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Knocking down icicles won’t help prevent ice dams, as the dams form on the bottoms of your roof slopes and not on the gutters themselves. However, removing icicles can reduce the risk of injury if they form over heavily trafficked areas, and it can help prevent permanent damage to your gutters. Just be sure to wear safety equipment and always stay on the ground while knocking them down.

When temperatures drop far enough, even rock salt can’t melt the ice. The briny solution freezes before it develops, and the salt doesn’t work, which happens around 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that wind chill and other factors impact ice-melting progress. Some ice melters, like magnesium chloride, work at colder temperatures and work better for deep winter freezes.

When starting the engine, you typically leave the choke on a snowblower in the "choke" or "closed" position. After starting, let the engine run for a few minutes to warm up. Then, gradually open the choke, moving it to the "open" or "run" position, allowing more air into the engine and transitioning to a normal fuel-air mixture. The exact duration varies based on the snowblower model and ambient temperature, but as a general rule, you should open the choke once the engine has stabilized and runs smoothly, typically within a few minutes.

The best snow removal tools include a snowblower or a plastic shovel since they're less likely to damage your driveway's surface. Metal shovels can crack asphalt and concrete. It's also a good idea to install driveway markers since they can make it much easier for you to identify where you should shovel without damaging the surrounding yard.