The Dangers of Snow Piles on Your Commercial Property

Posted: Sep 30, 2021

Winter in Denver is sure to have at least a few snowstorms that require snow plowing to clear up. But what do you do once the snow has been plowed from your property? It needs to be stored somewhere. Some properties have a suitable space to just push all the snow there and let the sun do its thing. But for others, it’s not always feasible to store the snow on-site. In fact, doing so can incur a significant amount of liability risk on your part. When there’s nowhere to safely store plowed snow on the premises, it’s recommended to have the snow hauled off-site by professionals.

Here’s why you should consider having snow hauled off your Denver commercial property:

Why Storing Snow Piles on Your Property Just Isn’t Worth It

  1. Snow Piles Can Obstruct Vision & Lead to Accidents

    Even snowstorms with relatively little accumulation can create large snow piles when the snow plows are done. Snow piles can easily block someone’s view, keeping them from seeing stop signs, pedestrians, or other vehicles. You should never place snow piles near entrances/exits to the building or property, street corners, handicap accessibility areas, or other places where obstructing someone’s view can lead to accidents – or prevent emergency services from doing their job safely.

  2. Snow Piles Create Icy Conditions

    Arguably even more dangerous than obstructing someone’s view, snow piles also can create icy conditions that can cause accidents or injuries. During the day, the sun will cause snow piles to start melting and creating water runoff. The problem is that at night lower temperatures will cause this runoff to refreeze, creating a thin sheet of black ice on sidewalks, parking lots, or wherever the water is running. Snow piles can often take months to fully melt, which means that you’ll possibly be dealing with icy hazards for a long time.

  3. Snow Piles Are Dangerous to Play On

    Playing in the snow, especially as a kid, is a great time. However, playing on snow piles can be extremely dangerous. Snow piles often have soft spots or air pockets that people can fall into, and walking on them can cause snow piles to collapse altogether. It’s also easy to slip or fall trying to climb snow piles. As fun as it may seem, letting people play on snow piles on your property just isn’t worth the risk.

  4. Snow Piles Negatively Affect Your Property’s Appearance

    You’ve put a lot of time and effort into creating a property that’s appealing and inviting. There are few things that can take away from a property’s curb appeal than a mountain of dirty snow sitting off in the corner of the parking lot. Hauling snow off the property can help your business stand out from your neighbors by signalling that you care enough about your property’s appearance to go the extra mile and get rid of snow piles altogether.

  5. Snow Piles Can Affect Your Bottom Line

    Not only are snow piles dangerous and unsightly – they can affect your business as well. Without a suitable place to store snow, you may be inclined to just leave it in a corner of the parking lot. This can block off valuable parking spaces, turning away potential customers if the rest of the lot is full. Snow piles can also scare away business if people don’t feel safe walking on the property.


Not Sure What to Do with Snow Piles on Your Property?

The experts at Snow Removal Services know how to keep your property clear of snow piles, ice, and accident risk through even the roughest Colorado winters. We offer the full range of snow removal & de-icing services, including off-site snow hauling, sidewalk management, and winter risk planning. SMS will make sure your property is prepared no matter how bad the winter gets. To see what SMS can do for your Denver-area commercial property or business, give us a call today at (303) 750-8867 or get in touch with us online to get started.