Grab your shovels, snowblowers, and salt. It’s time to look over your sidewalk and care for it this winter. Sidewalks like any flat surface gather all forms of ice, snow, and debris in the winter. In order to clear off this surface properly and make sure you spend the time on some winter sidewalk care, we have assembled some tips here for you to view!

Scrape carefully and sparingly

Concrete is a good durable surface that can stand up to a fair amount of abuse. However, it’s certainly not invincible or impervious to damage. As we scrape and shovel it of snow and ice, it’s important not to go overboard with pressure applied. Going too hard on the surface can crack and chip it, leading to chunks breaking off. Keep an eye on how much you’re doing, and if there’s enough surface to be seen fill in with salt rather than continue shoveling.

Snowblowers

Snowblowers are an excellent device to remove snow from your sidewalk. However, if the snow is hard-packed or coated in ice, it is likely that to simply go in with a snowblower will clog the system. This can even burn up the motor if done recklessly enough! When considering employing a snowblower, remember it works most effectively in layers across the whole surface rather than starting at the bottom. Snowblowers are great for removing powdery or loose fresh snow from a surface, but ice and hard-packed snow should be broken up and shoveled before employing a snowblower on it.

A pinch salt

Salt is a slower, but cleaner and less back-aching method of snow removal. However, just like preparing a meal, too much salt can be a problem even ruin the final product. Salt can cause cracks and breaks to form if too much is applied due to the excessive amounts of moisture being drawn out. When salting, keep it light and use it on ice and thin layers of snow.

For a consultation, more tips on winter home care, or to schedule a cleaning, contact PEAK power wash at 443-686-9274.