Do Snow Plows Damage Parking Lots?

When it comes time to prepare for winter, parking lot owners and managers face extra stress. They need to worry about ice and slip hazards. They need to find someone who can clear their parking stalls and drive lanes when it snows. More than that, they need to find a snow removal contractor that won’t recklessly damage their parking lot.

The key to your sanity and peace of mind is finding a professional contractor to handle your snow removal. Those who choose to do it themselves – or hire inexperienced drivers – significantly increase the likelihood of parking lot damage.

The Challenges of Underlying Conditions

To begin, pay attention to underlying conditions that commonly lead to asphalt or concrete damage. Cracks, dips, and other uneven edges can catch a snowplow’s blade and result in damage. These concerns are often present in aging parking lots, but they can also be found in newer lots with installation defects.

The value of plowing equipment and technique

For starters, a professional snow removal contractor will come prepared with the right equipment and techniques. They’ll often protect your asphalt with rubber or polyurethane cutting edges, placing them on the blades to soften the plow’s impact on your parking lot. In other instances, they’ll set their blades half an inch above the surface, so that the snow can be cleared without the blade directly contacting your asphalt.

Residential snow clearers don’t typically have these resources and skills in their repertoire. What’s more, they’re often ill-experienced at protecting curbs. Rookie drivers don’t realize how even minor impacts can crack, dislodge, or otherwise damage the curbs that line your driving lanes and/or parking stalls. Professional contractors, on the other hand, train their drivers to be wary of these concerns and take appropriate precautions.

The benefits of professional expertise

Beyond that, professional snow removal companies deliver peace of mind with their expertise and knowledge. They don’t wait until damage occurs to point out how you can avoid costly repairs and make your parking lot safer. They will proactively tell you what kind of preparations you can undertake to lessen the chance of damage without compromising the safety of your parking lot patrons.

A professional snow removal contractor will also be upfront about the limitations of their protective efforts. They’ll know that the greatest threat to your pavement is the natural and unavoidable freeze-thaw cycle. In the end, mother nature always outlasts concrete and asphalt.

Burnaby Blacktop is Greater Vancouver’s trusted paving and snow removal contractor

As a reputable paving contractor, Burnaby Blacktop knows the ins and outs of caring for your parking lot. We’re proud to deliver high-quality asphalt and concrete installations, and we’re just as proud to care for your existing lots with snow removal and salting services.

Contact us today for a detailed estimate. Our estimators will arrange a time to review the parking lot with you in person. The sooner you contact us the better. This site visit allows us to make sure that we’re addressing all your safety concerns. It also gives us an opportunity to identify areas of concern and help you prepare for winter – before any snow falls.