4 Tips For Safely Removing Snow & Ice From Your Deck Surface
With winter upon us, it’s not uncommon to look out your window and see your outdoor deck area blanketed with a fresh coat of snow, and in order to prevent it from piling up too high and blocking you in your home, it’s going to need to be removed at some point or another. Removing snow from your deck isn’t a task that most homeowners look forward to, but it’s an important one nonetheless due to the fact that standing snow and ice can cause a great deal of damage to your deck if left in place for too long. With that being said, it’s important to ensure you remove the snow safely so you don’t cause any damage to your deck in the process. In an effort to help you do so, our team of skilled Ontario deck builders have taken the time to put together this short list for your reading pleasure that highlights a few tips you can employ this winter to safely remove standing snow and ice from your deck’s surface without causing damage to it in the process.
Don’t Use A Metal Shovel
First and foremost, when removing snow from your deck’s surface, you don’t want to use a metal shovel. As it is, shoveling snow off your deck can lead to scratches, and the likelihood of this happening only increases when using a metal shovel to do so. When removing snow from your deck, it’s always best to use a plastic or rubber shovel. Not only are these shovel options lighter than metal, making the task that much easier, but they don’t run the risk of causing as much damage to your deck’s surface if they accidentally come into contact with it. If you have no other option than a metal shovel, your best option is to ensure you leave a thin layer of snow between your shovel and the surface of your deck to keep it from coming into direct contact with your deck’s surface.
Shovel Parallel To Your Deck Boards
When you’re shoveling snow from your deck’s surface, your best method of doing so while avoiding damage to your deck’s surface is to shovel parallel to your deck boards. By shoveling lengthwise along your boards, you reduce the chances of your shovel accidentally catching any board edges and causing damage to its surface.
For Light Snow, Use A Broom
Even if it’s only a light dusting, it’s still important to remove any standing snow from your deck’s surface, and for lighter snow, you can actually use a broom to do so. For light, fluffy snow that’s generally less than 4 inches deep, it can actually be easier and safer for your deck to remove it with a brook as opposed to breaking out the shovel. This eliminates the risk of scratching your boards entirely.
Don’t Shatter Ice On Your Deck
As tempting as it might be to shatter any ice on your deck’s surface to free your boards from its embrace, it’s not something you want to do. Trying to shatter any ice present on your deck’s surface can actually be quite dangerous for your boards, especially if you’re using a metal shovel or the like to do so. In order to remove ice from your deck’s surface, it’s always best to use an ice melt product, but pay attention to which type of products are safe for your particular deck type before you apply them.
