Even when people absolutely love the snow, no one likes having to deal with it when it comes to safety. The best way to deal with snow and ice safely is to be prepared. Use these ideas as ways to keep safe when dealing with snow and ice this winter.
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The best way for dealing with snow and ice
How bad the winter is, how much snow and ice you get depends on where you live and the year. One year might be horrible with ice and the next year you might be almost nothing. It is best to get the supplies you need before the storms start because oftentimes people wait until the storm is coming and then the stores are sold out of what you need.
Shovels
When you have to remove the snow from pavements and driveways, the first thing you need is a shovel. But not all shovels are for every snow. There are different types of shovels. There are the traditional snow shovel, pushers, scoops, rakes and scrapers.
Pusher – When you have light airy snow you want to use a pusher. This is exactly what it sounds like and it pushes the snow out of the way. This saves your arms and back from doing a lot of the heavy lifting. This is also great for people who have bad backs.
Snow Shovel – If the snow is too deep or heavy to use a pusher, you will want to use a shovel. This is more of a scoop and lift way of removing the snow. It is the traditional way people think about when they are removing snow.
Roof Rake – A roof rake is used to remove the heavy snows that are on top of the roof. You want to remove this snow as soon as you can safely do so in order to prevent structural damage. Many roof rakes have an extension so that you do not need to use a ladder.
Scraper – A scraper is used when you have ice that you can not get off the driveway or pavements. Much like an ice scraper, you would use to remove the ice from your car, you are using scraping the ice out of your way. This is great to have in your car because it can be helpful if you get stuck. It can help remove the ice that is causing the tires to lose traction.
Of course, some people have snow throwers and ploughs to remove snow as well. These are great if you have the budget and the other equipment needed to use them.
Dealing with Snow
It is important that you are using techniques that will help you from getting injured. Do not try to lift extremely heavy amounts of snow. It is better to do slow and steady than to rush and try to lift too much.
Make sure you are staying warm and hydrated.
Also, do not push yourself. Shovelling is not an everyday task and it can take a toll on your body. It is easy to injure yourself by stooping and lifting in ways that your body is not used to. You can also push yourself too hard and have a heart attack or give yourself a heart attack.
Dealing with Ice
When you have ice on the sidewalks and the driveways, you run the risk of getting injured in a fall. You want to make sure that the ice is dealt with.
One of the most common ways of dealing with ice is using salt. This is not table salt, but salt that is used specifically for ice. By sprinkling the ice with salt, the ice melts and prevents slipping.
Another option is using ash. This is an old way of dealing with ice but it still works. The ash doesn’t melt the ice but it does cause traction to help prevent slipping. This is a great way to recycle the ash from a fireplace.
The third way people often deal with ice is to use Calcium Chloride, and the brand name is ice melt. This was very popular but many people have stopped using it because it can be harmful to pets and wildlife that walk over it. It has been known to burn their feet.
Make your home and family safe this year and stay on top of the snow and ice.
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