snow removal in cleveland (Shaker Heights: house, landscaping, neighborhoods)

[adobeacrocat]

We are new in town and haven't had to deal with snow removal before. So, even though it's 90F, I wanted to get to know the basics.

Any recommendations of companies for East side suburbs (esp Shaker Heights)? Do you tend to use the same one as your neighbors? What is the best way to ensure my driveway is plowed/safe before 7am (or even earlier), contract with a snow removal company for the season?

Thanks in advance for any information you guys are able to provide.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by adobeacrocat

We are new in town and haven't had to deal with snow removal before. So, even though it's 90F, I wanted to get to know the basics.

Any recommendations of companies for East side suburbs (esp Shaker Heights)? Do you tend to use the same one as your neighbors? What is the best way to ensure my driveway is plowed/safe before 7am (or even earlier), contract with a snow removal company for the season?

Thanks in advance for any information you guys are able to provide.

Definitely contract with a company that puts in writing that you will be given priority to have your driveway cleared by 7 a.m. Only contracted customers are given priority. Understand that in a bad, ongoing blizzard, which now are infrequent, if a company clears your driveway at 5 a.m., city plows might fill it again by 7 a.m. If you can manage one, it's not a bad idea to have a good snow blower on hand. Very small ones may not be able to clear a driveway entrance in a bad storm.

Check with neighbors for recommendations. Plowers who work almost exclusively in a single and adjacent neighborhoods are more likely to plow again in an ongoing storm as needed. They also may provide lower rates as they have little travel time between jobs. Quite often, a neighborhood homeowner with a large pick-up truck may put a plow on and provide services.

Make certain that you meet with contractor and agree where snow will be pushed so that landscaping is not destroyed.

Most of the time, especially if you back into your garage, vehicles can go through several inches of snow easily. If you get above six inches, especially compacted snow in a driveway entrance, be very careful, especially about pulling into ongoing traffic if you don't have good visibility.

The big mistake that many homeowners make is just driving through the snow and never clearing their driveways between storms, counting on thaws to accomplish this task. Inevitably, likely in January or February, a stretch of cold, stormy weather will form ice dams in the driveway that definitely are a risk to even snow blowers and a pain to remove by hand. Our salty slush eventually does freeze, as the salty water drains away!

Some persons who clear their own driveways (I'm retired and enjoy snow), such as me, keep the name of a reliable plower on hand in the event of illness, injury, damage to equipment, travel, etc. Most plowers have single push rates on a non-priority basis, and often gypsy plowers travel neighborhoods offering single push services, not even counting neighborhood teens who go door-to-door offering to shovel out driveways, sidewalks, etc. (keep their names and phone numbers on hand). The snow plowing business is very competitive in the Greater Cleveland market.

One thing to buy IMO is a good aluminum, steel-edged, snow pusher with a D-grip. These snow pushers are excellent at efficiently pushing snow away from garages, house entrances, garbage bins, etc., and off sidewalks and steps while minimizing shoveling. I've never seen this quality of shovel at Home Depot (where cheaper and less efficient plastic pushers are the norm), but they typically are available in hardware stores and definitely online. I often use mine to scrape my driveway after first using a snow blower, but I'm obsessed with keeping my driveway clean (to avoid slipping and black ice).

24 Inch Aluminum Snow Pusher with D-Grip | True Temper® Tools

See post 14 in this thread if you haven't yet seen it. Good luck.

//www.city-data.com/forum/cleve...eveland-2.html

See post 6 here. Black ice is IMO among the greatest risks. Long-time snow region residents all know several persons who have experienced serious injuries from falls, typically on black ice.

//www.city-data.com/forum/ohio/...-i-should.html

[1watertiger]

Originally Posted by adobeacrocat

We are new in town and haven't had to deal with snow removal before. So, even though it's 90F, I wanted to get to know the basics.

Any recommendations of companies for East side suburbs (esp Shaker Heights)? Do you tend to use the same one as your neighbors? What is the best way to ensure my driveway is plowed/safe before 7am (or even earlier), contract with a snow removal company for the season?

Thanks in advance for any information you guys are able to provide.

Please don't mention that four letter word in August .