silvergoldmagazine.ca
HOUSE + HOME
IT’S OK, LET IT SNOW
– By Brandon Gelderman
Yes, I live in Canada and love all four seasons, especially
the winter with snow. You may be cold, or cosy and warm
at this moment; it’s the season when you look at the world
through the window of your cave.
Dress warm, wear good footwear with lots of traction and
get outside! Not everyone gets to experience winter as we do.
Last winter as I went to get a hot cup of tea from the local
coffee shop in downtown Burlington, and smart Mr. Me,
I was wearing dress shoes. It was lightly snowing and with
lots of energy, I jumped out of the car and proceeded to the
entrance of the store. I felt one leg slip to the left and the
other to the right – Yes, I fell, and it wasn’t the nicest feeling.
I was irate and embarrassed at the same time. The ground
was slippery and I didn’t even notice. I thought, why didn’t
the store put down salt or ice melter?
Then I stood up and looked at the bottom of my shoes. Oh
yes, smart Mr. Me, the shoes I was wearing were slicks, like
wearing summer tires on my feet.
What I learned was, ALWAYS wear the proper footwear
during the winter months. You never know when we are going
to receive precipitation in this climate. I am sure that many
of you have experienced this before and possibly have had
a broken bone or sprained muscle, blaming someone else…
So be prepared, be aware of your surroundings, and look for
ice and snow before going outside.
Salt use
Many of you know that salt and ice melter is misused, and
people think that throwing down lots of salt will keep ice away.
Although it does help, it can also make the ground slippery
if too much is applied and piled in one area.
Wat ch o ut f o
t he p l a nt s ! r
The amount and duration of salt
exposure directly affects the potential
damage to plants. Whenever possible,
use coarse sand instead of salt to
provide traction on sidewalks and
driveways. Then, sweep extra amounts
off and away from plants in order to
avoid damage during spring regrowth.
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The best-case scenario is to clear the snow right to the ground
and have the sun melt the rest. A small amount of salt or ice
melter can be applied for precautionary reasons.
Once the snow and ice are melted, clean off the salt with
a broom. This will keep the entrance, carpets and buildings
cleaner during the winter season.
The best way to apply salt or ice melter on a sidewalk is to
put it into a manageable pail and fill it to the approximate
amount you may need. Wear some protective gloves to save
your hands from the corrosive material. Reach into the pail
and grab a handful. Now, the best bowling shot in your life.
Get ready and throw the salt toward the ground as you would
with a big bowling ball. Once the salt is equally distributed
you can walk approximately three large steps, then take your
next best shot on the walkway.
For the driveway application, picture throwing a curve ball,
throw it at the ground so it bounces and spreads evenly across
the driveway. Again, clean it off when the snow or ice melts,
with a broom or leaf blower.
The day after a snow storm
It is a sunny day after a beautiful snow storm, and the roof
above the front entrance has a large build up from the wind
blowing and the snow drifting. This is the perfect time to
get the broom, back of the shovel or roof rake, and clear the
snow that is fresh. Last winter there was a large amount of ice
buildup on the eavestroughs, causing damage to homes and
buildings. This process of removing the fresh snow before it
freezes helps to prevent the ice buildup.
If you can only reach the first three feet of the roof, that
will help to allow the rest to melt towards the eavestrough,
and not have a large build-up of snow, eventually turning to
ice on the day that it starts to melt, and then freezes at night.
Let it snow, let us be warm and let us enjoy this winter
because the majority of us chose to live here. We should
get outside and see the sunrise at the Brant Street Pier. One
incredible view!
So let’s get out of our caves, wearing the proper footwear,
dressing warmly and being safe! •
Brandon Gelderman is a landscape designer and
founder of Gelderlands Inc. in Burlington
905-637-1509 www.gelderlands.ca