Professional snow removal is a great investment, especially in the Northeast. When November rolls around here in Pennsylvania, that can mean snow at any time. Preparing for snowfall is crucial for homeowners, to keep your family safe, and for business owners, for your customers.
Residential Snow Removal
Before the cold weather sets in, do you have a plan to clear your pathways, sidewalks, and driveways?
You shouldn’t have to break your back in order to walk or drive away from your house. When nature showers beautiful central PA with lots of snow, we can take care of that dreaded old chore: shoveling and plowing.
Snow and ice can lead to slips and falls, which frequently lead to broken bones and other injuries. The elderly are disproportionately affected. And fall injuries aren't cheap—the average cost of a hospital stay for a fall is over $30,000.
You can even be injured while shoveling—11,000 hospital stays per year are caused by shoveling, with issues like falls, muscle or ligament tears, cuts and fractures, and even death, from heart problems.
Let us do the work. We are Baker Landscaping, your professional snow removal service in chilly Huntingdon, PA, and surrounding areas. So when it snows, all you have to do is open the curtains to see your pathways and driveway completely cleared, for your convenience. You can’t stay buried by snow in your home forever; you’ve got to get out of there. You need Baker Landscaping! Let Baker Landscaping do the heavy lifting so that you can enjoy the wondrous sights of nature’s winter wonders.
Preparation
Make sure to prepare for cold weather. Here's a checklist for preparing for snow and ice this winter:
- De-icing material
- Salt for salting your driveway or sidewalks
- Covering or taking care of seasonal and non-native plants
- Snow removal: make sure your tractor, snow plow, snow blower, etc., is in good, working order. Or, call us, and let us handle it for you >
Preparing for a Snowstorm
In addition, the Department of Homeland Security recommends the following to prepare before a snowstorm or extreme cold:
- Make a Family Communications Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
- Make an emergency kit for at least three days of self-sufficiency.
- Keep space heater safety in mind: Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements. Remember to keep all heat sources at least three feet away from furniture and drapes.
- Prepare your home:
- Make sure your home is well insulated and that you have weather stripping around your doors and window sills to keep the warm air inside.
- Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector.
- Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
- Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
- Insulate your home by installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic from the inside to keep cold air out.
- Hire a contractor to check the structural ability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow - or water, if drains on flat roofs do not work.
- If you have a wood burning fireplace, consider storing wood to keep you warm if winter weather knocks out your heat. Also, make sure you have your chimney cleaned and inspected every year.
- Have at least one of the following heat sources in case the power goes out:
- Extra blankets, sleeping bags and warm winter coats
- Fireplace or wood-burning stove with plenty of dry firewood, or a gas log fireplace
- Prepare your vehicle:
- Fully winterize your vehicle: Have a mechanic check antifreeze, brakes, heater and defroster, tires, and windshield wipers to ensure they are in good shape. Keep your gas tank at least half full.
- Keep an extra emergency kit specifically created for your car. In addition to the basic essentials, consider adding a portable cell phone charger, ice scraper, extra blanket, sand for traction and jumper cables.
- Rock salt or more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency for a complete list of recommended products.
- Sand to improve traction.
- Make sure you have a cell phone with an emergency charging option (car, solar, hand crank, etc.) in case of a power failure.
- People who depend on electricity to operate medical equipment should have alternate arrangements in place in case power is out for an extended period of time.
- Plan to check on elderly/disabled relatives and neighbors.
- Plan to bring pets inside.
- Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it in case you lose power.
- Fill a gallon container with water and place them in the freezer to help keep food cold.
- A NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts alerts and warnings directly from the NWS for all hazards. You may also sign up in advance to receive notifications from your local emergency services.
Commercial Snow Removal
Baker Landscaping is the most trusted name in commercial snow removal in all-too-heavily-snowed-in central PA.
Open for Business Even on Snowy Days
Snow buries your business’s parking lot. Your car slides on the frozen pathways leading into the office complex. When this happens, call on us to help. We’ll give you assurance. Despite a heavy snowfall, the workday will commence, productivity will be unhindered, and business will continue as usual.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 42,480 workplace injuries in 2014 involving snow, ice, or sleet. These "required at least one day away from work to recuperate". Don't let a member of your team become a statistic.
When it snows, you need Baker Landscaping to handle the job. It takes a team of commercial snow removal specialists to clear all the snow and open up all the space necessary to handle commuting employees and arriving guests or clients. With Baker Landscaping, you can get ready to lead your workplace knowing that all of your employees will be there. You’ll be able to look forward to a productive day in the office.
Fall Liability
If someone falls near your business, the law could hold you liable.