From David Beaulieu,
Your Guide to Landscaping.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

It's that time of year again in the snowy north, as our attention turns to snow-removal equipment. The lawn mower has been retired for another season, stored away snugly somewhere until the growth of the green grass becomes a sweet "problem" once again. Now, it's snow removal (from areas where it's not wanted, like your driveways) that poses a problem for landscapers. There are a number of different options for snow-removal equipment, each with its own set of pros and cons. What follows is a brief overview of snow-removal equipment options.

You can, of course, use snow shovels as your snow-removal equipment.

• But this method of snow removal may not be an option for those with weak backs.
  
  
• Nor is it as easy as it once was to find a kid with a shovel in the neighborhood who'll take care of snow removal in your yard in exchange for a reasonable pay.
  
  
• One alternative worth exploring for those with strong backs -- but who are just plain out of shape -- is the ergonomic shovel.

Or you can blow the snow away, using a snowblower as your snow-removal equipment.

• But snowblowers take a bite out of your pay, and they require maintenance. They also require storage space. For those without garages, this may be a tough requirement to meet. Ditto for those who do have garages, but who can never stand to throw anything away, preferring instead to just toss everything in the garage ("You never know, I might need this someday...").
  
  
• Remember also that there's a reason this beast is named a "snowblower": It blows snow, not slush. Many people who pay for a snowblower thinking that they're purchasing a device that will solve all the problems caused by winter precipitation fail to take into account that Old Man Winter doesn't always serve up the powdery version of the white stuff. Stickier, slushier versions will pose problems for your snowblower.

If you don't have the storage space to house a snowblower, one alternative is to enter into a sharing agreement with neighbors.

• In an article appearing in "The Wall Street Journal Online" ("Choosing Your Weapons For the Winter Season," filed January 29, 2002), Jeff Zaslow reported on the phenomenon of "plowsharing," or using a community snowblower to serve the snow-removal needs of a number of homes at once. Zaslow noted the complaints of snowplow truck drivers that business had dropped 15% to 20%, because more people were taking snow removal into their own hands again.
  
  
• Sharing is a great idea, if your neighbors are pals of yours; otherwise, difficulties can arise here, too.

If you have a truck, you could consider buying your own snowplow and attaching it to your truck, so that you could have your own snowplow truck. But for those who do not have a truck, the question is: Can you afford monthly bills to pay for a truck? Ford, Chevy and Dodge might approve of this snow-removal equipment, but your bank account might raise objections.

On Page 2 we'll look at a couple more options for snow-removal equipment....