Homeowners:
As a homeowner you need to protect your investment from the elements.  LH Jones offers the products necessary to maintain your property and provides the information you need to make educated decisions about snow removal and ice control.

Homeowners Associations:
You have a serious responsibility for the safety of all your members.  Don't shrug off preparing for winter as a last minute task.  The safety of all the homeowners is in your hands and they're counting on you to have your development easily accessible this winter.

Business Owners:
Did you lose sales because your parking lot, sidewalk, or facility was snowed in?  There's not much worse than losing business just because of some snow.  As weather events go, snow is one of the easiest to plan for and deal with once it arrives.  A little snow or a lot, having a plan to deal with it is critical to the survival of your business.

First step: Be Prepared.

There are three main types of personalities when it comes to Snow Removal & Ice Control (SRIC) planning.

1) The Ostrich: The ostrich thinks, or likes to think, it won't snow this year so they just stick their head in the sand and wait until April.

2) The  Grasshopper: Grasshoppers start to prepare but if it doesn’t snow before Christmas the grasshopper thinks it'll never snow so they drop the ball and get caught during winter's worst months.  

3) The Beaver: Always planning and ready, the beaver prepares for winter weather in the fall and has their action plan and/or equipment in place a ready to implement when the first snowflake drops.

The Truth about Winter:
Like it or not, it's going to snow this year.  Whether a little or a lot, this area gets snow every year so you need to be prepared. Not being able to get out of your driveway, having unruly homeowners knocking at your door asking why they can't get to work, or losing business because customers can't access your facility are all consequences to being unprepared for winter.  Losing your freedom to a little snow is not only inconvenient, it can cost you money, or worse, endanger someone's life.  With just a little planning you can be prepared for winter's worst and take on Old Man Winter.

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Doing it Yourself: Taking responsibility for your home, neighborhood or business is a big responsibility, so let’s get started.

Step 1:  Have a plan
You’re going to need to know exactly who’s going to be responsible for the job: you, your business partner, your son or daughter. Make sure the person responsible knows that they’re responsible, that they’re able to do the job, have the right tools to do the job and they understand what’s expected of them.  

Step 2: Assess the property
What needs cleared of snow? How much does it need to snow before it gets cleared? What about freezing rain, sleet or ice? Do steps need cleared or just the driveway or parking lot?  Know what needs cleared and when, and if you personally won’t be the one doing it all the time, have clear written instructions or a map showing what needs to be done.

Step 3: The Right Tools
What’s it going to take to get the snow and ice off your property? To an extent that depends on how much surface area you have. But, as a general rule, you should plan for the worst so you’ll be safe regardless. There will be times that we get blasted with snow and you should be prepared for times like that.  

If you have a short driveway or small parking lot maybe you can get by with a good snow shovel and a bin to hold some de-icing material. If you have a bigger job maybe you need a full size pick-up truck with a snow plow and salt spreader. Or, maybe you’re somewhere in between. If you’re not sure what you need call the snow experts at LH Jones for a free consultation.

Finding a contractor
There are several ways to find a snow removal and ice control contractor.  You can certainly look online or in the yellow pages, but the best way to find a reputable contractor is to ask around.  Your friends or business associates will have good and bad stories to tell about contractors.  Find a few that seem reputable and interview them.  

Also, call the snow experts and LH Jones.  We maintain an extensive list of snow removal and ice control contractors and would be glad to provide you with names of reputable contractors.

Define the job
Have a firm idea of what parts of your property need attention.  Do the entry steps need salted or will you do that yourself?  Is the sidewalk the responsibility of the contractor or will you shovel the sidewalk?  Know the answer to these things in advance and consider putting them in writing or drawing a map of your property highlighting which areas the contractor will be required to maintain.  

Ask for a written estimate
Don't be afraid to ask how much your particular job will cost.  A reputable contractor will readily provide this information.  If a contractor gives you the run-around, stay away.  

Ask for proof of insurance
This is by far the most overlooked facet of hiring a contractor.  Any legitimate contractor will gladly provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance upon request.  Hiring a contractor who has jobsite liability insurance in addition to increased coverage on their vehicle is critical to protecting your investment.  If you’re asking someone to be responsible for the snow removal and ice control at your property or facility you need to know that if something goes wrong or tragedy strikes, you’re protected.  Some contractors simply increase their automobile coverage wanting to insure only their equipment.  Insist that any contractor you hire have jobsite liability insurance for your own protection.  Typically at least $1,000,000 of coverage is expected.