Clearing snow from your driveway can feel straightforward until hidden edges, curbs, and landscaping create a risky guessing game. One wrong pass with a shovel or plow can lead to damaged driveways, broken sprinklers, injury, or other costly mistakes.
That's where driveway markers for snow come in. These underrated winter tools might not be the most aesthetic addition for your curb appeal, but they are an important safety feature that can make removing snow safer and easier.
Here's why the experts recommend them as part of your essential winterizing a house checklist, and how to use them correctly.
Using Driveway Markers for Easier Snow Clearing This Winter
They might not be the most aesthetic addition to your front yard, but driveway markers are an important safety consideration in areas that experience deep snow each year, helping signal important features on your driveway or front yard.
Removing snow from driveways can be a tedious task at best, made worse when you can't work out exactly where your yard begins and your driveway ends.
While you could remove snow from all of it, it is a dire waste of time and energy, not to mention that removing snow from grass and plants can damage them. That's where markers come in to show you exactly where you need to clear without wasting time or energy.
Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal, explains, 'Driveway markers are one of the easiest tools to make snow removal faster and safer for anyone. The purpose of these is to help you see the edges of the driveway under deep snow, protect lawn edges from a snowblower or plow, and to make sure that vehicles don't drift off the pavers during plowing.'
These simple additions can also make parking in light snow easier, too, avoiding any accidental straying onto your lawn, especially if you have guests parking on your property.
'Products that I have used in the past that have worked well are flexible polyethylene snow stakes with reflective tops,' Gene says. 'These make the stakes visible at day and night.' The Hillman 48-inch driveway markers from Lowe's are a good example of this, offering enough flexibility to withstand strong weather and minor collisions without falling or breaking.
How to Install Driveway Markers for Maximum Benefit
A common home maintenance mistake to never make in winter is installing your snow markers incorrectly. Putting them in the wrong places or not securing them well will render them almost useless when heavy snow arrives.
Gene says, 'I recommend installing them every six to eight feet along both sides of the driveway. Make sure to firmly push them into the ground before the first snowfall. But make sure you're not pushing them in too deep and that they remain 18 to 36 inches above the typical snow depths in the area.'
Within the marked area, you can then decide on the best method for removing snow, be it skipping ice melt and using sand, or opting for a quality, top-rated snow shovel from Amazon to remove snow quickly and precisely.
You can, of course, fit snow markers after clearing the snow on your driveway, to help you on the next shoveling mission, but bear in mind the ground will be harder, and getting them in might prove to be quite hard work. You might choose to wait until there is some let-up in the cold, but preparing ahead for the next snowstorm will serve you well.
What to Shop
These driveway markers are designed to be highly visible at night and in adverse weather conditions.
This 100% Magnesium Chloride formula won't burn or irritate pets' paws and comes in a round pellet form with no jagged crystals.
Designed for comfort, durability, and ease of use, this large shovel makes tackling heavy lifting and challenging tasks during the winter season simpler.
This electric snow blower can easily and automatically clear snow that is 14.4 inches wide and 6.3 inches deep, and throw it to a distance of 26 feet. It operates for 35 minutes in one charge.
Your driveway isn't the only consideration in heavy snow. Adding heat cables to your roof can help to prevent ice dams in freezing weather, reducing the risk of roof leaks.
Avoid risky slips when clearing snow and ice by using slip on snow cleats over your winter boots.
Meet the Expert
Markers are just one of the ways you can prepare your home for a snowstorm. When expecting very bad weather, consider hooking up a generator to your house and stocking up on essentials before it hits, too.
