Snowfall is just a normal part of nature, right? It’s inevitable and relatively easy to forecast when it will fall. It’s also common in the mid-Atlantic region, especially around Washington, DC, and Baltimore, to get a lot of snow at times so snow removal services are often essential for everyone – especially for businesses, government facilities, stores, restaurants, manufacturing companies and other organizations with large properties. Effective snow removal services require the use of experienced contractors, well-maintained equipment and also strong ice melt chemicals.
Surely trying to combat nature on your own without hiring a professional snow removal contractor is the way to go, right? After all, you can probably save money!
Professional Snow Removal Services Keep People Safe
The first reason on the list for having a professional snow removal service provider and detailed snow & ice management plan is for safety reasons. Nearly a quarter of all vehicle accidents related to the weather is due to the road being snowy, slushy, or icy. Without professional deicing and snow removal services, parking lots and roads will cause preventable accidents to happen. And you know what “preventable accidents” in the United States result in – Bad PR and lawsuits!
Snow and ice make it hard for tires to stick to the road and they reduce the friction between automobile tires and the pavement. Car and truck maneuverability is also reduced on slippery roads, which can lead to potential accidents when there aren’t professional snow & ice management services being completed in the mid-Atlantic region.
Wise property managers know they shouldn’t ignore light snow either, as those tend to cause drivers to believe that driving conditions are normal, especially when no weather advisories are given. Before light snow, professional snow contractors have the perfect opportunity to eliminate snow and slippery conditions quickly through some pre-treatment via liquid brine and then proper road salt after the snow has fallen. It’s a much quicker solution than handing an employee a snow shovel and bag of ice melt to clean up the snow themselves. They may miss spots or use too much or too little ice melt. We all know what happens when too little ice melt is used – slippery surfaces remain. But using too much ice melt is bad for surfaces (causing corrosion or cracks) and nearby vegetation, plants and grass (killing it). Professional snow contractors know which ice melt products to use and how much to use for the best possible results. They also have specific equipment for different situations, like box plows for heavy snow, snow relocation and melting equipment, and smaller skidsteers and brushes for sidewalk snow removal.
Without roads and sidewalks being clear, pedestrians and employees at government facilities or
government properties, government employees may slip and injure themselves simply
walking to the office and reducing government capabilities while the person is
recovering.
In addition, if there is no snow management services for Municipalities, then the municipal roads and
pathways will be affected. Even with the weather getting warmer, that simply means that the snow switches out to rain.
Even on warmer winter days, there’s a good chance that the temperatures will fall overnight and freeze on top of the snow layers that are already there. Sometimes the rain and sleet can form into black ice that will happen under extreme colder temperatures. Once black ice settles in, magnesium chloride or liquid brine options won’t handle the job anymore. Then you’ll need to look for a contractor that utilize stronger products like Calcium Chloride as well as Calcium Magnesium Acetate.
Snow Removal Protects Vehicles Too
All that snow build-up, without any type of deicer, will affect vehicles that are on the roads as well. Without professional snow & ice management services, cars and trucks circulate ice and pick up all sorts of dirt and debris afterward.
If there are only snow plows out there on the streets without the proper ice melt chemicals, then even though they may be pushing snow out of the way, they’re also helping to mix the snow with whatever was already on the ground. Snow and ice build up on the undercarriage of the car and can cause structural damage as well. While ice melt products can be corrosive, it’s still better for automobiles to keep the roads clear with the right amount and the right type of ice melt product.
The Danger in using Ice Melt Products
Let’s face it, ice melt products are not the best thing for our environment. Especially if they are over-used or the wrong product is used for conditions. However, NOT using ice melt is far more dangerous. The risk of slip and fall accidents and vehicle accidents is much worse and even life-threatening when roads and walkways are not professionally cleared of snow and ice.
However, it’s good to ask a snow and ice management company if there are any concerns about a specific product They can also explain the differences between products so you understand why one product is used over another. In the end, they’ll always tell you that these are just concentrated salts, similar to sodium chloride. While these products are not safe to consume, the effects on the environment are minimal when compared to the risk of not using them. Snow contractors may also explain the right amount of rock salt or road salt to use and what a holistic snow removal maintenance schedule should look like for the season.
It’s important to remember that there are different types of snow removal services for different situations. If you are located in the Mid-Atlantic area including places like Maryland, Virginia, Delaware or the greater Washington D.C. area, contact Rasevic for a quote to get started with a professional snow contractor that even the largest government facilities trust to do their snow removal.