Greater Chicago snowstorms can be pretty intense.
In fact, in January 2025, the polar vortex brought us some of the coldest weather on record with sub-zero temperatures and wind chills as low as negative 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Not only did this lead to wet and slick roads full of ice, but flurries also piled up the snow.
Moments like this that last a few days or weeks can wreak havoc on your Greater Chicago commercial property.
If you don't manage the ice and snow, your office park may become inaccessible for employees, your healthcare facility unreachable for patients, your retail center unwelcoming for shoppers, and your industrial facility unable to receive deliveries.
All of this means you can’t afford not to have a commercial snow removal contract in place to handle Old Man Winter’s mood swings.
On top of that, you want to be able to trust your snow removal provider to do the job effectively, efficiently, and without causing you more problems. You can’t believe they’ll take care of the snow and ice and then see sidewalk damage in winter or snow plow damage when they’re finished.
Despite how intense these storms can be or how involved and time-consuming the clearing is, you shouldn't have to experience issues like these along the way:
Let’s talk about these common types of snow removal damage, so you can identify whether you need to find a new provider for your commercial snow removal in Greater Chicago.
If you want to keep your property safe and accessible in winter, you must hire a reliable company that offers commercial snow removal in Greater Chicago.
But what happens when your snow removal service causes more harm than good?
If you’ve started noticing damage to your sidewalks, parking lots, or landscaping, your provider may be cutting corners.
Here, we’ll look at the signs of snow removal damage, what causes them, and how to prevent costly repairs.
A commercial snow plow is a heavy-duty machine. In the wrong hands, it can wreak havoc on your commercial property.
If you notice chunks of curbs or sidewalks missing, that plow may be scraping against concrete when it doesn’t need to be. These hardscape repairs can add up.
If that plow goes into a landscape bed, it can damage trees, shrubs, or plants.
If the company you hire piles excess snow against buildings in certain areas, this snow plow damage can lead to building damage in the form of flooding, frozen pipes, or even safety hazards.
In addition to plowing snow, you must have ice melted at your facility to prevent liability issues resulting from slips and falls.
Deicing materials do wonders to keep walkways, parking lots, and entryways safe.
But applied by the wrong people, they could lead to cracks and potholes in driveways and parking lots, white residue staining, and salt runoff, which could leach into turf and landscape beds, potentially damaging trees and shrubs.
Another challenge that can lead to snow plow damage is where the melting snow is stored. Why? This can lead to drainage issues on your commercial property.
Improper snow placement can block drainage areas, leading to pooling water. This can create flooded parking lots and walkways.
As this runoff goes, it can refreeze, creating slipping hazards and potential liability issues.
Snow plow damage can also impact your lawn.
If your snow and ice management professional doesn’t properly flag your turf areas, then the snow plow can continue to impact lawn areas at the ends of driveways or parking lots.
This can create damage that needs costly lawn renovation to fix.
The potential risks for snow and ice business impacts and liability concerns are all around you.
This is why this work requires the proper preparations and the right snow and ice management professional partnership to ensure success and limit the common types of snow removal damage.
Hire a company that does these things to prevent damage on your facility grounds:
Make sure your crew flags anything that protrudes up from the ground and could potentially be damaged by a snow plow or truck. This includes utilities or uneven concrete walkways and paver areas that require rubber-edged plow blades and a different ice melt product.
Heavy snow and ice can wreak havoc on valuable trees and shrubs. Wrapping them in burlap can help you avoid sunscalding or other types of damage. This is especially important for new or young plants.
Forgetting to shut down your irrigation system before winter can lead to freezing, which can break the system and cause flooding.
Commercial turf can suffer snow plow damage and rock salt damage. Avoid this by inserting snow stakes along driveway edges, parking lot islands, etc. to keep plows and salt applications away.
To avoid rock salt damage, your commercial snow removal company should be able to use multiple forms of ice melt products. In Greater Chicago, that means rocks salt and calcium chloride. Rock salt is sodium chloride or table salt. It is inexpensive and easily available except when extreme and extended winter weather causes local shortages.
However, rock salt can harm some plant life if used too close to landscape beds. Using it on large, open areas like parking lots, though, works great. Using calcium chloride can help you avoid damage to concrete areas. This product is more expensive but is less harmful to plants than other deicers.
A professional team will avoid piling snow near entrances, drainage areas, or structures. They will ensure runoff flows away from sidewalks, buildings, and landscaping.
Lawn and landscape damage made in winter can leave you with many issues that can take time and cost you a lot of money.
A reputable snow removal provider will understand the nuances of effective, damage-free service.
A company you want to hire will train its operators with proper plowing and deicing techniques, use premium materials, and proactively plan to prevent any long-term damage.
If you’re dealing with a cracked sidewalk, torn-up lawn or salt-damaged pavement, it might be time for you to rethink the provider for your commercial snow removal in Greater Chicago.
As you consider your options, give KD Landscape a call. We can talk to you about how we address snow and ice removal on commercial properties in Greater Chicago and show you how we make sure your property stays safe and intact all winter long, so you don’t have any surprise repair bills in the spring.
Want to learn more about KD Landscape’s snow and ice management services in Greater Chicago? Get started today with an on-site consultation. We’ll review your options together so you can feel confident and make a great choice.