In recent months, the City of Laramie has cracked down on their snow removal code – and for good reason. Every winter, hundreds of Laramie’s residents sustain mild to severe injuries because of falls on slippery snow or ice. Many of these accidents can be prevented by shoveling snow off of sidewalks before it becomes a hazard. You can do this yourself or hire a snow removal company to do it for you. Either way, here are some things to know about the code itself and the easiest way to remove snow and ice from your sidewalks.
What Does The Code Say?
Laramie’s snow removal code is pretty straightforward. Property owners are required to do the following:
- Remove all ice, snow, mud, and other debris from all sidewalks bordering their property
- The path cleared must either be a minimum of 42 inches wide, or must encompass the entire sidewalk – whichever is less
- Sidewalks must be cleared by 12 P.M. (noon) the day after the snow falls
If you don’t remove the snow and ice from your sidewalks, the city will post a “violation notice in a conspicuous place” (think your front door or window) giving you 24 hours to clear the walkways. If the snow isn’t taken care of by the time your 24 hours are up, then the City may hire a contractor to remove the snow and ice. They’ll forward the contractor’s bill to you and you’ll be responsible for paying both it and a $50 fee. Trust us, it’s much cheaper to do the removal yourself!
Snow Removal Tips and Tricks
When the snow flies, you can either take care of it yourself, or hire a company in Laramie to come do it for you. If you’re older or on vacation, we recommend the latter because it’s so much easier. If you’re doing your own snow removal, here are some tips and tricks to make shoveling easier on you.
- It’s easier to shovel snow when it’s recently fallen and hasn’t settled. This is also true of areas like the University and downtown that get a lot of foot traffic – take care of it quickly before pedestrians pack it down and make it harder to shovel. The sooner you shovel those sidewalks the better!
- If the snow has been packed down because of traffic, use a sturdy metal shovel with a sharp edge. It’ll make it much easier to pry the snow and ice up.
- Shoveling snow can be hard on your back, so make sure you bend your knees to help take some of the strain off of it and avoid twisting and turning as much as possible.
- Make use of rock salt! It will help you melt those last stubborn ice patches, especially if the sun comes out to help.
- Did you know that shoveling snow burns 223 calories per half hour of work? What a great way to burn off all those wintertime treats!
If you have any questions about snow removal or would like to hire our team to take care of your snow removal needs, feel free to give our experts at Tough Guys Lawn Care a call at (307) 745-9670.