{"id":774,"date":"2026-03-10T20:01:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T20:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/?p=774"},"modified":"2026-03-10T20:54:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T20:54:28","slug":"where-to-put-snow-on-small-lots-in-winnipeg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/snow-removal\/where-to-put-snow-on-small-lots-in-winnipeg\/","title":{"rendered":"Where To Put Snow On Small Lots In Winnipeg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Dealing with snow is part of being a Winnipegger. From clearing light snow with snow blowers before it gets compacted to shovelling windrows away from your driveway after snow plows clear the city streets, there\u2019s a lot of snow clearing to do - and all of that snow has to go <em>somewhere<\/em>, no matter what snow clearing equipment you use to tidy it up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not everyone has a parking lot the size of St. Vital Mall\u2019s - and that means there simply isn\u2019t as much room to pile snow. Property owners can pile snow on a small lot (though snow removal is better - more on that later); some spots are great for piling, while other spots are no-gos. Let\u2019s dive right in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pile snow on permeable surfaces like gravel and mulch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When piling snow in your yard, create several small piles instead of one large one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you plan on removing snow piles, pile them near your back alley (but not the boulevard).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not pile snow near your foundation or wooden surfaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not shovel snow onto streets, alleys, or boulevards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not shovel snow against windows or vents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Best Places To Put Snow On A Small Lot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Permeable \u201cMelt Zones\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Permeable surfaces, like gravel and mulch, are great places for piling snow. As the snow melts, the water will infiltrate into voids; when it freezes again, the freezing will occur below the surface, reducing the risk of slippery surfaces on your property. Another advantage to using these permeable surfaces is that the freeze-thaw cycle is less likely to damage them than, say, your driveway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of these permeable spots may be in locations where piling snow isn\u2019t the best idea; you might, for example, want to avoid piling snow too closely to plants (which could be damaged by their weight) or your driveway (which freeze-thaw cycles can damage if the permeable surface is too close to cement or asphalt).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greater permeability means better ice control; ice will form away from sensitive areas, since the water will be sucked into the permeable surface. You should avoid piling snow on permeable pavers; however, if ice is allowed to form below their surface, the pavement could be compromised.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Yard Snow-Caches<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your yard is one of the best places to pile snow; soil is permeable, and snow piles on your lawn are unlikely to impede anyone\u2019s access to your front door, mailbox, or other important places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key here is to rotate your snow piles. When piles are too high, they risk spilling over onto driveways or into the street. High piles are also heavy piles, and though lawns in Winnipeg are full of hardy cool-season grasses that can stand up to the snow, overly large piles can damage or kill them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rotating yard snow-caches can also help you save time and energy shovelling; the larger a pile is, the more effort it will take to move snow to the top of the pile.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Shared-Lane\/Alley Edge With Haul-Away Ready Access<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you know your snow pile is going to be cleared by professionals, you can create a snow pile near the edge of your back alley or road. This makes it easy for the pros to come and clear the snowpile; it can be a good idea if you know they\u2019re coming to clear snow later, but you need removal now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also dump snow at the three <a href=\"https:\/\/legacy.winnipeg.ca\/publicworks\/snow\/snow-disposal.stm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">approved snow removal sites<\/a> 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - but doing so can be pretty inconvenient if you don\u2019t have a pickup truck.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Places To Avoid Piling Snow<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Against Foundation Walls Or Wood Fences<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t want to pile snow along foundation walls for a number of reasons:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pressure from the weight of the snow can contribute to cracks in the foundation.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Melted snow can make its way into cracks and freeze, damaging the foundation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The snow can melt into the ground and freeze, expanding it and damaging the foundation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You also want to avoid piling snow on any wood structures, including wood fences; the water in the snow can cause those structures to rot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Over Egress Windows &amp; Vents<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Egress windows cannot be covered because they\u2019re used for emergency exits; if they\u2019re covered, exit becomes impossible, which is a major fire hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Windows and vents are also not as well sealed as the rest of the building; snow and meltwater can infiltrate, leading to ice buildup and damage. Keep snow far away from any potential entry or exit points!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Boulevard\/Street Dumping<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dumping snow onto the boulevard, onto the street, or into a back alley can be tempting; it\u2019s also against City of Winnipeg By-laws. You are not allowed to dump snow off of your private property unless you\u2019re hauling it to a snow disposal site operated by the City. Doing so could result in warnings and fines.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Snow Removal Is The Better Solution<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Snow Piling Vs. Snow Removal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A Winnipeg snow removal company can transport snow from your property to one of the City\u2019s approved snow dumping sites. This has some major advantages, especially for people with smaller commercial or residential properties:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You won\u2019t have to worry about where to pile the snow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You won\u2019t have to rotate piles around.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You won\u2019t need to deal with snow falling from a pile onto the street or neighbouring properties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Another major advantage of hiring a company for snow removal is that you won\u2019t have to shovel. Shovelling takes time, and whether you\u2019re clearing your driveway to get to work or clearing your commercial property to bring in customers, there are things you\u2019d probably rather be doing instead.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Much Snow Should Pile Before Getting Removal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Snow removal companies will usually clear snow after 2-3 inches \/ 5-7.6 cm fall, but 2-3 inches does not make a pile.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019d recommend clearing piles before:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They obstruct your view<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They become too tall to effectively shovel snow onto<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They become too large to fit in a vehicle (if you\u2019re removing them yourself)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When hiring a snow removal company, however, you won\u2019t have to worry about these details; they\u2019ll all be negotiated before you sign up for the service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Book Your Snow Removal Now<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tired of shovelling snow and worrying about where to pile it? Don\u2019t spend another winter straining your back and your brain. Call Cleanr for efficient <a href=\"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/snow-removal\/\">snow removal<\/a> services in Winnipeg; you\u2019ll be glad you did!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our professional snow removal service is available to everyone: we offer both residential snow removal and commercial snow removal in Winnipeg. We use state-of-the-art snow removal equipment and competitive pricing; that\u2019s something to keep you warm this winter season!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Winnipeg, when you clear snow, it needs somewhere to go - in a snowpile, on your property. Learn where on your property to put that pile; read this! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":777,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-snow-removal"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=774"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":776,"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774\/revisions\/776"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gocleanr.com\/winnipeg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}