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Economics of Snowmelting
Costs, Savings and Economics
Delays in snow removal
can indirectly and directly result in loss of revenue.
With airports, shopping malls, and parking lots a delay
in snow removal can result in tremendous loss of revenues
in addition to the trucking costs Although costs are of the
most importance, speed of removal is equally so.
Snow melting is a viable cost effect alternative and can
save municipalities and or snow removal contractors up to 50%
or even higher off their regular snow removal budgets and the
potential for yearly and future costs savings is astounding.
In most cases if these savings were applied against the
purchase cost, assuming the snowmelter operates for only
16 days per year, 12 hours a day and disregarding interest,
the capital cost on an average machine would be paid out in
4 years or sooner. Savings can average as much as $ 325.00/hour
and higher using a snowmelter over trucking. |
Environmentally
Friendly
Salt usage is very costly
and not environmentally responsible. Snow dumpsites now have
to be contained, with the melt water run off controlled and a
massive clean up is usually required in the spring. Dumping is no
longer allowed in harbours, rivers, lakes or other waterways.
Melting
the snow will separate and contain sand and other foreign materials
including pop cans and other garbage.Any oil or gasoline
contaminated snow can be captured and or separated at an interceptor
or at the sewage treatment plant.
Snowmelting vs Snowchuting
While on the surface a snow chute would appear to be "initially" cost friendly to the owner of the garage. They end up as a long term and on going operational expense to the owners, many regret ever installing them.
1. In almost all cases snow chutes incorporate concrete or steel baffles between floors to slow the rate of fall. Snow has a tendency to mound up on the baffles, restricting the passage of the snow load. You also have a freeze/thaw effect in the chute. In other words, given the right conditions they will block completely. If this condition occurs, you must either melt the build up using heat or steam which means more wasted time and expenses.
2. If you are positioning a truck under the snow chute for loading purposes, it is recommended the discharge opening have a grid system to slow the snow before contacts the truck box. This again is another point of concern, as the grid does in fact block up. Here again, you must melt the snow in the grid to accomplish a loading operation.
3. Because of the last baffle location in the chute, snow can over shoot the truck, wedging the truck in the snow chute tower walls. You are now stuck!
4. You can also expect to experience a melt/thaw and re-freeze condition on the ground level under the chute tower. Now you have a liability issue.
5. Owners of garages having snow chutes have a tendency to stockpile snow before removing, there-by reducing contractor costs. If that is the case, they may be exceeding the "load limits" of the structure.
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Reduces
Handling of Snow
The specific placing of
portable or stationary snowmelters can reclaim strategic areas very
quickly. |
Long Life
Equipment
While some electronic and
burner components will require periodic maintenance the average
lifespan of the equipment is in excess of 25 years. |
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