Philadelphia Snow Removal Options & Requirements

Honda HSS1170i Hybrid Snow blower. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A heavy-duty walk-behind two-stage snow blower. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

PHILADELPHIA - JANUARY 27: Jim Burke, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania uses a snow blower as he digs out from the snow January 27, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia region was covered in almost 17 inches of snow, closing schools in the city and suburbs. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Philadelphia Snow Plowing Services and Tips Although it may seem as if summer passes in a flash, the truth is that wintertime is almost here. Before we know it, there will be snow falling on Philadelphia and Bucks County and once again, residents will be looking at the snow on the ground and wondering whether they will be able to drive to school, work or wherever it is that they need to go.  

Residential Snow Removal
When it comes to removing snow, residents have several choices. Of course, there is the good old-fashioned snow shovel method, which does provide an excellent workout for the person doing it. However, shoveling snow is laborious and difficult to do well, especially after a large snowfall. Other residents may already be the proud owner of a snow blower, which allows the user to push the machine in front of them, much like a lawn mower, and the machine scoops up the snow and blows it out the side. Snow blowers come in single stage, which are good for most residential areas and can handle most snow moving tasks. Alternatively, a two-stage snow blower is good for bigger homes, long driveways or areas where the snow often drifts. While this too is an effective method, most quality snow blowers are not cheap and there is a certain physical element to complete the task. In addition, while shoveling snow is generally harder, anyone operating a snow blower runs the risk of injury from accidental misuse of the machine or from slipping and falling on the snow and ice, so there are still dangers to removing snow with a snow blower.  

Street Snow Removal
The City of Philadelphia has an entire team dedicated to snow plowing after a snow or ice storm. In addition, the city offers a service called “SnowCat” with an automated service that identifies weather conditions and how the city will respond so that residents may respond accordingly. Call 215-686-5560 for more information. The city plows 110 miles of road to clear the snow on emergency roads if a snow emergency is declared. Most major residential streets are cleared using industrial snow plows as well.  

Professional Services
While the city does respond after a snowstorm, residents should note that city regulations require a home or business owner to clear the sidewalk of snow within six hours after the snow stops falling. In addition, this snow cannot be shoveled onto the street. This may leave many residents wondering what to do after storm in order to perform removal properly, especially if someone does not have the right equipment or is physically unable to perform the task. The good news is that landscaping maintenance companies often offer snowfall removal for a fee, which means that the task will be performed promptly and in a professional method. Residents of Bucks County or other areas can contact an insured, licensed landscaping company to set up a wintertime agreement. Yes, summer went fast and now it is time to prepare for another wonderful winter. Contact a professional Philadelphia landscaping company for snow plowing arrangements in the winter as soon as possible.