When you’re a kid, every type of winter weather means fun. Snowballs! Ice skating! Climbing huge piles of snow!
When you’re a property owner, every type brings a new worry. Slick sidewalks! Liability! Where to put those huge piles of snow?
You need snow removal in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI, that’s prepared for everything so you don’t have to lose sleep worrying.
Let’s learn more about types of snow removal events, including:
What are the different types of snow events common to the Upper Midwest?
The types of winter weather in the Upper Midwest range from a light dusting of snow to a few inches to snow measured in feet. Freezing rain and ice storms are part of the mix, too, as are blizzards that bring daily life to a paralyzing halt.
That means snow removal in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI, includes an arsenal of tools to clear snow and melt ice.
Do snow removal companies handle all precipitation? At RainMaster, we tackle it all.
How RainMaster snow crews clear your property in all types of winter weather depends on the details you arrange with us before the first snowflakes fly.
What exact snow removal services will be delivered when there’s just a dusting of snow? Two inches? An ice storm? A blizzard?
Your snow removal contract will detail everything. Do you want your property pre-treated even if there’s just a dusting of snow? Do you want snow hauled away off-site automatically? Do you want sidewalks shoveled? Or just your parking lot plowed?
You get the idea. At RainMaster, we’ll meet with you on your property ahead of time to discuss your individual expectations for your property’s commercial snow removal and then detail everything in your snow removal contract so we’re all on the same page.
After you accept our proposal, we’ll assemble a custom snow response plan with a map and photos of your property to ensure we meet all your expectations.
But, in general, the plan of attack changes slightly depending on the winter weather.
What are the different types of snow events? And how do we tackle them?
Let’s take a look:
Snow removal in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI, can mean plowing snow that’s measured in frigid feet, so a dusting doesn’t seem like a big deal.
But even a thin layer of snow can turn to ice fast, so we can pretreat a property with brine (more on brine in a minute) before the snow arrives, preventing the snow from sticking to paved surfaces.
Alternatively, if pre-treating doesn't do the trick, we can treat an area with de-icer after the storm
Again, brine is a key tool for snow removal in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI. We pre-treat with brine whether we’re expecting a dusting, a few inches or a blizzard.
If you want the least risk of hazards and liability on your property, brine is your best bet. It’s kind of like cooking spray when you’re making scrambled eggs—it keeps the snow from sticking.
Our advice? Any trigger point greater than one inch is too much liability.
So once one inch of snow falls, RainMaster snow crews will come to plow it, pushing it to whatever location on your property we already pre-determined together in your snow removal contract.
Commercial snow removal is all about eliminating risk. It doesn't take much snowfall to create dangerous conditions, so it's important that your snow removal provider is on top of it.
Brine is a liquid mixture of water and salt sprayed on parking lots and walkways to prevent snow and ice from sticking.
What’s so great about it? Brine offers fast melting to reduce slick spots but without the damage to plants and surfaces that comes with rock salt, as brine uses significantly less salt. That means it’s much gentler for the environment.
Brine stays where we put it on paved surfaces without migrating into lawns and plants.
It’s safer for surfaces, too. Unlike typical salt, it doesn’t stick to shoes and boots and get tracked inside.
Once the snow starts to pile up, our exact plan of attack depends on what you’ve requested in your snow removal contract.
Every commercial property has its own unique needs.
Some are closed on weekends and don’t need Saturday snow removal. Some have parking lots full of cars at certain times, which dictates when plowing crews arrive.
RainMaster caters to your property’s unique needs. But in general, crews will be there multiple times throughout the snowfall so the snow doesn’t pile up.
Whether it’s two inches or seven, we keep it clear with whatever plan you’ve arranged, including plowing, hand shoveling and de-icing applications.
Speaking of hand shoveling, not all snow removal companies in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI, offer it. But sometimes, it’s the only way to safely clear entrances, pathways, steps, and stairs. Consider including it in your snow removal contract.
Do you have room on your property for plow crews to pile the snow when it starts to accumulate?
Not everybody does. That’s when you need snow hauling, and here at RainMaster, we do much of that. Snow removal in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI, often means relocating piles of snow off-site.
Some customers choose automatic hauling once snow reaches a certain depth. Others want to have a conversation first and decide on a case-by-case basis. Every site is different.
One RainMaster snow removal customer has room to pile snow, but that area is on a slope. When the piled snow melts, water pools at the bottom of the slope and becomes a hazard when it freezes.
For that reason, they opt for snow hauling in their snow removal contract.
When snowflakes melt and fall through a layer of freezing air, it creates a glaze of ice on the ground.
Ice is the worst. It’s treacherous and can make your property slick quickly, creating a huge liability headache.
RainMaster snow removal crews treat ice with de-icing products multiple times throughout an ice event, but freezing rain is one exception to our use of brine. Rain washes away brine, so there’s no sense in using it under those circumstances.
The products commercial snow removal companies use matter. Some ice melt products are terrible for the environment.
Traditional rock salt can enter area lakes and streams, jeopardizing the creatures that live there. It can also burn surrounding landscaping.
In addition to the brine mentioned earlier, RainMaster uses treated salt that’s less corrosive and much more environmentally friendly.
When a blizzard hits, it’s a safety nightmare. It brings fierce winds, low temperatures, and blowing snow that reduces visibility. Meanwhile, the snow can pile up.
Your snow removal contract, which we worked out ahead of time, will determine exactly how crews treat your property. Do you need curb-to-curb plowing or just a path in the parking lot? Is it critical that you remain open during the storm, or can you wait until the worst is over?
However, RainMaster snow crews generally return to your property to ensure it’s safe and clear.
A dusting? A few inches? Ice storm?
We’re on top of it, monitoring several weather reports, including a third-party weather forecasting service, to know what types of winter weather are coming and when.
Then, we touch base with you, going over the services in your snow removal contract and letting you know approximately when our snow crews will arrive on your site.
If a storm blows in at night, you can keep snoozing, knowing RainMaster crews battle snow and ice 24-7.
No matter what types of winter weather blow in, you want snow removal in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI, that promises reliability, peace of mind, a detailed plan, reduced liability, and solid communication.
When you’re ready to choose a snow removal professional, we can’t wait to meet you and help you make the best choices for your property with expert professional snow removal in Minneapolis, MN, and Eau Claire, WI.
Ready for dependable snow and ice management? Request a quote today! We’ll review your snow removal options together so you can make a great choice. Then, you can rest easy —through all types of winter weather.