Shoveling strategy

[Anonymous]

We live on a private pipestem, so we need to shovel out the road.

Given that the forecast is now:
- Snow a bunch Sat night / Sun morning
- Switching to heavy sleet on Sunday

Would it be better to:
1 - Shovel Sunday morning -- get as much snow cleared before it switches to sleet?, or
2 - Just wait and do nothing until everything is done

Normally with heavy snow, its easier to make a few passes every few inches.
But, with heavy sleet coming, will that just make the road a skating rink? Would it be better to have the sleet settle into the snow and make that crunchy snow that is drivable on? I am leaning toward this.

[Anonymous]

I think shovel before sleet

[Anonymous]

Number 1. The more you wait, snow on bottom turn to thick ice. It's a pain to shovel.

[Anonymous]

don't wait. do it as you can.

[Anonymous]

My thought would be to shovel maybe 4 inches of snow and then let the sleet fall on the next couple of inches so it is not just solid ice. DH pointed out that the timing for my plan might be in the middle of the night so...we will likely not do that!

[Anonymous]

Shovel every 2 inches, could be hourly for a while in the morning. Spread salt (calcium chloride) before sleet begins.

[Anonymous]

I am grimly resigned to having to go out a few times to get front and back porches and steps clear, paths to generator and heat pump clear, clear them off, clear path to sidewalk, get most stuff off car BEFORE wet stiff that will become a block of cement ice.

[Anonymous]

Sleet turns into ice they literally fuses to any surface. Spread ice melt before it starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sleet turns into ice they literally fuses to any surface. Spread ice melt before it starts.

Ice melt doesn’t work at low temperatures.

[Anonymous]

What’s the advice for a snow blower? I was thinking of waiting until the sleet finishes so it’s on the top layer. Worried if it falls on the ground it will be stuck solid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the advice for a snow blower? I was thinking of waiting until the sleet finishes so it’s on the top layer. Worried if it falls on the ground it will be stuck solid.

what would a snow blower do for you with a sheet of ice on top of the snow?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Number 1. The more you wait, snow on bottom turn to thick ice. It's a pain to shovel.

Especially when we won't be above freezing temps for a week or more

[Anonymous]

I always go out and shovel in shifts. Same with clearing the car off. Spouse and I take turns. I also shovel my neighbors' house because they are elderly.

[Anonymous]

Shovel first thing in the morning when it's mostly snow.

Lay down ice melt.

Revisit later in the day or monday morning.

However don't clear your car until it's all stopped. Easier to remove snow layered in ice than straight up ice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live on a private pipestem, so we need to shovel out the road.

Given that the forecast is now:
- Snow a bunch Sat night / Sun morning
- Switching to heavy sleet on Sunday

Would it be better to:
1 - Shovel Sunday morning -- get as much snow cleared before it switches to sleet?, or
2 - Just wait and do nothing until everything is done

Normally with heavy snow, its easier to make a few passes every few inches.
But, with heavy sleet coming, will that just make the road a skating rink? Would it be better to have the sleet settle into the snow and make that crunchy snow that is drivable on? I am leaning toward this.

Everything I have read has said to shovel early and often.