# Snowblowing in a blizzard



## spitfire3416 (Jan 26, 2015)

I'm new to snow removal and have 19 driveways to do (2/3 of them we have to clear the walkways as well). We're looking at somewhere around 20" of snow to end by tonight. Should we go out now and get started or just wait till it's all down? there's already a foot out there


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

If it were me, I'd do a run now. With a blower, you're not building up banks as much that will drift back in like you'd gave with a plow


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## KildonanSnowRem (Oct 17, 2015)

spitfire3416;2101541 said:


> I'm new to snow removal and have 19 driveways to do (2/3 of them we have to clear the walkways as well). We're looking at somewhere around 20" of snow to end by tonight. Should we go out now and get started or just wait till it's all down? there's already a foot out there


Get out there now.

What blowers and how many guys working?


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

I would rather do 2 10" snows then 1 20" for sure.


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## 2005STX (Jan 7, 2014)

We had a storm like that in Chicago back in 2010 and all my customers know that once 6inches are down Im plowing it. I refuse to let it accumulate on my bigger lots. I got about 3 plows out of that storm. I have had all my customers for 10 years if you are reliable and exsplain to them that much snow kills trucks they will understand. If they don't then I would move on from that customer. GOOD LUCK out there


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

What kind of blower? Single stage, GET OUT NOW! two stage, depending on motor size you could probably wait, but why risk killing your equipment. I'd get out now clear your drives, then when the storm is over it won't take as long to clear, and your customers are happier.


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## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

*better to keep up with it*



JMHConstruction;2101580 said:


> What kind of blower? Single stage, GET OUT NOW! two stage, depending on motor size you could probably wait, but why risk killing your equipment. I'd get out now clear your drives, then when the storm is over it won't take as long to clear, and your customers are happier.


when it's like that here for resi's anyway, we do "cheap and dirty" no clean up in front of garage door, etc. Just try to keep everything functional, if anyone would need EMS service or ??? Most of them aren't going to make it very far even if they do have a running start from a clear driveway.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

If ur asking now, its to late.


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## 2005STX (Jan 7, 2014)

1olddogtwo;2101592 said:


> If ur asking now, its to late.


yea it is. Go easy lasts thing you want its something to brake


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## spitfire3416 (Jan 26, 2015)

JMHConstruction;2101580 said:


> What kind of blower? Single stage, GET OUT NOW! two stage, depending on motor size you could probably wait, but why risk killing your equipment. I'd get out now clear your drives, then when the storm is over it won't take as long to clear, and your customers are happier.


24" snapper 9 hp 2 stage, 22" craftsman 5 hp 2 stage, and then two toro 20" single stages. I'm afraid the single stages won't even make a dent in this


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

spitfire3416;2101541 said:


> I'm new to snow removal and have 19 driveways to do (2/3 of them we have to clear the walkways as well). We're looking at somewhere around 20" of snow to end by tonight. Should we go out now and get started or just wait till it's all down? there's already a foot out there


You can't leave your clients with a foot or 20'' even in a storm. You need to take care of the foot and the sidewalks now, Should of been long done. This makes no difference if your on seasonal or per trip that's a lot of snow. Should of had at least two trips on a foot.


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## SnowFakers (Dec 31, 2012)

Yeah once 6" is down it really should be done. We are around 4 inches now so ill give it another few hours. I also like to think about how long it takes me to do my route. It takes me 8 hours and I know ill hit it twice, and they say it will stop around midnight... It makes sense to go out at 4pm. Just be smart. But with a foot down already you shouldnt be on plowsite, you should be blowing


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

FredG;2101622 said:


> You can't leave your clients with a foot or 20'' even in a storm. You need to take care of the foot and the sidewalks now, Should of been long done. This makes no difference if your on seasonal or per trip that's a lot of snow. Should of had at least two trips on a foot.


Yes, this!!! You have no business leaving a foot of snow in somebody's driveway. What about pregnant wives, guys that have to get out to go to work, ambulance visits in an emergency??? Get out there and service your customers. Don't mean to be rude, but this would be a big deal to me if I were the homeowner.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

What about the 30mpg + wind?
Clear the drive just so it can drift in...?

Just do a quick messy job at best if you do at this time.
Get the bulk out.

There not going anywhere any way.
Call your customers and see when they have to get out.
Watch the weather.
When it starts to wind down, go hit it hard.

If EMS can get to them.
They can get to the house.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

SnoFarmer;2101675 said:


> What about the 30mpg.


Huh, didn't know they rated or care how many Miles Per Gallon a snowblower gets


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

1olddogtwo;2101687 said:


> Huh, didn't know they rated or care how many Miles Per Gallon a snowblower gets


Well, now you know.


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

Harleyjeff;2101663 said:


> Yes, this!!! You have no business leaving a foot of snow in somebody's driveway. What about pregnant wives, guys that have to get out to go to work, ambulance visits in an emergency??? Get out there and service your customers. Don't mean to be rude, but this would be a big deal to me if I were the homeowner.


The drives should be cleared you guys are right but my guess is these are secondary roads and probably havent been plowed yet so even if you can get out of your drive where you gonna go.


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## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

*un plowed roads*

I've gone into sub divisions at 2 a.m., 2 feet of snow, bigger drifts. Get 1/2 way down once there's 2 trucks stuck in the road. I plow around them, pull them both out. They aren't customers of mine. Then they want me to plow the rest of the road so they can get home. I told them no, asked them what happens when I get stuck? The closest neighbor came out from all the commotion. I plowed his driveway so the other guys had a place to park and they walked home.

Other time, I drive in, there's one of my competitor's truck and trailer stuck in the middle of the road, they are unloading the tractor from the trailer to blow a path. I turned around and went home for a 2 hour nap, then went back and did my drives.
Sometimes you have to draw a line.
Good times!


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

The only thing you're going to have luck with is your snapper. The craftsman will move too really help much, engine is too small (I have one as a back up and it's way underpowered). Hope you went out earlier, and everything went alright. Be safe.


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

I used 2 stage blowers for 9 years doing residential drives. And, 2 small 3,500 SF commercial jobs that opened late, short hours, not open every day.

None of my residential customers needed to have their drive open up to go to work.

Combine that with blowers are too slow to do anything twice and all my customers had no problem with waiting for the storm to end before I started. So there was no advantage to doing them twice when there was a storm.

Using a plow is a different animal. Because it makes sense push with a storm does not mean that's the way it should be done with a blower.

When you go out twice with a blower to do 6" in the middle of the storm then go out at the end and do another 6" is not going to make you faster. Basically all you are going to do is make the job take twice as long then if you went out once and did 2"


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

spitfire3416;2101617 said:


> 24" snapper 9 hp 2 stage, 22" craftsman 5 hp 2 stage, and then two toro 20" single stages. I'm afraid the single stages won't even make a dent in this


20" snow and 19 drives.

Your going to need 3 other guys to go out with you because you will need to have all 4 machines running to get that work done.

4 machines on 1 drive will be too much with everyone getting in others way.

Best to split up the work into 2 routes. With each route using a single stage and 2 stage. This way the 2 stage can get drive way opened up and the mail box cleared while the single stage is left for the easier stuff.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

32vld;2101817 said:


> 20" snow and 19 drives.
> 
> Your going to need 3 other guys to go out with you because you will need to have all 4 machines running to get that work done.
> 
> ...


The single stage won't do anything with 20" of snow. Maybe make quick passes with 2 stage and clean up with single? I'd be tempted to leave the singles at home and just use 2 stage. Also, again that 5 HP craftsman isn't going to do much in 20+" of snow unless it's in first gear moving about an inch at a time, stoping, then going another inch. I've done it, and it's miserable... Wished I hadn't wasted money.


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

As to getting a driveway open by a certain time that is always asked by the customer. And if they have a special need they will tell you.

I have found out quite often they will just ask when do you start your route out of curiosity.

If there is a special need as to when you start and depending on if you can do it or want to do it you work out an agreement.

Though what I tell my customers is that I always change up my route so that no keeps getting stuck at the end of the list.


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## johnnywaz (Oct 16, 2015)

LapeerLandscape;2101697 said:


> The drives should be cleared you guys are right but my guess is these are secondary roads and probably havent been plowed yet so even if you can get out of your drive where you gonna go.


Amazing, I read all these posts from the beginning, got to yours and chuckled. Cause I was literally thinking the same thing. We havent had any substantial snow here this year but the previous 2 winters in the sub I had lived in if you didnt have 4x4 or live on my street you didnt get out for 2 days. So even if your driveway was bare pavement didnt matter.


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

JMHConstruction;2101825 said:


> The single stage won't do anything with 20" of snow. Maybe make quick passes with 2 stage and clean up with single? I'd be tempted to leave the singles at home and just use 2 stage. Also, again that 5 HP craftsman isn't going to do much in 20+" of snow unless it's in first gear moving about an inch at a time, stoping, then going another inch. I've done it, and it's miserable... Wished I hadn't wasted money.


When the storms were bad enough I ran a 24" and 28" 2 stage blowers, and 1-2 men on a shovels. And we never did 19 jobs in 1 day.

This is why I suggest he throws everything he's got.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

So I guess the client won't care that his neighbor was clean and plowed with a truck. I also guess the client will close one eye because his service provider does not show up because he uses a walk behind blower. As a home owner I would expect the same service regardless of choice of equipment provided by contractor. Unless the clients are expecting the OP after the storm and agreed upon this is bad service. I would think a guy just starting out would perform a little better for repeat business. A foot of snow is a lot of snow to me. Or am I acting high again.


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

johnnywaz;2101830 said:


> Amazing, I read all these posts from the beginning, got to yours and chuckled. Cause I was literally thinking the same thing. We havent had any substantial snow here this year but the previous 2 winters in the sub I had lived in if you didnt have 4x4 or live on my street you didnt get out for 2 days. So even if your driveway was bare pavement didnt matter.


Its always nice to be ahead of the game when doing drives or lots with this much snow but sometimes its really funny, like where are you gonna go. :laughing: Thats right its bowling night I gotta get out.. :laughing:


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

johnnywaz;2101830 said:


> Amazing, I read all these posts from the beginning, got to yours and chuckled. Cause I was literally thinking the same thing. We havent had any substantial snow here this year but the previous 2 winters in the sub I had lived in if you didnt have 4x4 or live on my street you didnt get out for 2 days. So even when if your driveway was bare pavement didnt matter.


One time after snow too deep to drive, the snow stopped 9 am but my street was never plowed. I cleared off my drive, walks, stoop, decks, cars.

2 pm the town still did not plow my street. At the end on my road was a 2 lane state route and an occasional vehicle would pass.

So my son and I took a blower each and we staggered and cut a path side by side to the state road. The we did the same thing going back up the hill to our house. We then loaded up the truck and went and did our route.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

johnnywaz;2101830 said:


> Amazing, I read all these posts from the beginning, got to yours and chuckled. Cause I was literally thinking the same thing. We havent had any substantial snow here this year but the previous 2 winters in the sub I had lived in if you didnt have 4x4 or live on my street you didnt get out for 2 days. So even if your driveway was bare pavement didnt matter.


It matters to the person that needs or wants to get out after the city truck comes by. The op said 20'' expected not 4 or 5ft that will cripple the city. Your talking a small city population of 23K. If 20'' cripples the small city the city plow people are doing something wrong.


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

FredG;2101835 said:


> So I guess the client won't care that his neighbor was clean and plowed with a truck. I also guess the client will close one eye because his service provider does not show up because he uses a walk behind blower. As a home owner I would expect the same service regardless of choice of equipment provided by contractor. Unless the clients are expecting the OP after the storm and agreed upon this is bad service. I would think a guy just starting out would perform a little better for repeat business. A foot of snow is a lot of snow to me. Or am I acting high again.


OP is down in NJ. His customers like mine do not get the amount of snow that you boy's upstate get or get as many snow storms.

So I would assume that his clients are more like mine then yours. I have people that go away for the winter and want their Drive cleaned so the house looks lived in so thieves are not tempted to break in and rob them. And or they are on in years and or health issues, can't do it themselves no more, and either way they are retired so it does not matter when there Drive gets done.

They are happy to have some one that does good work and is dependable.

I have had people drop the last guy they had that used a plow and where happy to go with slow me because I used blowers.

To assume all of the OP's 19 customers have to make the 5:35am train into the city so he has no flexibility, or that all 19 customers have to be out of their house 5:35 Sunday morning to get on that train to go to work.

Everything is not black and white, even though the asphalt and snow are.


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## johnnywaz (Oct 16, 2015)

FredG;2101858 said:


> It matters to the person that needs or wants to get out after the city truck comes by. The op said 20'' expected not 4 or 5ft that will cripple the city. Your talking a small city population of 23K. If 20'' cripples the small city the city plow people are doing something wrong.


It was/is a HUGE city. Sterling Heights, Michigan population around 131K. I do agree they were doing something wrong (Totally inept!) These were only 12in storms. Lol... Also I was not saying to leave a person snowed in for days.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

32vld;2101865 said:


> OP is down in NJ. His customers like mine do not get the amount of snow that you boy's upstate get or get as many snow storms.
> 
> So I would assume that his clients are more like mine then yours. I have people that go away for the winter and want their Drive cleaned so the house looks lived in so thieves are not tempted to break in and rob them. And or they are on in years and or health issues, can't do it themselves no more, and either way they are retired so it does not matter when there Drive gets done.
> 
> ...


Maybe I should go buy some walk behind blowers so I can get some driveways on Gray fox lane. :laughing: Must be nice to have clients that don't give a fat rats A$$ service provider shows when he wants. It's not my business to know when they want or need to get out. My business is to make sure they can get out period with no avenues to it.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

johnnywaz;2101876 said:


> It was/is a HUGE city. Sterling Heights, Michigan population around 131K. I do agree they were doing something wrong (Totally inept!) These were only 12in storms. Lol... Also I was not saying to leave a person snowed in for days.


I was assuming the OP was in South Plainfield which I thought was in Mass.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Looks like it comes down to the clients. I know when I did residential with blowers I would go out multiple times, and my clients knew that. But I also charged per time I came out, and said I'd be there every 5-8" on large storms. They hired a professional for a reason, not some kid with a shovel after a storm from CL.

Just my two cents. Not saying others business plans or models don't work for them.


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

JMHConstruction;2101928 said:


> Looks like it comes down to the clients. I know when I did residential with blowers I would go out multiple times, and my clients knew that. But I also charged per time I came out, and said I'd be there every 5-8" on large storms. They hired a professional for a reason, not some kid with a shovel after a storm from CL.
> 
> Just my two cents. Not saying others business plans or models don't work for them.


I have a base price and for every inch the snow gets deeper the price goes up. Asphalt 1" trigger, gravel 4".

We got 24" yesterday. 

This is my first year with a plow. Yesterday I did my 1st round of pushes on my route. Though all the snow blower work was left for todays clean up run.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

So OP, long day and not much sleep, probably out again today. How did it go?


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

JMHConstruction;2102202 said:


> So OP, long day and not much sleep, probably out again today. How did it go?


He did not post he went yesterday, If he did not you know he's out there.  :waving:


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Had 26 inches in the shop lot. Drifts at house were 4 feet. We do roads for the township. Our sections were Thumbs Up


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## KildonanSnowRem (Oct 17, 2015)

32vld;2101815 said:


> I used 2 stage blowers for 9 years doing residential drives.


Wow. Thats unfortunate.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

KildonanSnowRem;2102802 said:


> Wow. Thats unfortunate.


Everyone has their own way of doing things. Personally I hate how slow the 2 stages are, but where I live we don't get huge amounts of snow. When we do, my guys can usually keep up with it. If not though, or if we get called to a place that hasn't been touched, 2 stage save the day. Everything has its purpose.


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## 2005STX (Jan 7, 2014)

JMHConstruction;2102841 said:


> Everyone has their own way of doing things. Personally I hate how slow the 2 stages are, but where I live we don't get huge amounts of snow. When we do, my guys can usually keep up with it. If not though, or if we get called to a place that hasn't been touched, 2 stage save the day. Everything has its purpose.


You have to have both. I don't do a lot of houses but I have a lot of long walk ways on apartment buildings and sometimes you need the big 2 stages and sometimes you need the toros. Every year I just try to keep adding a piece of equipment, whether its a blower, plow, walk behind spreader...
and take care of it. Best advice I got when I started was take care of your stuff. Its worked out for me


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