There are many different types of equipment options for snow removal. Snow removal by nature, is basically routine excavation of well...Snow. The options for snow removal equipment is very wide and often interesting!
One of the reasons why you see a lot of excavation companies in the northern regions who also offer snow removal services, is because it is a bog scope of work for moving a lot of material at once.
In most cases it is not always about the equipment that the contractor possesses, but how it is used and the strategy they choose to be most efficient and provide the best service.
The most common combination of equipment is a light or medium-duty pickup with a snow plow, and a snow shovel. This combination does well, but it also has its limits when it comes to very large areas. Often this combination will be seen paired with a front end loader with a snow bucket attached to help control the volume.
Consider things like snow removal for brick pavers, or snow removal for epoxy coated surfaces. These are not ideal surfaces to drop a 900lb snow plow on and drag a steel blade across it.
A rubber or poly edge is the proper form of equipment that would need to be used in those situations. A poly bristle power broom can often prove to be a great option for these cases, but even then, the limitation would be too much accumulation in a short period of time.
Power equipment is always the best option for snow removal, it is the fastest option, can handle the most workload and provides the least amount of strain on the operator. Although a hand shovel has its place, it also has many limitations.
In cases where snow storage is limited or even non-existent, a snow blower/snow thrower is the best and sometimes only option to relocate snow. This type of removal does just what it says...blows and throws. This type of equipment can come in all shapes and sizes, from handheld and sidewalk size pieces, to roadway and even railroad applications on large heavy equipment.
This service is very important and a big part of snow removal that is often overlooked. Managing and removing ice is a strategic task and planning around the weather is critical for success. A good ice-melt product and application not only removes ice, it creates a teflon-like layer between the new snow and the surface to be plowed. This makes removing the snow much easier and keeps your property very well maintained.
There are different options for getting rid of ice or managing it when it is there, products like
Are all products that are used and work well for the right application.