Snow Removal Tips This Winter For Icy Lawns and Driveways

December 21, 2015

In 1976 All American Turf Beauty was the first company in Iowa to offer programmed lawn care. The company founders literally invented and developed the industry in Iowa. Get a beautiful weed-free lawn with our professional lawn care services!

Snow Removal Tips

PREVENT THOSE PAINFUL SLIPS AND FALLS THIS WINTER

“Every year there are many people suffering broken bones, bruises or worse due to icy sidewalks and driveways” says Kevin Johnson president of All American Turf Beauty

Ice melt products are one of the tools that a homeowner can employ to keep driveway and walks free of icy conditions. With the many products available on the market, it can be confusing to find the product that provides the desired results under a variety of conditions.

There are a variety of ice melt products such as calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium chloride and urea. As a consumer looking to purchase an ice melt product, there are certain product characteristics to consider before buying. Here’s a short list of characteristics to consider:

  1. Effective melting temperature
  2. How quickly the product works
  3. Can it cause damage to concrete/asphalt?
  4. Cost of ice-melt product
  5. Environmental safety to plants and animals
  6. Precautions to exercise when using the products

Effective melting temperature measures the lowest temperature at which the product continues to melt ice/snow. The effective temperature can range from 25° F all the way down to -25° F. If you need to melt ice at a certain temperature range, a consumer needs to purchase a corresponding product that works at that range.

The best place to find information concerning your ice melt product is on the product label. It is always best to consult the label to find the product that meets your particular criteria.

STEPS TO BETTER DEICING:

Step 1: Clear any snow accumulation.

Step 2: Apply the product correctly – according to label directions. Applying more ice-melt product is not better and will not make the product work better if the current temperature is below the effective melting temperature of the product that has been used. It is best to use a wheeled or hand-held spreader if you have one.

If you use too much in an area, spread the product out with a broom.

Ice-melt works by breaking the bond between the pavement and the ice. Once this bond has been broken, the ice can easily be removed. Some experts recommend that you apply your ice-melt before an expected ice storm to make ice removal easier.

Step 3: Protect your concrete surfaces. Most of the damage to concrete is caused by using too much ice-melt and the freeze/thaw cycle that the concrete has been subjected to. It is critical to follow the application amount on the product label to protect your concrete. Ice-melt products should not be used on concrete that is less than 12 months old.

Some ice melts can truly damage paved surfaces. Magnesium in any form, especially magnesium chloride is very damaging to concrete.

Step 4: Avoid spreading excessive amounts of ice-melt product around plants and areas of your lawn as excessive amount can cause plant damage/death.

In conclusion:

Using ice-melt products is often times essential to providing safe walking conditions in icy conditions. How successful an ice-melt product works comes down to proper product selection; and proper application of the product.

Snow Removal is difficult heavy work. Many homeowners find it convenient to hire a professional to take care of these winter chores to ensure it’s done correctly and in a timely manner.” says Johnson.

Guarantee of Satisfaction

Our services are guaranteed!

If you are not completely satisfied with an All American Turf Beauty application to your lawn, we will re-apply the application at no additional cost and continue the regular lawn treatment program. Alternately, we will fully refund your cost for the application and cancel any further obligation on your part.

To qualify for the guarantee, you must call All American Turf Beauty within 30 days of application.

Our goal at All American Turf Beauty, Inc. is a simple one:

To provide you with the highest quality products and methods available.

We offer every kind of service that it takes to develop and maintain a beautiful lawn in Iowa based on the climate, soil types, and the varieties of grass that are commonly grown here.

One of the keys to the success of the program is that we provide treatment to lawns approximately every 8 weeks throughout the growing season. This ensures that the grass has fertilizer (food) available throughout the growing season. Dandelions and other Broadleaf weeds are controlled as they germinate thus enabling a weed free lawn, and our Turf Specialist is at the property four to six times per season to address problems as and when they arise.

Another key to our service is our people. The most important person to you in our company is the Turf Specialist assigned to treat your lawn.

We are proud to say that our Turf Specialists are the best trained and most experienced in the lawn care industry.

When you become a customer at All American Turf Beauty, a Turf Specialist is assigned to your account. You will have the same person treating your lawn each time. It is their responsibility to service your lawn, make sure it is receiving the correct applications as scheduled, and to provide you with the best personalized service possible. Their jobs depend on it.

We have several programs to choose from. Your Turf Specialist will recommend the best program that fits the needs of your lawn and your budget.

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