Winter in Greater Chicago is unpredictable each year, often harsh.
Some seasons bring mild conditions, while others bring heavy snow and ice that can cause major problems. Typically, winter here isn't gentle—averaging 37 inches of snow annually with daily highs of 30 to 38°F. Lake Michigan often adds to snow levels through lake-effect snow, driven by north or northeast winds.
As a commercial property manager in Greater Chicago, including snow removal in your grounds maintenance plan is essential to manage winter challenges effectively.
Part of that job means avoiding snow removal damage from winter’s wrath, frequent plowing, and ice removal. You want to hire a company that treats your property well while doing their job to keep your visitors and guests safe in winter.
Preventing plowing property damage includes the following practices:
- Flag important areas
- Wrap sensitive plants and prune them before winter
- Shut down your commercial irrigation system
- Insert snow stakes at turf edge lines
- Hire a company that uses multiple ice-melting methods
- Find a commercial snow removal company before winter hits
Let’s discuss snowplow damage and snow removal damage liability concerns so you can prevent these issues while maintaining your site during this hectic season.
How to Prevent Snow Removal Damage on Greater Chicago Commercial Properties
Properly preparing for the impending snow and ice in Greater Chicago is essential for commercial property managers.
Why? Excess ice on your property can cause slips and falls and flooding as the ice melts. You can also risk cracks in your hardscape from freezes and thaws. With snow, you risk heavy weight on tree branches that can fall on buildings or vehicles.
The potential risks are all around you, so this work requires proper preparation and the right partnership to ensure success and limit or eliminate snow removal damage liability concerns.
Avoid snow removal damage with these strategies.
Flag Important Areas
Hiring the right professional for commercial snow removal in Greater Chicago means having a crew that flags anything protruding from the ground that could be damaged by a snowplow or truck.
This includes utilities or concrete walkways that are uneven. It also includes flagging paver areas that require rubber-edged plow blades and a different ice melt product.
To do all this right, your grounds management pro will do a walk-through before winter to help you flag key areas using safety cones or stakes. This reduces your risks for damage.
Wrap Sensitive Plants and Prune Properly Before Winter
Heavy snow and ice can wreak havoc on valuable trees and shrubs.
To protect them, wrap them in burlap to prevent sunscalding or other damage. This is especially important for new or young plants.
Of course, before winter, proper pruning can ensure weak branches aren’t left susceptible to falling and causing snow removal damage due to heavy snow and ice.
Shut Down Your Commercial Irrigation System
Watering your commercial landscape is essential, but forgetting to shut down your irrigation system can lead to headaches.
Irrigation systems must be winterized (sometimes called 'irrigation blowouts') before freezing temperatures set in. If standing water in your irrigation lines freezes, it can result in broken pipes, busted heads, and even flooding.
If your system is situated along pavement, flooding from broken lines can run during the day and refreeze overnight, creating dangerous icy areas without precipitation.
A proper irrigation system shutdown includes blowing out all water and shutting the system down before winter.
Insert Snow Stakes at Turf Edge Lines
Turf can be damaged by snowplows and road salt.
To prevent this, place snow stakes along driveway edges, parking lot islands, and other areas to signal where plows and salt should not go.
These highly-visible stakes help snow removal crews identify the boundary between pavement and lawn or planting beds, especially when heavy snow covers the area.
A professional, reliable snow removal company will even provide and install these stakes for you before the winter season begins.
Hire a Company That Uses Multiple Ice-Melting Methods
Your commercial snow removal company should have access to a variety of ice-melting products to prevent damage from road salt. In Greater Chicago, this includes rock salt and calcium chloride.
Rock salt, which is sodium chloride, or table salt, is cost-effective and readily available, except during severe, prolonged winter storms, which can lead to shortages. However, using rock salt near landscape beds can damage some plants.
Using it on large, open areas like parking lots, though, works great.
Using calcium chloride can help you avoid road salt damage to concrete areas. This product is more expensive but is less harmful to plants than other deicers.
Find a Commercial Snow Removal Company Before Winter Hits
To prevent snow-removal-related liability issues, you want to plan ahead.
This means finding a professional who offers commercial snow removal in Greater Chicago early enough in the season to ensure you are on their schedule and that they have time to properly prepare your property for the winter ahead.
Let KD Landscape Keep Your Property Snow, Ice & Damage-Free
It’s tough to envision the upcoming winter when the sun is shining. Despite the forecasts, it’s hard to see the feet of snow piling up or the inches of hard ice forming on your driveways and parking lots.
But Old Man Winter will knock on your commercial business door before you know it. And you’ll sleep better knowing you met with a snow and ice removal professional and have a plan to reduce snow removal damage ahead of time.
As a busy property manager, we know you want to cross this task off your list. Let KD Landscape help. We can save you time, money, and stress so your facility can make it through winter—no matter how bad the weather may be.
Want to learn more about KD Landscape’s snow and ice management services in Greater Chicago? Get started today with a consultation. We’ll review your options together so you can feel confident and make a great choice.
