Snow Removal Equipment: What Every Business Owner Should Know

Keep your property safe

Winter can be dangerous as snow and ice buildup make walking and driving more difficult. As a business owner, you need to do what you can to keep your property clean and accident-free, and snow removal equipment can help. Here, we’ll explore some of the most widely used tools business owners use to clear away snow and prevent ice from building up in its place.

Snow shovels: a must-have piece of snow removal equipment

If there’s one piece of snow removal equipment every business owner should have, it’s a snow shovel. Even if you need something stronger to clear away large piles of snow from a parking lot or field, a snow shovel is a critical bit of kit in every business’s battle against the chilly season. 

Shovels are lightweight, versatile and can clear heavy snowfall or light powder. You can use them on stairs, walkways, entrance ramps and other smaller areas where you expect to see a lot of foot traffic. 

There are two types of snow shovels: manual and electric.

• Manual snow shovels are inexpensive and can be used basically anywhere there’s snow you need to clear. They also require a significant amount of physical effort to use. The shoveler must have enough strength and endurance to dig, lift several pounds of snow and move it out of the way. To make things easier, consider extra-durable options with solid grips on both the handle and the shaft to reduce the strain on the user’s back and arms. 

• Electric snow shovels are smaller and move less snow than manual shovels, but they’re great for workers who need to save their strength for the long, snow-shoveling haul. Some run on rechargeable batteries and are highly portable, while others require a power outlet and cord to operate.

Still wondering which type of snow shovel is right for the job? Read Choosing the Best Snow Shovels for Your Business: A Complete Guide to learn more.

Use a snow blower when snow shovels aren’t enough

If you own a larger property or are responsible for clearing snow away from multiple businesses, you’ll need something a bit more heavy-duty than your standard shovel. 

Snow blowers offer a solid middle ground between lightweight snow shovels and the large plows you see attached to trucks. They’re an excellent fit for clearing snow from medium-sized parking and landscaped areas and can make short work of heavy snowfall. If you regularly need to clear a lot of snow, a snow blower is a solid investment. 

If you need the most powerful snow removal equipment at your disposal, you’ll likely need a gas-powered blower. These come in three different stages, with single-stage blowers able to push snow up to 35 feet away from them and three-stage blowers capable of clearing out the giant walls of snow that plows leave behind. 

Gas-powered snow blowers are much louder and produce more emissions than similar electric models, but are much more powerful than electric snow blowers, which are typically limited to single-stage capabilities. Electric is a solid option if you don’t need to clear out a ton of snow every day, but for heavy storms, a gas-powered option is your best bet.

Find maintenance tips and more in our guide, Snow Blowers for Business Owners: Must-Have Tools for Winter Maintenance.

Keeping driveways & walkways safe with deicing salt

Shovels and blowers are great for clearing most of the snow away from your walkways and driveways. However, they can leave behind a thin layer of snow that can be difficult to remove and can quickly turn into a sheet of ice if it’s cold enough outside. This can lead to car accidents or pedestrians slipping and falling as they get around your property.

deicing salt can help get rid of ice and reduce the risk of someone falling. It reduces the freezing point temperature of the surface area, so that water freezes at much lower temperatures than it would normally. 

Different types of salt are more effective in different weather conditions.  Some mixtures can even keep ice from forming at temperatures as low as -25°F, so always check the packaging to find out if it’ll work in the current climate.

There are a few other considerations you need to make when picking out deicing salt to keep your customers and surrounding environment as safe as possible.

• Effect on the environment: Salt leaves behind a chemical residue called brine. This chemical prevents additional ice from forming in its place, but it also gets swept away with the runoff as the ice melts. This brine can then seep into the surrounding environment, harming local water supplies and eroding the soil. Look for packaging with labels like “eco-friendly” to minimize the harm it can cause.

• Harm to pets: Salt can irritate and burn dogs’ paws, and make them sick if they lick it up. If your business caters to animals or experiences a lot of pet traffic, you’ll want to look for deicing salt labeled as “pet safe.” It can still be harmful in higher quantities but is still much safer for animals than regular salt. 

• Damage to infrastructure: If you use too much salt, it can find its way into the cracks in your asphalt roads and concrete sidewalks. As the salt does its job, it’ll eventually cause these cracks to widen, ultimately causing damage that may require expensive repairs. Choose deicing salt that works best for the surfaces you need to clear, and always follow the instructions listed on the packaging to avoid using too much.

Which deicing salt is the best choice for your property? Find out in A Business Owner's Guide to Choosing the Best Salt for Driveway Deicing.

Hire a snow removal company to keep your business clean

If you have a large property, don’t have the personnel or equipment on hand to regularly clear out snow or have strict snow removal needs, you may want to hire a commercial snow removal company. These businesses offer a variety of snow removal services and will arrive at scheduled times throughout the winter to keep your business clear. Potential services include:

• Snow plowing for clearing out large parking lots and driveways 

• Snow blowing for removing snowfall build-up from walkways 

• Snow removal for hauling snow away from the property

• Deicing to prevent accidents on roads and sidewalks

• Roof snow removal to prevent damage to buildings caused by heavy snow

• Emergency services to clear out significant snowfall accumulations around the clock

• Zero accumulation services to keep areas clear around hospitals and other facilities with strict safety demands

Read Is Commercial Snow Removal Right for Your Business? to discover the benefits and drawbacks of hiring dedicated snow removal services. You’ll also find expense data you can enter into a commercial snow removal pricing calculator to help you make a more informed decision.

Get ready for winter with Walmart Business

Whether you expect a light dusting or are buckling up for an incoming blizzard, Walmart Business has the supplies you need to manage snowfall around your property and keep your customers safe. 

Sign up for a Walmart Business+ membership and you’ll get free shipping on a variety of winter maintenance supplies with no order minimum.¹ You’ll also earn 2% back in Walmart Business Rewards to help you save on jackets, cocoa and other supplies you’ll need to stay warm.² Join today to enjoy potential savings of over $500/year, along with exclusive rewards for your organization.³

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply. 

³ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).