Dealing With Snow And Ice on Your Driveway This Winter

16.11.2018
Winter is around the corner and sooner or later ice and snow will be set to hit parts of the UK as temperatures plummet. Snow and ice can not only potentially cause damage to your driveway, it can leave you with a treacherous and slippery pathway to your front door.

It’s important to always have a winter strategy for driveway maintenance in place before the colder climate sets it. Fortunately, there are plenty of steps you can take to effectively deal with any snow and ice, and even prevent it from accumulating to begin with.

Get it cleared early



If any snow and ice has accumulated on your driveway, then it’s always advisable to clear it as soon as you can. You’ll find it much easier to shift fresh, loose snow by tackling it early in the morning if possible, rather than waiting for it to pack together and harden.

By removing the top layer of snow early in the day, the ice underneath will be more exposed to any sunshine, which will help to melt it away. Once this happens, you can then spread salt over the area to prevent it from refreezing during the night.

Make use of salt or sand



Speaking of salt, a good method to help de-ice your driveway is to use salt, as it’s cheap and easily available. Many people use hot water to melt the snow on their driveway, but this can end up freezing over again, causing black ice. This can increase the risk of injury, as black ice on your driveway isn’t as noticeable and can be extremely slippery.

To combat ice, you can spread salt over the area where you have just cleared some snow. Rock salt or even ordinary table or dishwasher salt will suffice. If you don’t happen to have enough salt, then sand or ash can be useful for de-icing your driveway too. Although these won’t be as effective as salt, they can still result in your driveway having a better grip under foot. Remember, to use caution when laying down salt, as it can be harmful to pets and plants.

Exercise care when moving snow



It’s always important to take as much care as possible when clearing snow and ice by yourself. Make sure any snow that you move doesn’t end up blocking any paths or drains. The old fashioned method of shovelling snow can be effective if there has been a particularly large build up.

Ensure that you create a path down the middle of your driveway first, so that you have a clear surface to walk on while you shovel the snow to the sides.

Driveway maintenance is always important, and at Premier Surfacing, our experts are here to help you determine the kind of driveway you want with a range of services.

Contact us today on 01952 840 838 for more information.
Published: November 2018

Please pass my thanks onto all the men involved with the project of transforming our driveway and patio. They did a fantastic job and ensured that they represented Premier Surfacing with the greatest professionalism.

Mr G Talbot
Edmond, Shropshire