While we don’t get as much snow as some of our northern neighbors, the white stuff can still pose a big problem here in the Asheville, North Carolina area. Quick and efficient snow removal is essential to ensure safety and convenience - but what should you do after the snow has melted and salt, grime, and grit are left behind?
Snow Removal Is Just the First Step
Waiting until after it snows to put a snow removal plan into place won’t cut it! You need to line up snow plowers or other subcontractors to handle the job (or get the equipment to do it yourself if that’s what you want to do). Make sure you have the proper insurance (e.g. workers comp, commercial general liability, auto liability, etc.). From there:
- Plan when you will remove snow. It’s best to do so before employees/tenants/customers/visitors, etc., arrive in the morning and/or before they leave in the afternoon. In your snow removal contract, make sure to specify how frequently they need to come (e.g. after any snowfall, after an inch, etc.) and that they will come back if snow continues to accumulate throughout the day.
- After hours plowing is also optimal. The parking lot should be empty (or close to) and your subcontractor or plow driver can remove snow, ice, and slush.
- If you have multiple parking areas, clear one and direct people to park there as you work on the others.
- Clear all walkways to and from the parking lots to reduce slip and falls.
- Apply salt. Salt dissolves snow/ice into water and lowers its freezing point. It is an important part of winter weather safety. According to the American Highway Users Alliance, using salt on roadways, and in parking lots, can reduce accidents by as much as 93 percent.
Cleaning Up After the Snow
When the snow melts, your parking lot is left with an accumulation of salt, grime, and grit. This is not only unattractive; it poses a risk to the vehicles that park there. Salt is incredibly corrosive and will eat away at the metal. If you use your parking lot for your own fleet or equipment, this can become a very expensive problem.
Another issue is that salt reduces the visibility of parking lot lines and wears them away. These lines are essential for safety and organization. Additionally, when the salt is tracked inside on shoes and boots, it can stain your carpet and flooring, leaving crusty, stubborn messes behind.
You can avoid all of these problems by pressure washing your parking lots after snow melts. This is a simple, effective cleaning method that quickly removes salt - as well as other debris - so your parking lot is safe, attractive, and able to live a longer serviceable life.
To keep your parking lots and other surfaces sparkling, contact the pressure washing experts at Mobile Magic today.
