Preparing for Snow in Calgary

Posted by Justin Havre on Tuesday, November 20th, 2018 at 12:47pm.

Preparing for Snow in CalgaryWhen the winter months arrive in Calgary, it's inevitable that snow and ice will be piling up. In order to keep up with the exterior home maintenance and snow removal of a Calgary home, consider the following tips.

Preparing for Snow in Calgary

Living in Calgary means you need to be ready for the snow. The right snow removal equipment and the right plan can make the winter so much easier, especially if you're new to the area. Here are some tips for snow removal this winter.

Choosing Your Equipment

Snow removal equipment comes in just a few forms. You can choose a snow blower, electric snow melter or a shovel. If you have back issues, a shovel may not be the best choices, but it's the cheapest option. Just make sure the shovel you choose is sturdy and large enough to make the job easy.

Snow blowers are a great choice because they provide a quicker solution. You won't put as much strain on your back, but you will put a little more strain on your budget. You can choose from a variety of snow blowers. Make sure you get one capable of handling the area you need to clear.

Electric snow melters are a good option, as well, but very expensive. These heat up the concrete and melt the snow or ice. This is a great way to clear the snow, but expect to spend a heavy amount of cash for this option.

Always keep De-Icer or Salt Available

Chemical de-icers and rock salt can make it much easier to clear your driveway, walkway and other area. This is a great way to get the ice off the top of the snow or from the driveway when it's covered in ice. Make sure you follow the directions and use these products correctly.

A few others things to keep in mind when clearing snow include:

  • Don't stack it behind a vehicle or in front of a door
  • Lift with your legs as much as possible
  • Wear good shoes and warm clothes while clearing snow
  • If capable, help neighbours with their snow removal needs

Follow these tips and you will have a better winter season in Calgary.

Are You Dealing With Snow Removal Issues on Your Street?

Snow Removal Issues in CalgaryThis has been a crazy winter so far and we're just at the beginning of it! The snow in Calgary has become a giant problem for a lot of people but the city finally has put a plan in place to get things handled. 

City contractors have been called out in force to help clear away the ice and snow that is leaving some of the streets in Calgary impassible.

It's the first time the contractors have been called in to help remove the built up from streets in residential areas. The city had to do something about this since it has run out of room to pile all of the snow.

The crews are going to go from one community to the next in order to remove the piles of snow from the streets. The contractors have been arranged into 16 different squads that consist of at least a tandem truck and a front-end loader. The goal is to remove the snow from the streets in residential areas in all 4 sections of the city.

It's going to cost about $6.7 million and it will take close to a month to finish the project. Residents will be asked to move their vehicles from the streets and advance notice will be provided the night before on the city's official website, www.Calgary.ca.

The crews will be concentrating on clearing a pathway down the street that's wide enough to get by and will be clearing the sides so that residents can park their cars. It won't be a curb to curb clearing though - it will be a main passageway with room to park on the sides.

The contractors will be clearing priority one and priority two routes first and then will start to clear the residential streets. The problem with this plan, however, is that when a new snowfall occurs the crews have to go back to the priority one and priority two routes again. The best way to get caught up on all of the snow clearing is to have some type of break from the snow so that the plan doesn't have to get reset with every new snowfall.

East Village Community Snow Clearing

An interesting idea has developed in the East Village community regarding the snow clearing problem there. Wendy Lees operates an art program there and saw seniors having a difficult time at one of the intersections in the area. She bought a couple of snow shovels and placed them at this intersection and put a label on them letting others know that they were community shovels.

She left them there and within a 15 minute time span someone picked up one of the shovels and started to clear some snow away. Since then, different people have been picking up the shovels and using them and the shovels haven't disappeared yet.

It was a wonderful community experiment and so far it seems to have worked. Having the shovels there makes it convenient for people to just pick them up and clear a path when needed.

It's Time to Clean out Your Eaves Troughs!

Clean Your Eaves TroughsThe time of year has arrived here in Calgary when you should be cleaning the eaves troughs around your home. Although it's not a job that's particularly enjoyable, it's one that needs to get done nevertheless.

As the leaves begin to accumulate in your eaves troughs they start to decompose. Soil builds up over a matter of time, the troughs will get partially blocked and your drainage system will work poorly. Once this blockage gets too bad it will cause ice to dam during the cold winter months. Once you have heavy ice, along with the decomposed leaves that have turned into soil weighing down your troughs, they will eventually get pulled away from your fascia. This, in turn, can cause major damage.

When the eaves troughs get pulled away the water can go anywhere. You may find water leaking through the attic or it may decide to run right down through the house. Basically, it can cause a major mess, which can add up to thousands of dollars in repair bills.

When You're Selling Your Home

If you've been thinking about selling your home in the spring you’ll want to make sure that no water damage occurs to during the winter. This is one of the first things that house inspectors will be looking for and one of the factors that can drive the asking price down considerably when you put it on the market. Even if you haven't noticed a water leakage problem during the winter, you can be certain that the house inspector will notice it when it comes time for a sale.

Slow drainage is not the problem that you're confronting when you're cleaning out your eaves troughs. It's a total blockage that will cause this disaster to happen. As long as your eaves troughs are still draining you'll just have water running down slower than usual. It's a complete eaves trough blockage that you're trying to avoid here and the only way to do that is to get your troughs cleaned.

It doesn't cost a lot of money to get them cleaned either when you consider how much it would cost to repair the damage if you choose to put it off until the spring. If getting up on the ladder and cleaning your own troughs isn't something that you can or want to do on your own, hire someone to do it for you. It really is that important.

How Can You Create A Great Outdoor Arrangement During The Winter?

Interested in creating an outdoor arrangement for the winter? If so, you are at the right place at the right time. Here are three simple tips guaranteed to help you create the perfect outdoor arrangement this winter.

Use Artificial Silk Florals

Creating an Outdoor Arrangement in WinterIf you know anything about Calgary, you know the winters can be quite extreme. You should opt to use artificial silk florals instead of natural florals. Due to the extreme cold, natural florals won't last very long.

The great thing about artificial florals is you can use them year after year. This makes them very cost effective. If you want to spice things up a bit consider mixing in a few real winter greens.

Balance

When creating an arrangement balance is very important. If you have a traditional home with ample space, try a symmetrical arrangement that flanks the door. If you have floral arrangements in high traffic areas, make sure there is plenty of space for people to walk around.

Those owning a more contemporary home may not have as much space to work with. If this is the case, put the arrangement in groups of three. Make sure each piece is a different height. The display will look very abundant yet take up very little space.

Keep Things Simple

Winter time is not the time to try and be super creative with your outdoor arrangements. Keep them simple and sweet. Choose one theme and stick with it. When you go to the craft store, don't pick up everything you see. Remember your theme and work around it

After you have decided on a set of colours you want to feature in your arrangement, make a trip to the craft store. While there, make sure you keep these tips in mind.

Keep Your Home Clean and Taken Care of During the Calgary Winter

Keeping up with external home maintenance can be a challenge in the winter months as snow and ice pile up around the city. Keep your yards clean and attractive and keep your homes cleared with these winter maintenance tips to ensure your home stays in top winter condition.

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