6 Things To Do Today to Prepare for Saturday’s Hudson Valley Snow

The Hudson Valley is expected to get hit with a huge winter storm this weekend. As of now, the region could see over a foot of snow before it's all over.

While everyone is preparing for the storm by purchasing eggs, bread and milk, there are a few more important things you should be doing right now to make sure you don't spend the whole weekend trying to dig out.

This Old House is sharing some of their pro tips for snow and ice removal. Many of these simple preparations can save you hours of frustration and back-breaking work this weekend.

Salt now, before the snow starts
Experts recommend applying ice melt now. Pretreated driveways and sidewalks will be able to withstand up to two inches of snow and help prevent ice from bonding with surfaces, making for an easier shoveling experience.

Prepare to shovel often
Waiting until all of the snow has fallen to begin clearing it away is a rookie mistake. This Old House suggests shoveling every couple of hours, even if the snow continues to fall. This will allow your salt to do its job, and prevent the snow from icing up against the pavement.

Use furniture polish on your snowblower
Experts expect this weekend's snow to be a bit sticky as it combines with ice and sleet before ending on Sunday. This mess can clog up your snowblower chute. Pros suggest using furniture polish to coat the areas of your snowblower that will come in contact with snow, especially the chute, allowing it to slide right past without sticking.

Don't heap the snow against your home
Plan where you will be putting the snow that comes off of your driveway. Piling it against a house or retaining wall will lead to big problems when it starts to melt. Flooding or cracking of masonry will likely happen when the wet snow freezes up again on Sunday when temperatures are expected to plummet.

Not all snowmelt is created equal
This weekend is expected to bring sub-zero conditions. If you only have rock salt at your disposal, it will most likely be ineffective. Salt only works to 12 degrees. For colder conditions, you'll want to get products containing magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. They're more pricey, but work down to 25 degrees below zero.

Make sure you have the right shovel for the job
Not all shovels are suited for all situations. If you're clearing a wooden deck or porch, make sure you purchase an all-plastic shovel. Shovels with metal blades can gouge and damage wood surfaces.

While battling a winter storm isn't the best way to spend your weekend, these tips are likely to save you precious time so you can spend more of it playing in the snow than clearing it away.