Get matched with top roof ice and snow removal pros in Buxton, NC

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.

In most municipalities, snow removal is compulsory in public spaces, including the sidewalk in front of your house, so you need to remove snow there. You could face fines for failure to clear your sidewalk in a timely manner—usually within 24 hours of the snowfall stopping. More importantly, your sidewalk needs to be safe for pedestrians to use, and you could face legal issues if someone slips on your sidewalk because you failed to clear it. Sidewalk removal services might seem expensive, but they’re well worth it to avoid these issues.

The best time to hire a snow removal professional is long before snow falls in your area. Signing up for a seasonal contract not only provides peace of mind that your property will be cleared every time it snows, but it’s also often more affordable to sign a contract than paying for one-off services. If you prefer one-off shoveling services, you should contact your snow removal company the day before a storm is expected to schedule service. You can also call the morning of the snowfall, but this might result in delays.

Removing snow from your roof can help prevent ice dams, but the best thing to do is address insulation issues in your attic. If you do decide to remove the snow manually, you should always use a roof rake rather than a shovel. You shouldn’t climb your snowy roof in any circumstance, and roof rake allows you to remove the snow from the ground or a ladder. For the best results, remove snow as soon as possible after it falls.