It’s Time to Think about Snow

I don’t mean to be a wet blanket here, but many people are already thinking about snow. Probably not the homeowner who is soaking up last rays of sun on the beach; more likely it is the commercial property owners and management companies who are evaluating the snow removal contracts for the upcoming winter season.

At Giant Landscaping, we realize a lot of the reason for switching snow removal contractors is budget-based.

Side view of Giant Landscaping snow plow truck with the words Commercial Property Maintenance and their logo

There are other factors that cause these decision-makers in commercial property management to entertain getting other snow removal quotes. Here are just a few:

Quality of service. Inconsistency often comes along with the package of an “affordable” snow removal service. Snow removal companies who underbid projects usually get overextended in their schedule. It’s not until the following spring that everybody realizes that they were not able to dedicate the time to each account to keep parking lots clean and safe.

Timing. When it comes to managing snow and ice, timing is critical. Winter storms don’t work on 9-to-5 basis. They start at any time of the day or night and continue for undetermined length of time. Temperature fluctuations can be the difference between heavy, wet snow and ice. At Giant Landscaping, we follow each storm with text alerts to our phones from a reliable national weather advisory service.

Salt-sand and shoveling. Weather conditions don’t just affect the plowing aspect of commercial snow removal. Walkway shoveling is a factor that can slow down the route schedule dramatically.

Snow weighs an average of 15 pounds per square foot. Powder is light and easy to shovel. When the snow changes to rain, that weight can double in a very short period of time. Having the shoveling resources available whenever we need it assures that our snowplowing stays on schedule.

A good snow removal contractor will know when to put down traction sand and when to apply straight salt. As conditions change heading into the night, traction sand is critical. Straight salt works wonderfully as the sun starts to come up, but doesn’t work when the temperature dips below 17°.

So go ahead – enjoy the beach while you can. We will be ready when winter gets here!