We just got finished with a big snow weekend. Questions always occur with a big snow event like this past one that happens over a few days with several inches of accumulation. The weather service originally predicted 1 – 3 inches; however the Carol Stream area got approximately 8 – 10 inches, plus some drifting.
Going into Christmas, the event looked like it was going to be more of a rain event, with some flooding, than a snow event. As we all know, it changed on Friday night to all snow and continued to snow all day on Saturday. So, the first question is when should your snow plow provider be at your facility to plow it? Conventional wisdom may suggest that the provider wait until after the event is finished and complete the plowing on Sunday. This is possible, especially for commercial accounts where business is not normally conducted on Saturday or Sunday; however it may not be the option for residences nor for businesses that are open on Saturdays and Sundays (i.e. restaurants, retail operations, banks…). Often when cars start driving on the unplowed surfaces the snow becomes compacted and unable to be scraped clean at a later time. Also the equipment has a harder time pushing and lifting the snow when the quantity of snow is higher. Depending on the site, and the restrictions of the property, plowing may have to be done several times just to be able to clear it later. Also, plowing of the “lanes” to open the site or like on our residential accounts, just quickly plowing the main drive may have to be done just to keep accessibility to your facility/residence.
On these several day events, after everything is plowed and the equipment is returned to the shop, a small dusting of snow may happen or some drifting may occur. On a zero tolerant account, this usually isn’t an issue, as a heavy salting would cure this. These types of accounts pay a premium for this level of service. Other clients may wonder or question why the service provider doesn’t just wait for 100% of the snow to fall and then start the plowing operations. The answer is simple, if the provider waited for all of the snow to fall, the time needed to complete a full plowing operation would interfere into the next day at your business or home. Another reason for not waiting is that it is common for temperatures to drop right after a snow fall and that could lead to freezing of the fallen snow and that would deter your provider from completely finishing the plowing. Finally, waiting in most cases, creates hardships for both clients and employees, as well as being hindering to your provider from giving the best service possible.
During these drawn out events, it is hard enough to predict what Mother Nature is about to do and often weather fronts can either stall or hasten or return with lake effect snow. The most important thing is to align yourself with a good, experienced snow plow contractor that has new modeled equipment and give or has thought out back up plans.
Always remember “Snow Happens” and often when no one wants it or at the most inconvenient times.
Tags: de-icing, Salt, Snow Plow, Snow Plowing, snow removal, winter services, winterize
