Navigating Winter Weather Together: Snow, Ice, and Your Community
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Winter storms are unpredictable. When extreme weather strikes, our shared goal is to navigate the season safely and efficiently. While we cannot control the severity of the elements, understanding how cold weather events and snow management work in your community can help set expectations and keep everyone safer.
Important Safety Warning: Proceed with Caution
Please be advised that winter weather creates inherently dangerous conditions. Regardless of whether snow removal or ice treatment has been performed, residents should assume that all driving and walking surfaces are slippery and potentially hazardous. Ice can reform quickly even after treatment. We urge you to exercise extreme caution and take appropriate personal precautions to ensure your safety, as the Association and AMG cannot guarantee the removal of ice, snow or other hazardous conditions.
Understanding the Process: Priorities & Costs
Effective snow removal relies on a pre-determined plan that weighs logistics, safety, and community funds.
Public Roads: If your streets are public, the city or town controls the plowing, sanding, and ice-melt schedules. Your association does not have jurisdiction over municipal roadways.
Private Communities: If your community has private roads, the Board of Directors establishes the snow removal policy. This policy dictates if and when contractors are deployed. This includes common areas like sidewalks, mailbox kiosks, etc.
Budget Responsibility: Snow removal is a significant expense that impacts the Association's annual budget. The Board must carefully weigh the cost of heavy plowing against the forecast or putting down ice-melt. For example, if snow is expected to melt naturally within 24 hours, the Board may opt to conserve funds rather than deploy expensive heavy machinery or material/labor cost for ice-melt.
Connectivity: It is important to note that even if your community clears private streets, travel may still be impossible if the connecting public roads have not yet been plowed by the city. Plowing private streets before public roads are clear can sometimes be an ineffective use of Association funds.
The Challenge of Extreme Conditions
Residents often wonder why plows haven't arrived or why surfaces remain slippery. In almost every case, unprecedented or extreme weather patterns are the culprit. Additionally, plowing can sometimes lead to unintended issues, such as blocked driveways. When a plow clears a street, the snow must go somewhere, and it is almost inevitable that "windrows" (lines of snow) will block the ends of private driveways.
Here are why weather conditions often dictate the schedule:
Flash Freezing: Even after plowing or applying ice-melt, rapid temperature drops can cause wet pavement to turn into black ice. This is a weather phenomenon that is difficult to combat until temperatures rise.
Storm Timing: If a storm hits during rush hour, vendors can get stuck in the same traffic as commuters, delaying their arrival.
Refreezing Cycles: Plowing snow too early can result in melt-off that runs back onto the road and freezes overnight. Contractors often wait for the storm to conclude to avoid creating dangerous ice patches.
Equipment and Material Limitations: During blizzard conditions, visibility may drop to zero, forcing crews to pause for safety. Additionally, extremely heavy, wet snow can slow down machinery significantly. Moreover, since the Carolinas receive relatively infrequent ice and snow events of any significance, there are fewer vendors available than in the northeast where such events are common. Ice-melt availability in home improvement stores may be very limited on quantity or have limitations on how much can be purchased.
Ice-melt, Sand, and Surfaces
When treating ice, the goal is traction and melting. However, extreme cold can render ice-melt ineffective (usually below 15°F-20°F).
Concrete Care: Please be aware that many chemical de-icers can damage concrete or asphalt surfaces over time. You might consider using sand or kitty litter for traction on your personal walkways to minimize surface pitting.
Pet Safety: If you are walking pets, consider wiping their paws after walks, as municipal salt and some chemical melts can be irritating.
Steps to Protect Your Home: Frozen Pipes
When the temperature drops significantly, the risk of frozen pipes increases. While the Association generally maintains common elements, the pipes inside your walls serving your unit are typically the owner's responsibility. If you lease your home, please ensure your tenant is aware of these requirements and takes the necessary precautions.
To help mitigate the risk of water damage, you might consider the following steps:
Maintain Heat: It is highly recommended to keep your thermostat set to at least 55-60°F, even if you are away.
Air Circulation: Consider leaving cabinet doors under sinks open to allow warm air to reach the pipes.
Drip Faucets: During extreme cold snaps, allowing a faucet on an exterior wall to drip very slowly can help prevent pressure buildup and freezing.
Vacation Check-ins: If you travel, consider asking a friend or neighbor to check your home periodically to ensure the heat is functioning.
How You Can Help
Winter safety is a community effort. We suggest the following to help operations run smoothly:
Clear the Way: Please try to park in garages or assigned spots to keep travel lanes open for plows.
Personal Safety: We recommend wearing footwear with heavy treads and using handrails on stairs.
Patience: Please understand that during major regional storms, contractors are managing high volumes. They will arrive as soon as conditions allow.
A Note on Insurance
Now is a great time to review your insurance policy. We suggest you check with your insurance agent and verify that your policy includes coverage for water damage resulting from burst pipes, adequate "Loss Assessment" coverage should a large deductible apply to a claim, and other appropriate coverages.
Do you have questions about your specific community's snow policy?
Please email your community manager or log in to the resident portal for your association. Stay warm and safe!
