How to Shovel Snow

This article is a good place to start to learn how to shovel snow with safety, comfort and efficiency in mind. Want to avoid back trouble when you shovel snow? Then you'll want to consult this resource. But the article goes well beyond safety concerns: It's really a "How to Shovel" piece written for those with active minds. For one thing, my purpose is to provide you with a plan when you shovel snow, so that you can save yourself some time and trouble. But in addition, I wrote the article from the perspective of someone who finds such work about as boring as watching grass grow; and I supply you with some ideas for relieving the boredom.

In a mild winter, I prefer to use my plastic ergonomic snow shovel (see next entry). I.e., during winters in which there's only a small snowstorm here or there, with plenty of time to clear the driveway in between, plastic does the job just fine.

But I happen to have written this article during a severe winter, a winter that gave me an opportunity to put these respective products to the test under the direst of circumstances, to see which would come out on top. Read my review to find out when aluminum comes away triumphant, and when plastic literally just doesn't "cut it."

In this review I evaluate:

1. The Avalanche Ergo Plus ergonomic snow shovel
2. The Snow Blazer wide-grip snow shovel
3. The Penguin VersaGrip snow pusher

Along the way, I explain why I don't care to shovel snow with pushers. I also discuss what type of tool you should use to shovel snow off decks and what you should know about chopping ice.

OK, but maybe you're unable to shovel snow, yourself? You can easily enough hire a snow plow to clear your driveway, but what about pathways and porches? In this article, I offer some tips on finding someone to shovel snow for you. It's not easy (one can very well understand the frustration behind the oft-repeated saying, "You can't get good help nowadays"), but you can do it if you're persistent and if you don't mind undertaking a little "detective work."

Or maybe you're searching for other possible ways to clear a driveway or walkway? In the modern age, one shouldn't have to shovel snow, right? I lay out the basic alternatives in this article.

But lest you jump to the conclusion that a snowblower is necessarily the way to go, I discuss some of the drawbacks of snowblowers. Are they an option to consider? Yes. Are they a magic bullet for those who don't want to shovel snow? No.

My article also mentions a high-tech solution that, while unlikely to be implemented in the average driveway, remains an intriguing option.