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Enlighten me.......What's good?
Should I buy one of these electric deals for like 100 bucks?
Any tips on snow shoveling?
Forgive my ignorance, but being from GA, it's all new to me and I have no freakin clue!!
We are forecasted for some snow on Wednesday and I realized I have yet to get a snow shovel, or even a winter jacket!
We have a few regular snow shovels and a few tools to break up the ice. I don't know about the electric ones-maybe someone else will know. I do however, recommend something to break the ice up. We have killed a few snow shovels using them to break up the ice. We have a couple of things that break up the ice-they sort of look like a hoe I guess. I am sure your local hardware store has them.
Also get some ice melt. It can be hard to find later in the year.
I also suggest the windshield wiper fluid for your car that is for below zero. It is usually pink or orange as opposed to blue and can be difficult to find as the winter goes on.
sounds like a gimmicky gadget to me. What, are you going to trail around an extension cord to tangle you up every time you try to toss a shovel full and move down the driveway?
The straightened hoe thing that nicole mentioned is good. We even have one down here - we don't get that much snow, but when you get a snow storm, we get an icestorm.
Biggest thing is to get a solid straight handled snow shovel. The bent handled ones are nice to hold in the store, but difficult to use. One with a metal edge is a nice plus too. If you have a long driveway, then you can look into a snow blower in the future.
Remember to get a shovel now before it starts snowing, and they are all sold out.
Enlighten me.......What's good?
Should I buy one of these electric deals for like 100 bucks?
Any tips on snow shoveling?
Forgive my ignorance, but being from GA, it's all new to me and I have no freakin clue!!
We are forecasted for some snow on Wednesday and I realized I have yet to get a snow shovel, or even a winter jacket!
Hi Lukedaddy - First of all, the snow we're supposed to get on Wednesday most likely won't be a big deal, so don't freak out about it yet We're much further north than you are and they're predicting snow showers for us with temps in the high 30's on Wednesday, then into the 40's on Thursday
That being said - I don't know how old you are or what physical shape you're in - when shoveling, go slow and when there is a lot of it, don't try to lift 3 feet of the stuff with one "swoop" of the shovel....the stuff is heavy!
Unlike dubthang, we prefer the bent handled shovels and find them easier on our backs, but I think that may be a personal thing....we have both kinds and use both. We also have what I guess is a pick ax (?) for the ice if we need it, but we tend to get mostly snow up here with very little ice except when it thaws and then re-freezes.
As others have said, get the shovels, some ice melt, etc. now - as winter progresses, they will be harder to find. Someone mentioned rock salt - I'm not positive, and perhaps someone more knowledgeable will know, but I *think* rock salt is something you're not supposed to use on cement, as it eats it away? (Or is that an old wives tale? I really don't know) - we use the "pet friendly" ice melt as we have a dog and with that we don't have to worry about the ice melt stuff hurting her paws. If we run out of it, we also use kitty litter - it won't melt the ice, it makes a mess if you come into the house and don't take off your boots right by the door, but it does give traction on the icy areas.
Coming from GA, you're definitely going to feel the cold, so invest in high quality winter coats, gloves, scarves, hats, etc. I have a down-filled winter coat that I bought, gosh, over 10 years ago that I still wear - it doesn't looks so great now, but it sure is warm and definitely worth the money I spent on it then!
That being said - I don't know how old you are or what physical shape you're in - when shoveling, go slow and when there is a lot of it, don't try to lift 3 feet of the stuff with one "swoop" of the shovel....the stuff is heavy!
Second that... know your limits. Snow shoveling causes a lot of heat attacks.
As far as ice is concerned... get ice melt (the packaged stuff), rock salt, or even water softening salt down on the ground BEFORE the storm this help to prevent the ice adhering to the surface. If you've got a big solid patch of ice that built up after a few snow/part-melt cycles then use a coarse sand to provide grip on it (ice melt will just sink through it).
On snow: Think about where you're making your piles and where the melt water (and subsequent ice) will go. Don't put a big pile next to the top of some steps, as they'll end up covered with ice later.
I've been shoveling snow in NH for over 50 years. This, as far as I'm concerned, is one of the best shovels on the market. It really is not made to pick up snow but to plow it. And, when the snow is relatively light, this shovel can literally shoot it like a mini snow blower for a short distance.
Garant Yukon 24-Inch Heavy Duty Poly Snow Pusher
This company makes different sizes. The one I own is nearly 15 years old and I wouldn't trade it in for any other snow shovel I've ever run across. It's light and the snow won't stick to it unless it's very wet.
Hey, it's still work but this seems to just make it a bit easier.
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We're much further north than you are and they're predicting snow showers for us with temps in the high 30's on Wednesday, then into the 40's on Thursday
