Tahoe Donner Snow Removal

Tahoe Donner’s Top Snow Removal Companies

SnowTech and Waltman’s are the main snow removal contractors in Tahoe Donner however, if you live above 7000 feet in Tahoe Donner (Ski Slope Way, Glacier Way, Bear Meadows Court, Snowpeak Road) you might want to try LarsonSnow.  All three companies come with great testimonials from happy clients. As a rule of thumb, we recommend contracting with the company that plows the most driveways on your street. Check with your neighbors!

SnowTech
Phone: 530-582-0300

Waltman Snow Plowing
Phone: 530-587-7017

LarsonSnow
Phone/fax number: 530-550-8083
Toll Free: 877-231-8747
Mobile: 530-913-9972

Winterization Tips

These are guidelines for primary and secondary homeowners in the Truckee-Lake Tahoe area.

• EACH WINTER HAVE A SAFETY TALK WITH YOUR CHILDREN. Make sure your kids play in safe areas. Caution them to stay away from areas where snow sheds from the roof. Sledding is fun but it is unsafe when the sled run empties into the street. Dress warm.
• GET TO KNOW YOUR PLUMBING. Each year a few people find themselves without water because of frozen water pipes. Prevent this by draining your pipes and by keeping the heat on, at a level where pipes won’t freeze, even when you are away. Although you cannot always predict the wrath of winter, there are a few things you can do to avoid frozen pipes.
• DRAIN YOUR PIPES. If you are planning to be away from your home for a length of time, it could be a good idea to drain your pipes to prevent them from freezing.
• KNOW WHERE THE PIPES AND WATER SHUT-OFF ARE LOCATED. If your pipes do freeze, time is of the essence. The quicker you shut the water off, the less internal damage you will have if the pipes do burst.
• INSULATE PIPES OR FAUCETS IN UNHEATED AREAS. If you have pipes in an unheated garage, attic or crawl space, wrap the pipes before temperatures plummet. Heat tape may also be applied to the pipes.
• SEAL OFF ACCESS DOORS, AIR VENTS, CRAWL SPACE VENTS AND CRACKS. Don’t let the wind whistle through overlooked openings. This cold air can quickly freeze exposed water pipes.
• OUTDOOR PIPES AND FAUCETS. Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses.
• NECESSARY HOUSEHOLD MAINTENANCE. Considering the large sum of money that is invested in a home, it is certainly worth it to keep it in tip top shape!
• MAKE SURE STEPS AND HANDRAILS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. Broken stairs and railings can become dangerous when covered with snow and ice.
• SWEEP DECKS AND REMOVE ANY LOOSE NAILS OR SCREWS. Remove loose nails or screws and replace with new ones. This will save you a lot of headaches when you can smoothly run your shovel across your deck!
• TRIM TREES AND REMOVE OLD BRANCHES. Ice, snow and wind can cause weak trees or branches to break, damaging your home or your car or even injuring someone walking on your property.
• PUT YOUR SUMMER TOYS IN STORAGE. Winter can sneak up unexpectedly. Make sure you have your deck furniture, bikes, etc. put way before they get covered with snow.
• PREVENT SNOW DAMAGE TO DECKS AND RAILINGS. Some home designs facilitate snow accumulation and damage where we do not want it! If snow shedding from your roof could possible break windows-protect them with coverings.
• IS YOUR FURNACE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER? In addition to keeping your pipes from freezing, winter also puts demands on personal comfort.
• FURNACE CHECK-UP. Ensure that the thermostat and pilot lights are working properly. The pilot light should be blue. Replace the filters in your furnace each fall.
• HAVE YOUR HEATING DUCTS BEEN CLEANED? This is recommended every 5 years. Why pay a higher heating bill if you don’t have to?
• CHECK CAULKING AROUND DOORS AND WINDOWS TO MAKE SURE YOUR WARM AIR ISN’T GETTING OUT AND VICE VERSA! Cracked and peeling caulking should be removed completely and the area cleaned & dried thoroughly. Then apply new caulking.
• SWEEP THE CHIMNEY. Call a reputable Chimney Sweep to inspect your chimney and flue and to remove any creosote that has accumulated.
• LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW! Keep snow and ice from building up around the bottom of the garage door so it closes completely.
• HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS. Make sure you are prepared for winter with plenty of good shovels. They need to be sturdy enough that they don’t break yet not too heavy! If you have a snow blower, make sure it is in good repair when the first storm hits.
• SNOW REMOVAL SERVICES WILL KEEP YOUR DRIVEWAY PLOWED DURING THE WINTER. Snow removal is a great convenience when you arrive later at night. Remember, you cannot park in the streets during the winter. To help facilitate timely plowing, find out which plow service has the most contracts in your neighborhood.
• A FEW WORDS OF CAUTION… Purchase smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors for every floor of your house. These should be replaced every three to five years depending on the model. Replace batteries in your alarms at least once a year.

ENJOY YOUR WINTER SEASON!

(This list may not be complete and is to be used mainly as a checklist.)

Winter Driving Tips

Before Heading to Snow Country

When you’re heading towards Truckee, winter driving on roads and highways in the mountains of California can be a great adventure or it can be frustrating and even dangerous. Following are a few tips to help make your winter driving safe and pleasant.

• Check your systems. Make sure brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, heater and exhaust systems are all in top working condition.
• Check your antifreeze. You may want to add special solvent to your windshield washer reservoir to prevent ice from forming.
• Check your tires. It important that your tires have good tread and that they are properly inflated. Make sure you carry chains and also make sure they fit your tires! Chains must always be installed on drive wheels so make sure you know if your car is front or rear wheel drive!
• Bring along a few necessities. It is a good idea to take along water, food, blankets and extra clothing. If you get stuck in a long delay, you will be happy to have a few of the necessities with you.
• Weather can change your route. In case you find yourself in an unexpected detour, bring along updated maps of the areas you are traveling. If you have a cell phone, pre-load the Cal Trans Highway Information Network number for road updates. The CHIN number is 1-800-427-7623.
• Have a spare key. It is surprising how many people lock themselves out of their cars when they are putting on chains. Have a spare key in your pocket or hidden in a safe place on your car.
• Allow enough time. Get an early start and allow plenty of time to get where you are going. Mountain driving, in the winter, can take more time than other times of the year.
• Keep your gas tank full. You never know when you might get caught in a traffic delay, change routes or turn back during a storm. Make sure you have plenty of gas.
• Keep windows and windshield clear. Use the car defroster and a clean cloth to keep the windows free of moisture. You should pull over, at a safe rest stop, to brush snow from your car or scrape the windows with an ice scraper.

A Quick Course-Chains 101

• Chain requirements.

  *R1: Chains, traction devices or snow tires are required on drive axle of all vehicles except four wheel or all wheel drives. 
  *R2: Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except four wheel or all wheel drive vehicles with snow tires on all four wheels.
  *R3: Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, no exceptions.

• Chain controls. You must stop and put on chains when highway signs indicate that chains are required. You can be cited by the CHP and fined if you don’t.
• Control areas. You will usually have about a mile between the “Chains Required” sign and the checkpoint to install your chains. Always pull completely off the roadway to the right. Do not stop in a traffic lane where you will endanger yourself and block traffic.
• Chain installers. If you use a chain installer, be sure to get a receipt and jot down the installer’s badge number. Chain installers cannot sell or rent chains.
• Removing chains. When removing chains, drive beyond the signs reading “End of Chain Controls”. Drive to a pull over area where you can safely remove your chains.

Driving in the Snow

How to stop skidding. Slamming on brakes during a skid locks the wheels, causes loss of traction and increases the skid. Steer in the direction of the rear end of the car. As the car begins to straighten, straighten the front wheels too. When you are headed in the right direction, either lightly pump your brakes or gently accelerate.

• Avoid over steering. Turning the wheel too far whips the rear end into a skid in the opposite direction. Keep car in gear. This helps reduce speed and provides maximum control.
• Don’t use cruise control or get over confident with 4 x 4 vehicles. Your four wheel drive may get you going quicker but it won’t stop any faster. Because of their weight, 4 x 4’s usually take longer to stop. A 4 x 4 can loose traction as easily as a two wheel drive car.
• Don’t pump anti-lock brakes. If your car is equipped with anti-lock brakes, do not pump the brakes while stopping. The right way is to “brake and steer”.

Don’t hurry. In dry weather 65 mph might seem safe but in snow and ice it is an invitation for trouble. Snow and ice make stopping distances much longer, so leave more distance between you and the other car. Avoid sudden stops and quick turns. Wear your seatbelt!

Fire Season – Be Prepared!

Do You Have a Plan?

It is that time of the year when we all need to be reminded about fire safety. Twice now, Robbie and I have been threatened with fires; once from a forest fire and the other a chimney fire. Both times we had to prepare to evacuate our home. And both times we were caught off guard. All of a sudden it was time to flee and we couldn’t begin to think of the things we should grab. Times like this make one realize how important it is to “be ready” and having a “plan” can take some of the guess work out of a panic situation. It is easy to think clearly when danger is not present but when danger lurks and the adrenaline starts flowing it is not so easy to think clearly.

What to Do Now To Be Prepared:

1. First and foremost, TAKE AN INVENTORY OF YOUR BELONGINGS. Walk through your home with a video camera and talk about your belongings. Document your personal property in an annotated list. Take “still” pictures of all belongings as a backup. Whether you lose your personal belongings to a fire or some other unfortunate event, it is important to document what you have before it is too late.
2. Make a LIST OF ITEMS TO TAKE in case you need to evacuate your home in a hurry.

     For starters:

• Insurance Documents (Health, Auto, Home, etc.)
• Copies of Birth Certificates and Social Security Cards
• Title Deeds
• Legal Documents and Tax Records
• Licenses (Marriage, Driver’s etc.)
• Computer (time permitting), backup disks, PDA
• Address Book with emergency contact list
• Cash, Credit Cards, Checks, Savings Books
• Prescriptions (medications, eyes), Glasses, Contacts
• Family Heirlooms, Jewelry, Photos, Videos, Art, Irreplaceable Keepsakes
• Camera, Cell Phone, Chargers, Flashlight, Radio, Extra Batteries
• First Aid Kit

        Personal Items including:

• Extra sets of clothes including underwear, coats, jackets, hats, caps, gloves, scarves, shoes & socks, pajamas
• Personal toiletries (razors, toothbrush & toothpaste, soap & towels, shampoo, deodorant, sanitary items)
• Infant, Elderly or Pet special supplies
• Fresh water

I encourage you to take a few minutes and put some thought into your own “plan”. We are all guilty of reading good intentions and then thinking “I’ll do it later” or “that will never happen to me”. Take a few minutes and document or video tape your belongings and make a quick checklist in case you are ever tested and have to collect your things in a hurry. It could make a big difference. This applies to your second homes or “cabins” too!

Truckee Home Designs

Design Considerations…

It is a big decision for anyone to buy a new home and there are many things to take into consideration, especially when purchasing a home in the mountains. While location and price are major determinants in the home buying process, many buyers often overlook other important elements. For example, a house that is great in the summer may not be so great when it’s buried with snow come winter. Following are some of the elements you should know about:

• Basic Home Design
• Lot Topography
• Location
• Materials and Design

In this article we will try to point out some of the features you should seriously consider when buying your mountain home. We want you to thoroughly enjoy your new place and we also want you to make a good investment.

Home Styles

Truckee has a wide range of home styles. We see homes ranging from ranch style homes to A-frames (and variations) to reverse floor plans to luxurious mountain lodges! Following are a few things to think about:

• Ranch Style: While ranch style homes (all one level) can be nice in most locales, in snow country they are not always the best choice. Depending on the snow load, a single level home can easily get buried in the winter turning your bright and sunny summer chalet into an ice cave in the winter. If you do require a single level home, you should consider the snow load in the neighborhood and the roof angles and materials (see picture).
• Reverse Floor Plan: A typical Truckee home or cabin is designed with what we call a reverse floor plan which describes a home with the main living area upstairs and the garage and bedrooms on the ground level. This gets the main living area of the house up out of the snow and it is also more economical to build. This style home is a good way to accomplish a better view on a flat lot and also is quite common on an up slope lot.  
• Garages are another consideration for mountain homes. A garage serves many purposes. In the winter, especially, it is nice to park inside a garage and this also makes it easier when your snow removal service comes to remove snow. A garage protects your car from snow shedding from the roof and a garage also gives you a place to store skis, boats, lawn furniture, etc.

Lot Characteristics

Lots come in all shapes and sizes. You should consider all of the following

1. Lot Topography
2. Location
3. Soil, rock, vegetation characteristics (trees and bushes)
4. Orientation to the sun

• An up slope lot, which slopes upward from the street, will generally mean the house will have an up slope, sometimes steep, driveway and the view from the house will look out over the street. The entrance to the home will usually require stairs to get to the front door and main living area as the garage is often positioned below the living area. Depending on the steepness of the lot, the usable area to the rear of the house can be confined by the slope. A turn around area in an up slope or down slope driveway can be very helpful in icy conditions. Snow and ice on south facing driveways melts faster than the north facing driveway across the street! It makes a huge difference! Common sense will tell you if the driveway is too steep. Is it a driveway you will want to navigate in the winter when there is snow and ice?
• A down slope lot, which slopes downward from the street, usually allowsentry to the house through the main living area. The driveway can either be down sloping or if it is elevated or bridged, the driveway may actually be flat (see picture). If power lines are a concern for you, they generally have less impact with a down slope lot as most windows will look out to the rear, away from the street.
• An advantage of a flat lot, if you build the right house, is that you have easy access to your yard. At our house, where the main living area is on the ground floor, in the summertime we use our deck as an extension of our house and in the winter we snowshoe just as easily. A flat driveway is always easiest for snow removal, and traction when icy.
• The location of your lot/home is also important. It is different for everyone, but the majority of our clients prefer homes on the more interior neighborhood streets vs. the main streets in a subdivision. Locations that get good sunshine are also preferable. Check out the orientation to the sun.
• Take a look at the soil, rocks and vegetation on your lot. Some people like lots of trees and other prefer more openness.

Materials / Design

The snow in Truckee should definitely be a consideration for the design of a home. Roof lines and type of roofing materials are a big factor in the effect the snow has around the house. Roofs that are angledtowards decks, garage and entry doors and even windows will shed snow in unwanted places. The roofing material is a factor in how much snow will actually slide off the roof. Metal roofs will not hold snow while a composition roof will. For example, a metal roof that angles towards your driveway will shed unwanted snow in front of your garage doors. Windows and doors are susceptible to the same thing (see picture).

Sophisticated roof designs add attractiveness to the home, however, complex roof designs that have valleys and areas where snow can accumulate can be problematic. We find with newer homes, that apply more modern architecture and building techniques, these problems are greatly minimized.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when considering a home in the Tahoe Donner and Truckee area. Remember, not every property will have everything just perfect, so be prepared to be flexible. That upslope or downslope driveway may just get you the view you have been looking for. As your Realtors, we try to point out issues about properties that you are interested in purchasing because, first and foremost, your satisfaction is our priority.

written by: Robbie and Karen Huntoon