
This hand tool requires stamina when used. It cleans the area well from snow and ice.
Scrapers come in different sizes. The smallest one is used only for clearing ice. An important area can be cleared far enough if several shovels are used at the same time. The work does not require a lot of physical effort, even a schoolboy can cope with it.
Metal shovels are used to remove ice and ice that can easily get into a snow dwelling. They have a longer lifespan than plastic shovels, but they weigh a lot and cost more.
scraper
Shovels and scrapers do a good job of clearing snow. They are similar to a shovel, but have pages and arc-shaped handles.
Gather the snow clip with the scraper and move along the spot in the desired direction, i.e., H. The snow is removed when pressed, making a big job easier. When cleaning wet snow, it also moves slightly, which avoids a lot of stress in the back. At the same time, the quality of cleaning does not suffer.
Due to the massiveness of the tool, it is impossible to clean narrow roofs and paths.
Rope, plan and salt
The use of the method is possible before snowfall in areas that should be free of snow and where there are no plantings. Large amounts of salt cause the soil to lose its fertility.
Using salt, rope and planning will help ease the area after the snowfall without too much effort. To do this:
- A surface on site is sprinkled with salt or other reagent.
- A line of prepared ropes;
- A tarp is placed on the ropes.
The sprinkled salt or reagent will keep the ropes and tarp from freezing to the ground. When the snowfall is over, they take the tarp from one side and pull and turn the snow over. The yard is cleared so quickly and easily.
grandfather’s method.
For cleaning in this way, prepare:
- basins of metal;
- rope;
- Brick.
From the prepared things we construct a sledge: a rope is tied to a metal basin, in which stones are placed to maintain the stability of the structure. Self-made sleds are moved around the site, they crush the snow and scatter it with their sides. The remaining snow is swept away with a broom.
This method is suitable for cleaning fresh, light, freshly fallen snow. Instead of bricks, you can sit and roll children, combining business and pleasure.
Do I need to shovel snow from my summer cottage?
If there is little snow, it is not necessary to remove it. As spring arrives, it melts, providing the soil with the necessary moisture.
If there is more snow than usual, and your property is on level ground or on clay soil, it is better to remove the excess snow.
In the spring, during heavy snowmelt, you need to shovel away the thick snow drifts that have formed from the snow collected from the site. Such drifts take a long time to melt, spoiling soil performance and delaying the gardening schedule.
Mechanized snow removal.
Large areas require special devices that automatically rake the snow and toss it aside for quick cleanup.
Snowblower
Expensive, but indispensable helper for cleaning the area near a private house or cottage. With its help, you can easily and quickly clear the yard of snow and ice.
Using a snow blower saves time and does not require unnecessary physical exertion. Most often, models with manual control are available. Cleaning is done by pushing the machine in front of you and clearing one lane at a time.
The working principle is to shred and throw the snow in a certain direction. In the settings, you set the low speed and the highest speed, and the snow rolls off as much as possible and it does not have to be removed twice.
When operating a snow blower, you need to consider the wind direction. In windy conditions, they move parallel to gusts of wind and swirl in their absence.
snow blower
Snow blowers collect snow, shred it, and throw it in the right direction.
An important factor in choosing a machine is the characteristics and size of the area:
- when the area u200bu200b not more than 100 m 2 choose non-self-propelled electric models. They are used for cleaning parking lots and paths from fresh snowfall;
- For areas over 100 m2 are purchased gasoline snow blowers with a wide handle. They can easily cope with non-uniform drifts;
- Complex areas with sloping terrain, bumps and curbs are best removed by a crawler snow blower.
An important indicator is the manufacturer, which determines the quality and price of the device.
Motorcycles for universal use
You can use a universal crawler tractor with snow removal attachments to clean the area in the yard of a private home. Some models of compact tractors are equipped with a snow clearing function.
The most commonly produced models run on gasoline. This is the most mobile and economical option. Such a helper will find work both in summer and winter.
Sledgehammer for ATVs
Owners of ATVs can use it as a snowplow machine. To do this, you need to buy a snow bucket.
- The ATV has a high level of control over the road and is more maneuverable than walking tractors and snow plows.
- The snow shovel can be removed quickly and easily, allowing the ATV to be used again for recreational use.
There is a downside. Such a shovel has a high price; it can cost more than special snow shovels.
A shovel shovel on wheels
The design is a rectangular curved shovel mounted on a wheeled device. The structure is moved by pushing in front of a person.
This design is easy to operate, cleans the area of recently fallen and packed snow and does not strain the back.
To get a sturdy and lightweight scraper, use plastic or aluminum.
Snow-melting machine for melting snow
A special snow-melting machine melts snow into a liquid state when exposed to the snow. In consultation with your neighbors, you can purchase a snow melting system for several meters.
They run on electricity, are easy to use, and do not require snow removal during operation. Mini versions are used to get rid of icicles and ice on roofs.
