17 Jan
5 Ways to prevent a Slippery Deck from Snow this Winter
Posted By Ervin in Gardening
Here come the snow and ice! Keeping your driveway, walkways, and steps clear and safe is one of winter’s most significant challenges. Choosing the right tools for the job the appropriate kinds of a shovel, deicer, snowblower and even sand and using them effectively can make a big difference to your safety and peace of mind. Your deck is just like any other outdoor walkway outside your home. It will probably get some use, even when the weather is cold and icy. Follow these simple steps to prevent a slippery deck for your house.
1. Be Ready for the snow and keep deck free of snow
Snow always piles up on your deck in this winter season. The pile of ice can cause many problems, also makes walking on the floor dangerous. So be careful that snow does not pile up in the deck. Shovel the snow from the deck from time to time to prevent the ice from forming from beneath. Use a rubberized or soft-edged shovel to avoid scratching and damaging the surface of your floor. Do not use Salt for ice removal. Salt ruins the wooden deck.
2. Treat your slippery deck before Icy weather
As there is a saying Prevention is better than Cure, treat the deck of your house even before its damaged. Painting your wooden deck with anti-slip coating will prevent water from penetrating into the wood and makes your cleaning more comfortable in the winter season. The life of the floor also increases by applying the anti-slip coating.
3. Apply anti-slip strips for slippery deck
For the areas that get too much of foot traffic apply these anti-slip strips to the slippery deck directly. These provide added grip and prevent you from falling. Anti Slip strips are an excellent idea for steps, too, especially if you plan on walking on them all throughout the winter.
4. Use Safe Techniques For Ice Removal
There are many techniques used for the removal of ice on your slippery deck. Shovels are mainly used for ice removal. Here are some of the precautions needed for Ice removal.
- Don’t use a metal shovel. It might damage the deck by the scratches made by you.
- Shovel parallel to your deck boards. Shoveling across boards rather than lengthwise increases the risk that your shovel will catch the edge of a board and damage the surface.
- Use broom for light snow.
- Don’t shatter ice on the deck; this will hurt the deck.
5. Use the Right Chemicals for Ice Removal
A wide range of chemicals is available for the ice and snow removal . Sodium and Chloride are considered safe for ice removal. But be sure that these substances are harmless for the wood of the deck. If using salt, make sure you rinse off after the snow is gone. Salt causes erosion on the hardware of the deck.
Worried about Slippery Deck and Snow Removal? Green Gold Landscaping provides Professional Snow Removal, Residential and Commercial Lawn care Maintenance services in all over Westchester County NY. Contact us! Or call 914-882-5459 for assistance.