A Snow shovel is the conventional snow removal tool that homeowners routinely use during the winter months. It is one of the easiest and efficient methods for removing snow on a driveway. However, for a variety of reasons, people do not always have a shovel handy to take care of the mess. So, are there other options instead of a snow shovel to remove snow for the driveway?
Below we have put a compilation of some unconventional methods to remove snow from a driveway without a shovel (or snow blower). Admittedly, some of these solutions are not ideal, but they can be used when you are in a pinch.
Leaf Blower
A leaf blower is a decent solution for clearing snow from a driveway. Ultimately, the amount of snow you will be able to clear will depend on the power of your leaf blower, the amount of snow, and the weight of the snow. If the snow is heavy (wet) and piled high, you likely are going to need a different solution. You can see in the below video that a powerful backpack leaf blower does a pretty decent job on light accumulation of snow.
Plywood Method
The man in the below video did an excellent job thinking outside of the box by coming up with a temporary solution to remove snow from his driveway. A 4×4 piece of plywood surprisingly does a nice cleanup job on what looks like a powdery type of snow. It may take a bit of muscle to maneuver the board, but in a pinch it will do the job.
Sweep It
If you have a dusting of snow, you may be able to get away with sweeping it away with a broom. This is especially true if you have a small area to clear away snow. A broom can be a good option to remove snow from a deck because it tends not to damage the wood or composite decking.
Tarp Method
A tarp can be placed on the driveway before a snowfall, which will catch the snow. Once the snow stops, the tarp can be removed and dumped elsewhere leaving a clean driveway. Let us explain a disclaimers before you consider using a tarp. This method likely will not be helpful if it snows several inches and you plan on manually moving the tarp. This video (click here to view) shows how difficult it can be to move the tarp after a decent snowfall due to the weight of the snow.
Pitch Fork
If you have compacted or icy snow, a pitch fork can work as a temporary snow removal method in lieu of a shovel. As you can see from the below video, a pitch fork does a solid job chipping away icy snow to the ground surface. However, it may take some time to actual remove the snow onto the grass with only a pitch fork.
Snow Rolling
If the snow has the right moisture content, it can be rolled off the driveway by hand. You simply ball together some snow on the ground and start rolling like you would roll up a large rug. If you have kids, they may actually want to help with the process and build a snowman or fort with all their hard work!
The post How to Remove Snow from a Driveway without a Shovel? appeared first on Peak Yard.
