No matter where in Alaska you’re located, the spring break-up is snowy, slushy, and will significantly slow down your jobsite. How many times have you just cleared it all up when a surprise snow falls? Your crew will have to do it over, and over, and over again, which makes choosing the right snow removal equipment essential. A good choice will work efficiently, saving you time and money.
In this post, we’re going to run through some tried-and-tested commercial jobsite snow removal tips before talking about our Built Arctic Tough range of quality snow removal equipment.
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Commercial Jobsite Snow Removal Tips
The team at Equipment Source, Inc. (ESI) got its start working at North Slope, Alaska, which gets an average of 45 inches of snow every year. However, we work with companies all over Alaska and the Lower 48, where conditions can vary widely. Valdez, Alaska, for example, get more than 300 inches per season. It’s great if you’re into winter spots, but not so great if you’re working on a drilling site, construction site, or mine. Here are some of our top snow removal tips:
- Prepare for storms.
Predicting the weather up north can feel like rolling a dice, but staying tuned to the forecast and being proactive will help you clear snow as quickly as possible. Plan ahead and make sure your jobsite is well-organized with clear paths to make snow removal as quick and easy as possible.
- Check your local laws.
Snow removal laws change from state to state and municipality to municipality. This is especially important if you’re working anywhere near a town or city. Make sure your snow mounds are within height limits and prioritize safety to ensure there are no hazards where you crew drives and parks.
- Wait out white-outs.
Arctic areas can get white-out conditions at any time. If you’re clearing snow around buildings, vehicles, or any other type of infrastructure, wait until the conditions are safe. Don’t risk causing severe injuries or expensive damage to someone or something you can’t see in a storm.
- Have a back-up plan.
Every northern jobsite will have a designated snow mound area, but make sure you have a contingency in case it gets too big or is no longer practical to use. Remember to create a space large enough to accommodate cleared snow from any surprise spring storms waiting down the line.
- Invest in good equipment.
Quality snow removal equipment, as we said at the start, will save you a lot of time and money. This is especially relevant to avoiding costly down time. If you want to keep you site running productively, investing early will pay dividends down the line – especially in unpredictable environments.
We vend a great range of Kubota and JCB equipment in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
Best Snow Removal Equipment in Alaska
Snow removal on Alaskan jobsites is a serious business. A couple of cute snowblowers simply ain’t going to cut it. You probably already have some plow trucks standing ready, but if you’re serious about maximizing your output, you need to invest in some quality earthmoving equipment.
Kubota Equipment
ESI is the sole Kubota distributor in Alaska, with a full line of tractors, construction equipment, and utility vehicles. Kubota is the leading brand of under 120 HP tractors in the United States, and there’s a reason why. They’re durable, versatile, comfortable, and reliable enough to fire up in extreme conditions. Here is some of the best snow removal equipment on offer:
- Cab tractor: The Kubota B50 Series compact tractor has user-friendly operation designed to maximize productivity. It has a premium engine and transmission which enable it to perform a range of important tasks around your jobsite all year round. You can fit it with a plow and snowblower to make it fast and easy to keep your roads clear throughout the break-up.
- Skid steer: The Kubota SBL75 allows you to work in surfaces where a wheeled machine won’t do, making it ideal for slushy spring conditions. This compact track loader can work in tight corners, meaning it can easily maneuver around other equipment on commercial jobsites. You can attach a snowblower in winter and replace it with grapples, hammers, rotary cutters, graders, tillers, tree pullers, and much more during the summer to maximize value.
JCB Equipment
JCB is one of the world’s best equipment manufacturers. We keep coming back to this brand because it’s committed to designing and building high quality products that can help you get the job done in any conditions. JCB also has great variety, meaning you’ll always be able to find the machine to suit your needs. Here are some of our favorites when it comes to snow removal:
- Wheel loader: The JCB 427 has a Cummins engine, ZF transmissions and axles, and Rexroth pumps, which are superior components that will make sure it lasts the distance. It comes with Eco Mode and Auto Idle features that make it highly fuel-efficient, saving money if your operator is spending a long time in the cabin clearing snow from your jobsite.
Industrial Heaters
The other important thing to keep in mind during the spring break-up is that it usually includes second, third, and fourth winter. If your site heater is close to burning out, don’t wait until it dies to look for a replacement. ESI heaters are the benchmark for reliable heat in North Slope, Alaska, for a reason. Here are our three best heaters that will ensure your site stays functional:
- ES700: This powerful heater has an output of 770,000 BTU/hr with up to 4,000 CFM. We design them with a 3,000-hour oil service thanks to an extended-run oil sump. We get great feedback from our customers which we use to refine each series, to we can guarantee they are simple and reliable to operate, even when the temperature hits 40 below.
- Thaw Boss: This heater sets a new standard in hydronic heat. It’s designed and built for industrial applications where high reliability is of the utmost importance. It has a 55-hour run time with the same 3,000-hour oil service with our extended-run oil sump.
- Sensor Safe Heater: This model ensures superior safety standards for your jobsite, because it comes with explosive gas detection. This makes it safer even than flameless heaters, with the same proven reliability you can expect from ESI-designed and built heaters.
Alaska Snow Removal Equipment Deals
Alaskan springs are short but eventful. You need to be prepared for heavy snowfall, snap thaws, bitter winds, and soaking rains, with an occasional sunny day thrown in just for good measure. We have snow removal equipment ready to load on a truck and drive away at our stores in Anchorage and Fairbanks. We also offer great deals on heaters – check out our current discounts here.
If you are looking for a snow removal solution, but have a few questions first, we welcome you to get in touch with our sales team. You can stop by our stores, give us a call, or submit a message via our website and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you’re already preparing for the busy summer season, we also offer customized industry solutions for the oil and gas, construction, aviation, telecommunications, mining, emergency services, remote lodges, and remote logistics industries which you can view here.
Ready to find the right equipment to suit your needs? Contact us today.
