Sometimes, this white color can be problematic. Whenever the snow season arrives, people start making that dreadful face. It’s time to fight the third state of natural water. The shovels, gloves and the courage come out to eliminate the snow.

It’s a tiring process and we can all agree to that. And if that’s not bad enough, imagine getting your back hurt in such shivering conditions. Doesn’t sound too comforting.

Is there any way to make snow removal easier? Of course, there is. It’s a cliché but as they say – work smart, not hard. While you can always hire a snow removal contractor, sometimes DIY solutions work just as good. So here are 5 snow removal tips that you should know before reaching out for that shovel.

Cooking Spray

If you are only dealing with lighter snow or only have access to a shovel, you can use some cooking spray to make the process easier. Spray some on your shovel and it will move through the snow easily and the snow will not stick to it. This way, you can work much faster.

Use Salt

This is the most common deicer that you can use and it’s easily available in any home. Spread it over before or after the snow falls and it will slowly melt away the buildup. Make sure to use it in moderation because if used excessively, it can damage the actual surface. And also, common salt won’t affect snow after 12F.

If you deal with big piles of snow regularly, it’s best to use salt specially made for deicing. Rock salt or common salt can damage the concrete or paint.

Bring Out the Leaf Blower

If the snow cover is light and fluffy then you can use your leaf blower to blow it away. It’s an easy and quick way to clear our slippery driveways or stairs. It’s also good to clean out cars.

But keep in mind that it only works with light-fluffy snow. Heavier snow is better dealt with a snowblower.

Use a Snow Blower

If you regularly face heavy snow buildup in your area then you should consider investing in a snowblower. These specially designed machines are capable of removing snow in a quick and efficient manner.

It’s best used when the snow is very wet, heavy and spread over a large area. Be cautious when operating it as any contact with the moving parts can lead to some serious injury.

Remove it Often

This point may seem to contradict the heading of this article but it is true. You should remove and clean the snow often. Don’t let the snow buildup. Managing few inches of snow every day is usually easier than plowing out multiple feet high snow. Nothing is worse than having heaps of snow in areas it shouldn’t be when the temperatures warm up.

This keeps the snow manageable so that it doesn’t build up and ice over time! So the main thing to keep in mind is – don’t be lazy.

Whether you are the owner of a house or a business, it is important to ensure that your parking lots are maintained well. Your maintenance needs may range from minor repairs to full blow replacements. In order to ensure that your needs are adequately met, you should find the right asphalt contractors who can provide you with efficient, on-time services while simultaneously providing you with value for money.

It is necessary for you to do enough research before you pick one particular company. You can do this by talking to friends and family or looking for recommendations online. Listed below are nine tips you can follow to hire an asphalt seal coating contractor-

1. Find out about the experience of the company- Companies that have more experience in the field are usually better equipped to deal with any issues that you may have. These companies also probably have both residential and commercial experience so you will not have to go to multiple companies for similar problems.
2. Ask for a free estimate- All reputed companies offer free cost estimates for the services they will be providing. This estimate should have a list of every tool and product they will be using in the process and how much each of these will cost.
3. Clarify Scheduling- Although there will be issues related to the schedule because of weather interruptions, make sure that you get a tentative schedule from the company that outlines a clear timeline
4. Insurance Coverage- The chance of an accident happening on site is minimal. However, it is better to be safe than sorry. Ensure that you hire a company that has insurance coverage. If it doesn’t, move on to a company that does
5. Find a company near you- The main reason for you to hire a company near you would be that they will have the necessary knowledge about the weather conditions in your area. This will allow them to make the right mixture as well as apply the seal coating at the right time
6. Ask for references- You can ask the company to provide you with recommendation from previous clients. Reputed companies will not have a problem with this request but if they are reluctant to provide you with names, you should treat this as a red flag
7. Check employees’ qualifications- while it is expected that reputed companies will employ only qualified individuals, this may not necessarily be the case. Make sure that you ask for proof of their qualifications in terms of the techniques to be used as well as their ability to handle appropriate tools
8. Certification and Licensing- One of the most important things you should check before hiring a company is whether it has been certified and licensed by the appropriate authorities. This information is usually readily provided on the company’s website. However, if it is not, you can ask the company for the necessary details
9. Check the quality of material- When you get your parking lots or driveways paved, you want the work to last. For this to happen, you should check the quality of the asphalt being used to pave and ensure that it is of top quality. Even if this ends up being more expensive, it will be worth it in the long run.

Action Home Services based in Canada provides several construction services including pressure washing and sealing as well as driveway sealing services. The company offers competitive pricing and hires only knowledgeable professionals whose combined experience totals over 70 years. Click on https://actionhomeservices.ca/ to contact their support team today!

If you are looking for the most dramatic and effective ways to enhance the appearance of your home’s landscape while increasing the space in your yard, building retaining walls is the way to go. Retaining walls are landscape additions to properties that are both functional and attractive. You can build retaining walls out of a variety of materials to meet both your purpose and design needs. To get the best results, hire a Toronto landscaping company to advise you on the best materials to use. This article will provide a guide to help you choose the best materials that you can use to build long-lasting retaining walls in your yard.

Brick

Bricks are the best materials to use when you are not going for a basic retaining wall. They are classic and relatively inexpensive compared to other materials. They are best used if your intention to build a retaining wall is to aid in slope control to guide the flow of water away from your home. Brick walls manage rock and soil distribution on a hilly property. Brick materials are reliable and they are easy to install. If you are looking to achieve beautiful, streamlined results, use rough-cut bricks in natural sand hues or red bricks for your retaining walls.

Rock

Boulders and natural rainbow river rocks make very good materials for retaining walls. They are easily available and very cost effective. They are best applied as decorative barriers around lines of trees or flower beds. Most homeowners prefer using naturally produced rocks because they provide a natural aesthetic appeal to a landscape. To get the best results when using rocks, pick rocks in different sizes so that you can arrange and stack them into a retaining wall of your choice. Different rock sizes bring out a natural appeal of your retaining wall making your yard look unique.

Cinder blocks

Cinder blocks are made from concrete blocks and they come in a variety of styles. They can easily be customized to fit different exterior designs depending on one’s taste and preferences. Cinder blocks are mainly used to reinforce existing retaining walls for additional width and strength. You can also use cinder blocks to create smaller barriers around your home to give it a visual appeal and also break up the landscape. Before embarking on building a retaining wall using cinder blocks, first you may want to compare the load bearing abilities of blocks available. Different designs include:

• Ribbed
• Vertical score
• Split-faced

Design a blueprint for your project to know how many blocks you need to buy before building your wall. Work with your landscaping company to get estimates of how much you need to spend in order to finish your project. It is wise to make bulk crate purchases in order to save on material costs than buying each piece independently.

Stone

If your main purpose for building a retaining wall is strictly for attraction, you need to use natural stone such as slate or granite. You have an option of building a retaining wall using brick or concrete materials and then use natural stones as finish to cover the front part of the retaining wall. Stones are available in different colors and sizes, and they are water or laser cut to fit a particular design.

Before building a retaining wall, you should create an outline of where the walls should be and how tall they should be. Check city ordinances in your area to ensure you build retaining walls that are within the set laws to avoid litigations. How much you are willing to spend on your project will determine the material you use for your retaining walls.

Installing paver stones in your garage, yard, and walkways and to pool decks enhances the overall beauty of your house and adds to the visual appeal of the outdoors. The ease of maintenance makes it the right choice for busy house owners. When interlocking pavers are set up it’s vital to keep them in great condition. Deal with them appropriately and they can keep going for quite a long time.

Follow these steps which will help you to keep your pavers look new and exquisite for a considerable length of time to come.

1.Sweep pavers regularly.

The most simple way to keep your pavers clean is by sweeping them whenever you can. Rain causes the accumulation of dirt, dust, and debris which in turn reduces the enamel finish of the sealed pavers and also dulls the color. Make use of a floor brush, blower or the hose to dispose of them. Although they can be washed away, wet leaves cause recoloring on pavers and make it look unattractive until at that point. Washing away the leaves before the rain protects the attractive appearance of pavers and spares you from the extra effort.

2. Keep Weeds Away

It is important for you to find a method to keep the weeds away so that your brick pavers or patio pavers remain clean and beautiful throughout. This can be made possible by setting up an obstruction between the old soil and the new sand base with a finishing fabric. Doing so prevents the weed from underneath from getting to your porch. It is also important for you to manage weeds during all season. Dirt that is present in the spaces between pavers contributes to the development of vegetation. Preen is a product which keeps seeds from growing and it can be utilized to prevent the growth during spring and occasionally through all seasons. Vegetation that develops should be pulled, and a herbicide like Roundup can likewise dispose of roots. Be very careful when you make use of herbicides because firstly they are not eco-friendly and there is a possibility that they may wash into your garden and cause harm to your plants.

3. Clean the stains.

A heavy oil stain can spoil the appearance of the blocks. Scrub stains using a liquid cleanser blended with water. Utilize a wire brush to expel the stain. In case of stubborn oil stains, use a 10-to-1 water and bleach mixture, liquid dish soap or Oxyclean to lift the stain. Enable it to sit for 15 minutes and wipe with a nylon brush. If you have a fresh stain, try placing kitty litter on the top of fresh spills, leave it on the stain for 24 hours and sweep away. Make sure that you first test the wire brush and cleanser for damage before applying it on the actual visible area.

4. Repair wherever required

On the off chance that one of your yard pavers is disfigured or broken or has become dull or is extremely stained, you can change it without irritating the stones around it. Introducing paver stones should be possible in just two or three hours to reestablish that pristine look. Fill the breaks between pavers with polymeric sand, which solidifies when soaked. This exceptional sand helps hold the pavers set up and keeps weeds from developing between the blocks.

5. Seal the pavers

Sealers are accessible in various styles, from matte to semi-gleam to polished sheen depending on the customer’s taste. Numerous individuals opt for gleaming pavers which can give your pavers a “wet look”, making the characteristic shade of the pavers seem more dynamic.