Tips for Dealing with Ice and Snow

While Jack Frost may have dusted us with some flurries before this, December is when the snow really starts to stick. As picturesque as frosted windowpanes can be on holiday cards, they’re anything but when you’re running late for work and can’t see through your windshield. Whether this is your first winter with snow, or your fiftieth, we have some tips to help make it a little easier!

I Can See Clearly Now, the Ice is Gone

Whether you’re trying to ship the kids off to school or get yourself to work, the last thing you want is to step outside and find your car buried under snow or the windows frosted with ice. Luckily, a little prep ahead of time can save you significant hassle when the minutes count. If you know snow or ice are imminent, cover your car (and porch steps and walkways) with a canvas drop cloth or plastic sheeting the night before. It will serve as a barrier from the elements that is easily removable when it’s time to hit the road. Simply pull it off your car, shake the snow into the yard, and head out on your way! Rubbing table salt in a sock on all the windows the night before can also prevent hard frost, though use this trick sparingly to prevent damaging your windows. For large areas or long term use, grab a bag of salt specifically designed for snow removal.

Didn’t plan ahead and your windows are iced over? Spray rubbing alcohol on the windows and dry it with an old towel. It gets rid of ice, prevents fogging, and is streak-free. Out of rubbing alcohol? Any clear alcohol (vodka, gin, rum) will also work. Lukewarm water is also great for clearing ice from car windows, door locks, steps or walkways. If you’re in a hurry, avoid the temptation to use hot water to speed up the process. The temperature difference can crack windows, warp metal or even eventually crack concrete.

On the Right Path

It’s impossible to protect your car from snow if you can’t get to your car. Clearing snow from walkways and driveways is equally as critical as clearing off the car. If it’s just a light dusting, use a leaf blower to quickly get that snow off your steps, walkways, driveways and cars. A wet/dry vac set on “exhaust” mode can also blow away light flurries, or (in its normal mode) suck up some heavier, wetter snow – to an extent. Eventually, no matter how much we all wish to avoid it, you will have to dig out that shovel and make with the manual labor. Be sure you have the right shovel for the job, and invest in a good one. Look for a medium-sized plastic or aluminum blade with a non-stick finish. Larger shovels may seem like the logical approach, but the volume of snow they scoop can quickly become very heavy, leading to back and arm stiffness later. S-shaped shovels are good for heavy snow removal, whereas C-shaped shovels are better for pushing and removing light, fluffy snow.

Also make sure to put tall stakes around the driveway, walkways, and sidewalk. These can be simple wood stakes or pretty lights and everything in between. The important part is making sure, no matter what they look like, they stand above the snow piles to identify the edges of these paths. You might know exactly where your driveway ends, but the snow plow company definitely won’t. The stakes will let them know where to shovel, plow, and melt the snow.

Putting off shoveling will also lead to more work in the long run. Shovel early and often to prevent the snow from having time to stick to the driveway, walkways and sidewalks. Sticky snow brings ice – the silent, slippery culprit of many winter injuries. Make every effort to prevent it.

Ice Ice Baby

When the ice undoubtedly arrives, use salt, sand or kitty litter to keep it at bay. Rock salt is the cheapest and most readily available kind of salt for this, but use it in moderation. Excessive rock salt use can eat away at concrete, which means expensive driveway repair later. Prevent other costly repairs by keeping snow away from the foundation of your home. Not only can snow cause a foundation to crack, but it can also freeze your pipes (bringing all the headaches and cost associated with that system failure).

Snow is a part of living in our beautiful state. Why not find ways to make it easier to live with? Whether your building snowmen in the front yard of your Traditions home or sipping a cup of cocoa by the fire in your Rustler townhouse, take pride in knowing your home is designed with the highest quality materials and forward-thinking designs to make the winter’s chill feel like a spring breeze. From all of us at GCD, have a safe winter and happy holidays!