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Shovel a driveway

What is the fastest way to shovel a driveway? – FAQs

Snow shoveling is a tedious but unavoidable task for many homeowners. In colder areas, it is not advised to let even the lightest snowfall go without shoveling your driveway. Else, it may later melt and refreeze, making your task even harder. The ice that forms in this way is extremely slippery and a safety hazard. Though you can apply ice melt, these products are quite expensive.

If you don’t want to shovel the snow yourself don’t worry our trusty snowplow operator will clear your driveway! EDEN is just a Call away.

Let’s take a quick look at some at what is the fastest way to shovel a driveway, with FAQs.

How do I ensure safety, comfort and efficiency when shoveling snow?

As with any other yard maintenance work the first priority for shoveling snow is safety. This is followed closely by comfort and then efficiency. Try to follow the below-listed tips even before you step out of the house to shovel the snow:

  1. Stretch your muscles and do a little warm-up to avoid injuring yourself
  2. Dress in multiple layers of warm clothes
  3. Make sure to take breaks as continuous shoveling can strain your cardiovascular system
  4. Apply candle wax, floor wax, car wax, or cooking spray on the shovel before starting to prevent snow from sticking 

What are the proper shoveling techniques to stay safe?

The stretching before shoveling is the first step to ensure safety. Once you step outside, make sure to follow these tips for safe shoveling:

  1. Bend your knees and lift with your legs, not your back or shoulders
  2. While you lift the snow-filled shovel, keep the blade close to your body to reduce back strain
  3. Switch the shovel from one hand to the other so that you don’t strain one hand
  4. Frequently change the grip on the shovel handle (under-palm and over-palm)
  5. If the snowfall is heavy, such as more than 1 foot, try to work from the top down to the ground surface 

How do I shovel snow from my driveway if my car is parked in it?

In such situations, you should start by clearing a path to the driver’s door of the car first. This way you can save significant amount of time. Once you can get inside the car, start the car and turn on the defrost system, for front and back. Turn the heat to full blast, even if the cold air comes out initially. When you defrost the windows, it becomes easier to clean the snow off of them. When you clear a path to the car first, you should try to trample the snow in the way as less as possible. Trampled snow is comparatively more difficult to remove. 

How to plan shoveling snow?

An ideal shoveling plan consists of:

  • Not worrying about the rest of the snow surrounding the car yet. You should instead wait till the snowfall ceases before cleaning the snow from the perimeter of the car.
  • Avoid shoveling snow from the area where your driveway meets the street. As the snow plow passes by, it will fling the snow in this area, thus creating a tall barricade. Once you are ready to pull out the car, you can start shoveling this area.

It is highly advised to try shoveling snow off of your driveway in stages. If the snowfall ceases, divide the complete task into smaller sections. If the snowfall is continuing, make a preliminary sweep then do a thorough snow shoveling once the snowfall stops.

How do I avoid shoveling the same place twice?

When you are shoveling the snow off of your driveway, try to fling the snow as far away as possible to one side. If you tend to push the snow off of the driveway to the side, it is likely to fall down and you will need to shovel the sides of the driveway once more. 

Similarly, before shoveling the snow to one side, check to see which areas need to be left open. For instance, don’t fling the snow in front of a door to an outbuilding, like your garage or shed. 

How to shovel snow from around shrubs?

Snow tends to accumulate fast on shrubs and this excessive burden can often snap the limb in half. To prevent damage to your shrubs from snow, you will need to gently brush the snow off of them. 

Conclusion

These are the most frequently asked questions about shoveling snow from a driveway. Make sure to follow all safety tips to ensure that you have a positive and safe snow shoveling task. To find more snow shoveling hacks and tips, you can call and consult with expert landscapers and lawn care professional at Eden. 

If you don’t want to shovel the snow yourself don’t worry our trusty snowplow operator will clear your driveway! EDEN is just a Call away.

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