What To Do With All The Snow

Posted January 5, 2018

No matter where you are in the Great Garden State, or rather, the entire Eastern Seaboard, you definitely seen some of the white stuff this week. While some areas might have been more overwhelming than others, you’ll still need to clear it in some shape or form. Check out our latest article to see some of the rules of clearing snow, and some of the best/easiest ways to get it done.

First, let’s start with the rules. While many states have rules mandating that homes are responsible for clearing snow from their sidewalks, New Jersey is a little bit different, as each municipality may have their own ordinances. These can vary from place to place, so be sure to check in with your local government website or office for the specific ruling. However, it is a law in New Jersey to clear off your cars before you begin to drive, and you can actually be ticketed if you drive with snow still on it. In addition, if that snow flies off your car and hits a motorist behind you, you are liable for the damages. Clear off the car before you go for better visibility and an overall safer ride.

Now onto the nuts and bolts: how in the world do you get rid of the stuff without throwing out your back? Believe it or not, there are several easy ways to achieve this:

Work Smarter, Not Harder: One of the best ways to clear snow is to have a machine do the work for you, whether that be a plow or a snowblower. If using a snowblower, it is best to start in the middle of a path or driveway and work your way across. Don’t go overboard with it: only use it until you have enough room to get the cars out.

Take Breaks: Seems like a no-brainer, but working until exhaustion is a lot more common in the snow since it is a lot cooler out, and you may not feel yourself sweat as much. In ideal conditions, the golden rule should be an hour working, then a 15-minute break. However, if it is really cold or if there is a lot of snow, change it to a 30-minute working, 15 minute break routine. The more you space it out, the more effective you will be, alongside a lesser chance for injury.

Only Do the Minimum: If you need to resort to using a shovel, only do the bare minimum necessary. There is no real need to shovel off your entire lawn, so just to the big things: driveway, walkways, and sidewalks. Even then, if you can just shovel out enough to get one car through, you’ll be saving yourself precious energy.

When it comes to removing the snow, there is really only one thing we can say: just do it. If you swallow the frog now, you’ll be set.

Stay warm out there!