Get matched with top roof ice and snow removal pros in Long Beach, MS

You can use hot water to melt ice from your driveway, but there are some serious caveats. Very hot water can quickly melt ice and remove it, which is helpful if you’re very short on time and need a solution ASAP. However, it will only work across a small area, after which there’s a chance the water will freeze again. The sudden clash of temperatures is dangerous for fragile materials, notably windows and other glass, so you’ll want to keep the water away from your car.

Whether salt melts ice overnight will depend on how low the temperature drops. If temperatures stay around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, you can count on salt melting ice overnight. Otherwise, the lower temperatures get, the less effective the salt is in melting ice, and the more likely you’ll wake up with a slippery driveway the next day. 

The average cost of a snow removal service is around $85, but this depends heavily on the amount of snow, your location, and the seasonal demand. An annual snow removal contract will typically cost between $200 and $600 for the season. Keep in mind that single services are usually based on the amount of snow, with every six inches adding to your total. You can expect to pay between $40 and $200 in most cases or as high as $500 or more for excessive snowfall. In many cases, it’s more affordable to enter into an annual contract.

How much snow can a roof hold? The answer could help you to avoid roof collapse—a worst-case scenario, of course. For most roofs, you can expect it to withstand four feet of fresh snow, two feet of packed snow, or two to three feet of a mix of old and new snow. However, your roof will only be able to handle one inch of ice. The actual weight capacity of your roof may vary, so check with whoever built it for exact details.