It’s crucial to have a clear driveway in the snowy winter months that allows you to move safely. To ensure this, you need to have a good snow removal plan. An effective plan for snow removal plan can eliminate slip and fall accidents and problems like black ice, thus keeping you safe on your driveway.

However, the condition of your driveway surface also needs to be considered. Your driveway might be a costly aspect of your home based on the material it’s made up of. Driveway repairs can be quite expensive when spring arrives.

While removing snow from the driveway is necessary, it’s also essential to determine the right method to remove the snow to prevent any unnecessary damage. A commonly used method for snow removal is using a snowplow. Using a snowplow for removing snow can help you avoid injury and bodily pain and prevent damage caused by other snow removal methods, like spreading rock salt. However, it’s important to consider whether using snowplows for snow removal can damage your driveway.

Working of Snowplows

Some snowplows are pushed manually while others are mounted to a vehicle’s front side. The snowplow equipment usually has a V-shaped or straight metal blade. The equipment that is mounted to vehicles usually has a width of 6 to 9 feet.

The plow blade’s bottom edge consists of an angled scoop and the remaining portion of it is curved to allow the snow to roll forward and then get out of the way. The blade angle in mounted snow plowing equipment is usually adjusted hydraulically or electrically to collect and roll the snow into non-obstructing snow piles.

Using Snowplows for Driveways – Do Snowplows Damage Driveways?

Depending on how snowplow equipment works, there’s a high potential of a driveway being damaged, since you’re basically just dragging a heavy blade of metal across the area.

In case you’re removing the snow yourself from your driveway or seeking the help of someone who does the job using a plow mounted to a vehicle, make sure that the blade always stays at least a half-inch above the ground. This is the only way of preventing damage like gouging, chipping, or cracking while snow plowing the driveway. Ensuring this can be difficult if the levels of snow are not clear or the surface is uneven.

If you hire a professional snow plowing company for the job, there’s a higher likelihood of the employees having more experience in keeping the plow blade sufficiently high off the driveway surface to avoid any damage. Although there’s a higher likelihood, there’s no guarantee.

There’s also a risk of snowplow damage to the aspects that are hidden beneath accumulated snow, like borders, curbing, and landscaped areas. This is a risk especially when you hire snow plowing services that are not familiar with your driveway’s layout.

Summing Up

To sum up, we can say that although snowplows for driveways may not cause any damage every time it’s used, the potential for damage is high. To prevent any driveway damage caused by snow plowing residential driveways and the resulting repairs, consider using alternative methods of snow removal, as well as hiring snow removal companies that employ safe and effective methods to do the job.

All American Turf Beauty is one of the leading Snow Removal companies based in Iowa that uses safe and advanced snow removal methods, ensuring no damage is caused to your driveway surface or any other area while removing snow. If you’re looking for reliable residential or commercial snow removal services in Iowa, let’s talk today!