Snow Removal Product Ideas - 12/19/2009

I remember an electrical appliance we used for starting charcoal briquettes in the barbecue. You put in half of your briquettes, then lay down this loop attached to an electrical cord, and put in the the rest. It’s basically a heating element, so you plug it in, and it heats up the briquettes.

Apply this to snow: You’re expecting a storm (we are right now, anywhere from 6 to 16 inches), so you have something that looks like an electrical cord, but that puts out heat when you plug it in. Leave it turned off, let the snow fall, then plug it in in the morning. it puts out heat, and while you eat breakfast, your snow melts, and you can walk to your car without shoveling.

Maybe you need two, one for either side of the walkway.

You could also put them behind your car, on the driveway, where your tires will go, so you can drive out.

Maybe it’s a net between two of these cords, that melts the whole patch.

Another way to think of it: a waterproof outdoor heating pad. Or a drip hose that puts out heat instead of water.

Add an automatic timer so you can set it to start while you are still asleep. The other idea was a remote control, but a timer is better.

Alternative: do you put these on TOP of the snow instead of under it?

You also want to plan where the water will run off to. You don’t want it to refreeze and create an ice rink.

#2) We have these basic, plastic sleds, with a rope attached, for sledding. Leave these outside while it’s snowing, in a line behind your car’s tires. In the morning, grab the rope and drag off piles of snow!

Only problem is when it’s windy. Like what we are expecting today. They would fly off into your neighbor’s yard. So have to temporarily secure them.

Other problem is when your family calls you crazy for leaving sleds behind your car.

Skymall catalog, here I come!