How to Get Your Driveway Ready Before the First Snowfall
The first real snowfall in Toronto usually comes in late November or early December. A few minutes of preparation in the fall saves your lawn, your interlock and your garage door.
1. Put up driveway markers
Tall orange or reflective stakes along both edges of the driveway show the plow exactly where the pavement ends. Without them, the blade can tear up sod, garden edging and sprinkler heads hidden under the snow.
2. Clear the driveway of obstacles
Garden hoses, planters, kids' toys and loose stones all disappear under the first snow. Anything left on the driveway can damage the plow or get thrown into the snowbank.
3. Check for cracks and loose interlock
Water gets into cracks, freezes and lifts the surface. A raised paver or a broken asphalt edge can catch a plow blade. Fill or fix them before the frost.
4. Decide where the snow should go
Tell your crew which side of the driveway to pile snow on. Keep piles away from the side of the house where meltwater would run toward the foundation, and away from spots where they block the view onto the street.
5. Clean your gutters
Clogged gutters freeze solid, grow icicles over the walkway and feed ice dams on the roof. A fall cleaning is the cheapest winter protection a house can get.
More guides: Ice dams & roof snow · Rock salt or ice melt? · Sidewalk snow rules in the GTA