# How do I clear snow on this driveway?



## Twikster (Dec 17, 2016)

While I don't mind shoveling at all when I was in Chicago where there's only your front sidewalks, stairs and backyard path to the alley, I didn't want to think about shoveling deep snow for this driveway where we moved so we got a snowblower. So far the snow has been light enough that I've been shoveling it all, but as snowblower newbie, I don't know how to clear the driveway where it's between the 2 houses, where do I blow the snow to?

It has to be cleared right up to the side of my house, and the neighbor's small patch is about 2.5' wide with bushes, but also windows. I don't think I should be throwing snow there and building it up along their house.

I just don't know how to tackle the section of driveway between the 2 houses, which is 40' long until reaching the front lawn areas where I can throw the snow. I'm hoping there's a way to do it without having to move the same snow twice from that section, since I can't really blow it left or right there. I don't have to clear the entire concrete in front of the garage in the back, I've only been shoveling to keep the south door clear and about half of the north door, so I'll have plenty of room to toss snow back there.

I hope my picture makes sense, I did a quick cut-and-paste from Google's map to get rid of the tree foliage so you can see exactly where the driveway is and added in black lines for a fence.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Edit: And it won't let me link an image within the post or even the link, hope you can get some idea of what I'm talking about.


----------



## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

You'll have to blow it one way or the other. You might check out a heated mat for that area and only turn it on when snowing.
You have to have a minimum number of posts (10?) before you can post photos.


----------



## pearlfinish (Oct 25, 2016)

Sounds pretty much like my driveway set up, mine is a little longer though. I just start at one end and blow it all to the other end...where I start usually depends on the wind. I can either start at the street, and blow it all to my backyard, or start at my backyard, and blow it all to the street. I can also do half in one direction, and the other half to the other direction. Like I said, depends allot on the wind.


----------



## Twikster (Dec 17, 2016)

I swear I looked everywhere for what the number of posts count is before you can link images and can't find it anywhere. 

Anyway, it sounds like I will be moving the same snow twice then for that one section at least. I was hoping there was some trick to avoid it. But I'll be thankful I'm not shoveling the same snow twice at least!  It's a two-stage blower, although a cheaper one. We were hoping to get a good used one, but couldn't find anything decent and wanted to at least take advantage of Black Friday sales.

Thanks for the advice.


----------



## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

I've got a congested area between one of my Barns and a Garage where I can't blow snow left or right . . . . so I *blow it straight ahead*. The snowblower is powerful enough to pick it up and blow it again and again. As a matter of fact, most snowblowers seem to *function best* when placed under a heavier load !

Forty (40) feet doesn't seem like it will be much of a task, provided you can learn to direct you discharge away from any windows in that area . . . . but you'll find a good technique for that. Start out just blowing the snow as far as possible out in front of you in the direction where you want it to ultimately be deposited, and maybe re-trace your steps back to the point of beginning, by just doing a little clean-up in order to take another cut at it on the second and third passes.

When moving a lot of snow like this, I've come to only try to take a bite equal to ½ or ⅔ of the width of my blower's scoop, and that ensures that I don't ever have much excess trailing behind.

Once you get it all moved to the back yard, you can maneuver it into a pile strategically located where it won't disturb your activities for the rest of the Winter. I have some piles where I stack multiple snowstorms up 12-15' tall !

Don't be afraid to move the same snow around a few times . . . . your snowblower won't complain about doing the work.


----------



## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

Vermont007 said:


> ... I *blow it straight ahead*. The snowblower is powerful enough to pick it up and blow it again and again. As a matter of fact, most snowblowers seem to *function best* when placed under a heavier load !...


This. I've a spot (EOD) I regularly attack like that, not tight per se but there's a house on one side and their kiln shed on the other. I go straight across the street and toss it into the very deep ditch on that side.


----------



## Twikster (Dec 17, 2016)

Yeah, I guess I'll have to just move it twice then. My driveway is about 100' long, the 40' is just the area where I can't blow snow left or right. The other side of my street is more houses, so I can't keep going and dump snow ahead, that would be nice if I could do that. I hadn't even considered a heated mat for that area, but I looked into it and they're pretty expensive for anything that size. I'm also not sure if they're sturdy enough to be driven over, and the thought of moving them constantly seems more work than just moving the snow twice.

Thanks everyone for the advice.


----------



## DuffyJr (Oct 15, 2015)

OP, sounds like my drive exactly. Mine runs north/south and the wind always comes out of the north northwest so it's always been a pain. When I'm blowing north I direct the shoot as low as it will go to minimize the snow blowing back at me. My reverse is to slow and pulling it back by hand is hard on my back and takes to much time either way. At least you won't be shoveling any more!

Now I've added a SS to my arsenal so I'm rethinking the whole process and just need snow to figure it out. I know I won't be eating any more snow, if I have to I'll blow it into a pile and get out the two stage to finish.


----------



## Twikster (Dec 17, 2016)

DuffyJr said:


> Mine runs north/south and the wind always comes out of the north northwest so it's always been a pain.


That's one good thing about my driveway I've already considered, it runs east/west. The wind from the north here can be brutal and is the only time lawn furniture and heavy door mats blow around. So I'm grateful I won't have to fight against the north winds at least.


----------



## guyl (Jun 12, 2016)

Snow blowing makes you much more aware of things like wind speed and direction when you look at weather reports! Planning around these things makes for a much more informed decision as to when to tackle the task. My total distance from storage garage to street is 150 feet, the first 70 of which there is little room to put the snow (and 30 feet of which is a covered car port), so some of the snow needs to be sent ahead to where it can eventually be sent to the lawn side on the last 60 feet. Fortunately this is usually the downwind side, unless I get wind from the north east. When those happen, it is usually worthwhile to wait it out until it dies down or reverts to the more usual direction.


----------

