Colorado is well known for getting a healthy blanket of snow each winter. And while it might make for some great slopes and a well-deserved vacation to your favorite ski hill, it’s a huge paint for any homeowner who has a deck. Having to get out there and shovel off the deck with each fresh snowfall is a chore that most would rather skip.
Why Shovel Your Deck?
So, why not just skip the deck shoveling? It’s not like you’re going to be using your deck this winter, right? Well, while that might sound like the best idea you’ve had all week, it’s actually a bad one. As much as you might hate it, it’s important to shovel your deck.
Shoveling snow off your deck accomplishes a few important things. First, it alleviates a lot of stress on the decking itself. Snow is heavy! Leaving hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of wet, compact snow on your deck for the better part of the season may cause your decking to sag after just a few years. Considering the money you invest in deck building in Loveland, CO, stopping this from happening is paramount.
Removing snow is also important because it prevents the melt and freeze cycle. If snow melts off under the sun, it might seem like your shoveling chore has been done for you. Unfortunately, that melted snow is almost certain to re-freeze as ice on your deck, making it brittle. Worse yet, if your wood decking has absorbed any of that moisture and it freezes, it’s going to expand and warp.
Why Use Plastic Shovels and Ice Melt?
When you do finally get up the motivation to shovel off your deck, make sure you’re doing it the right way. That means laying down deicer and using a plastic shovel.
Ice melt serves the all-important purpose of getting rid of ice, which, if pried up with a shovel, can cause damage to your decking. This takes care of the problem, while also softening up the snow you have to deal with.
A plastic shovel is the best tool for snow removal, instead of metal shovels or those tipped with a metal edge. Metal will chip, gouge and scrape your deck as you diligently remove snow, leaving you with a battered façade come spring. There’s no reason to cause your decking damage—use a plastic shovel instead.
A Few More Tips
There are also a few more things you can do to make your life a little easier during the winter months:
- Shovel when the hot sun is out, to loosen up the snow
- Remove everything from your deck before the first snowfall
- Plan ahead for snowfall and lay down a safe ice melt beforehand
- Use two shovels—one big and one small—for navigating your deck
- Use a brush for deck railings and other fixtures
The last thing you want is to have spent money on deck building in Loveland, CO, only to see your finished deck deteriorate after just a couple of winters due to unmanaged snow. This year, take the steps to keep it free of snow and ice!
