If you live in the cold and snowy Mid-Atlantic region, you want to be sure you are prepared for the winter weather season that is fast approaching. Storms are not always predictable, which is why you need to have a professional snow removal company like Rasevic Companies on-hand to help keep your commercial business or municipality operating safely no matter the conditions. Read more to learn about the best practices of professional snow removal companies and 4 services that you absolutely need for your roads this winter.
4 Snow Removal Services
1. Anti-Icing with Liquid Brine
Before a storm even occurs, a professional crew may determine that your roads would best be protected with pretreatment of liquid brine. This anti-icing preventative measure will help block ice and snow from bonding to the road surface and make clean-up faster and more efficient. Liquid brine is a solution of water and either sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, or calcium chloride that has a lower freezing point than water. Liquid brine can only be applied before a winter storm in the right conditions, which is why it is important to consult with a professional snow removal company who will look at road conditions, wind speeds, and humidity percentage to determine if an anti-icing treatment will be effective. Anti-icing is a great way to reduce the cost of a snow removal plan, as this treatment makes plowing and shoveling efforts much faster.
2. Snow Removal Services: Plowing & Shoveling
Snow plowing is a much faster and more efficient way to clear snow from your roadways or parking lots. While almost any pavement can be shoveled by hand, the money saved is usually not worth the time and energy spent. A professional snow plowing company utilizes high-quality industrial plows and trucks to clear your snow more effectively. Additionally, sidewalks can be cleared with either basic shovels or handheld manual plows. This equipment allows professional snow removal crews to remove all snow from your property in less time. You don’t want to risk leaving a section of your property or town untreated, and hiring a professional snow removal service eliminates this risk.
3. Snow Relocation
If your commercial business or municipality doesn’t have a lot of empty space to house all the removed snow, snow relocation is a great way to get rid of unwanted snow without sacrificing aesthetic, safety, or space. A professional snow removal company will utilize dump trucks and other vehicles to transport your snow to a safer and more convenient location. The winter storm season can last for many months, and large piles of snow that accumulate can lead to health and safety hazards. The melting slush from these snow piles can refreeze in low temperatures and become slippery. Additionally, these snow piles can become dirty over time and turn away potential customers from your business due to their unsightly appearance. Snow piles can also take up valuable parking spots from your employees or customers, which could lead to frustration and less business. Snow relocation is a great way to avoid these unnecessary setbacks and keep your roads and pavement surfaces safe for both pedestrians and vehicles this winter season.
4. Ice Management
Another very important element of a comprehensive snow removal plan is ice management. While snow must be cleared, ice also needs to be controlled in order to prevent dangerous accidents. If you do not employ an anti-icing pretreatment, deicing will most likely be necessary. Deicing is the process of melting ice that has already formed and typically requires more time and product compared to anti-icing with liquid brine. The most popular and effective forms of ice management are Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride. While these products are similar, there are slight differences that should be considered when deciding which is best for your ice melt.
Calcium Chloride
Calcium Chloride is considered the strongest ice melt, and it is a hygroscopic salt that absorbs moisture from the air to lower the freezing point of water. One application of Calcium Chloride stays active on pavement surfaces for an extended period of time, allowing the product to continue preventing ice build-up. Calcium Chloride is available in both pellet and flake form, with Peladow being the best pellet product and Dowflake the best flake product. The round shape of pellets allows them to be a great product for large open areas, as the pellets can be moved around to cover surfaces after application. Calcium Chloride flakes have a hard, flat shape making them adhere to the surface upon application, allowing for a more precise application in smaller spaces. Both Calcium Chloride pellets and flakes are great ice melt products.
Magnesium Chloride
The other most popular ice melt, Magnesium Chloride, is similar to Calcium Chloride, in that it is also a hygroscopic salt that absorbs moisture from the air to lower the freezing temperature of water. Magnesium Chloride differs in that the product is less concentrated than Calcium Chloride, meaning more product is required to achieve the same ice melting effects. Magnesium Chloride is also available in both pellet and flake form, with both forms acting the same as those of Calcium Chloride. Magnesium Chloride’s lower chloride concentration makes it a more environmentally friendly deicer. This product is considered safer for humans, animals, and plant life. If your roadways and sidewalks experience frequent animal traffic, you may want to consider Magnesium Chloride, so as to protect your pets. A professional snow removal company such as Rasevic Companies will take all your needs into consideration in combination with the road and weather conditions to determine the best ice melt solution for your pavements.
The Best Professional Snow Removal Services from Rasevic Companies
If you are looking for a snow removal company that offers all 4 of these snow removal services, look no further than Rasevic Companies. Rasevic provides anti-icing treatments with liquid brine, snow plowing and shoveling, snow relocation, and ice management with Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride. Fill out the form below to get your free quote today and hire Rasevic Companies to keep your commercial business and municipality roadways safe this winter season!
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