Repair & Improve

Ready - Set- Snow!

by: Tom Kraeutler

Are you one the weather watchers betting that the next "El Nino" will send the snow storm "El Dumpo" to the north-east? Even if you're not - now is the time to get ready for snow. Just what will you need to dig out this winter? That depends on how ready you want to be.

SHOVEL SELECTION - Snow shovels today are light years ahead of the over-sized aluminum spatulas I grew up with. Now you can choose plastic or metal, big or small, and decide what kind of edge your shovel should have (butter knife or scalpel!). There are even shovels with a bent handle designed to make it easier on those of us with bad backs. They all do the job, let your own judgment guide you.

SHOVEL SAFETY - No matter how modern your shovel - shoveling is hard work! To be safe, keep these tips in mind:

• Shovel right after the storm. The longer you wait - the heavier snow gets. Wet snow can weigh 20 lbs per shovel-full, or more, and one wrong turn of the shovel can throw your back out for good.
• Pace yourself. If you haven’t been training for the next Ironman competition - take it easy! For most people, snow shoveling is an exhaustive aerobic activity you’re not used to. Work slowly and take plenty of breaks to keep your heart rate down.
• When shoveling, keep your knees bent and lift with your legs - not your back.
• Next, carry the snow to the place where you want to dump it. Throwing the snow can twist your back, putting you out of commission for days.

SIDEWALK SALT - Once the snow is shoveled, you need salt to melt ice that forms on walkways or steps. Choosing the right product is important. Traditional "rock salt" is extremely corrosive and can seriously harm concrete, leaving it pitted and worn. A better choice is to use "calcium chloride", a less corrosive product that melts through the ice, but doesn’t harm your sidewalk or your floors when it's dragged in to your house. Before winter sets in, pick up a bag of calcium chloride, mix in some sand and keep it in an old trash can or bucket near your front door. This way, it's easy to just reach in and sprinkle some whenever you need it.

BIG GUNS - What if you want to be really ready for "the big one"? Snow blowers are a large investment but there's nothing more beautiful then seeing one of these babies grind through a two foot pile of wet snow and send it 30 feet south faster then you can say 'old man winter'. Snow blowers run from $1,000 - $2,000. So, be sure you know what you're buying. Light duty "single phase" snow blowers can handle about a 6 inch snowfall. For more snow, you’ll need to bring in the heavy artillery. Two phase snow blowers are the most expensive but strong enough to cut through frozen snow that’s days old.

Remember the Boy Scout motto: always be prepared! Dust off your snow shovel, be the first on your block to buy sidewalk salt and then just sit back - relax - and let it snow!

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