TRURO, N.S. — In the immortal words of Vanilla Ice, it’s Ice Ice Baby. That’s what most of us are contending with this winter – rain and ice.
While we could still have another good six weeks of winter (thanks Shubie Sam), and it’s hard to know what might yet come, we do know, thus far this year, snow here in central Nova Scotia has not been a huge thing. I think I used my snow blower only once this winter. Other snowfalls were shallow enough that I could just drive right through them, even in my small, low-to-the-ground car.
What has been a problem this year has been small snowfalls followed by freezing rain, thaw, and then freeze, perfect conditions for water intrusions and ice build-ups. This has been a significant issue for many homeowners and workplaces, as well as on local streets.
I have heard stories of many folks experiencing falls on these slippery surfaces, and while seniors in particular are vulnerable to unsettling falls, younger, more able folks are also hitting the ground resulting in serious injuries. A number of these injuries have happened at my workplace, with one young man falling and breaking bones in his hand.
One critical moment seems to be when motorists are entering or exiting their cars on icy parking lots. It comes in the weight transference as you step into or step out of your car. If that one foot on the ground is not carefully planted, you’re going to take a nasty spill as you shift your weight getting in and out.
Stairs are problematic, as well. Perhaps if you are not conscious of how you are treading familiar or unfamiliar stairs or steps in potentially icy conditions, you find yourself unexpectedly slipping and falling. You only need to do that once to come to a realization of how unforgiving a surface stairs are when you’ve sprawled out your full length on them.
Many homeowners have not fared well this year with the rain and ice. I’m sure the local stores have done a brisk business in salt and sand sales, as homeowners attempt to combat the ice in their driveways and on their walks. I know I have used many bags this year in my long U-shaped driveway. I still keep a good stock on hand.
Property owners who have fared least well this winter are those who have low-lying lawns that pool water when it rains, and those, like myself, whose homes are built into the side of a hill. All seasons of the year, we contend with water control so that our homes remain safe and dry. Many folks have to use sump pumps to keep their basements drained.
The trick, of course, is to try to keep the water from your foundation as much as possible in the first place, although those whose homes are built on flood plains or on land with high water tables may have to deal with water intrusion to their homes on a more regular basis. In years like this, when the ground is frozen, it doesn’t take much rain to saturate the topsoil and create problems with excess water run-off.
Over the years, my wife and I have spent thousands of dollars redirecting the groundwater that comes off the hill behind our house so that our property remains as dry as possible and to decrease the amount of ice forming in our driveway come winter. Our system was finally working quite well for us until the last year or so when a shift in the contour of our neighbour’s property started redirecting run-off from their property onto ours, and our system is not designed to catch this additional water. As a result, we now have a large creeping pad of ice at the top of our driveway that must be navigated with care.
Hopefully this will all be over within a couple of months, with what I hope will be advent of an early spring. In the meantime folks, be safe out there.
Rob MacLellan is an advocate for education and non-profit organizations. He can be reached at 902-305-0311 or at [email protected].
