How to Handle Snow Removal for a 24-Hour Business

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

A business that never closes has snow removal needs that look completely different from a standard nine-to-five operation. There's no overnight window to clear the lot before customers arrive, since customers are already there around the clock.

Rolling service, where a contractor performs multiple passes throughout the storm rather than one visit after it ends, is usually necessary for 24-hour operations. Waiting until a storm fully stops to clear the lot means hours of accumulated snow affecting customers and staff who are on-site the entire time.

Staff and customer safety during active service becomes a bigger consideration too, since plow trucks are operating on the property while people are coming and going at all hours, not just during a predictable closed period. Clear communication and safe routing around active plowing matters more here than at a property that's empty overnight.

De-icing needs to be nearly continuous rather than a single morning application, since foot and vehicle traffic never stops long enough for a single treatment to hold through the day. Refreeze risk is constant, not limited to overnight hours like it is for a property that closes.

Thames Valley Snow already serves a 24/7 truck stop on Highway 401, so we know a site that never closes cannot be planned like a nine-to-five property. If your business never closes, your snow plan should not be built around hours that do not apply to you.

Return Visits During Long Storms

Service starts automatically at 5 cm of snow, and long storms get return visits. For a site that is busy around the clock, that matters more than for any other kind of property, because there is never a quiet window when the lot can be cleared once and left. Talk about expected storm coverage when you set up the contract.

Entrances and Walkways Come First

People are walking in and out at all hours, so the sidewalks, entrances and ramps are where the risk is. On our commercial sites these are hand-cleared and salted on every visit. Snow is piled away from doors and drains so melt water does not run across walkways and refreeze overnight.

Ice Never Takes a Night Off

A 24-hour site has no closed period to wait out a refreeze. Seasonal salting includes freezing rain and refreeze visits, which is important for a property where someone is always on the pavement.

A Record Around the Clock

Every visit gets a timestamped photo. For a business open all night, that photo log is a clear record of when the property was cleared and salted, which can matter if anyone makes a slip claim.

Thames Valley Snow carries $2,000,000 in liability insurance, with certificates available on request and additional insured status available. We are WSIB registered and a member of the London Property Management Association (LPMA).

How Pricing Works

Commercial properties are priced per site, based on the paved area, the walkway length and the opening time. A written quote usually arrives within 2 business days. You can choose a fixed seasonal price, per-visit pricing or an event cap, and monthly billing is available on request.

Plan Traffic Around the Crew

Because customers are on site during every visit, agree in advance where vehicles should be directed while the lot is being cleared. Simple steps, like coning off one section at a time, keep people and equipment apart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you service a site that never closes?

Yes. We already serve a 24/7 truck stop on Highway 401, with return visits during long storms.

Is salting for refreeze included?

Seasonal salting includes freezing rain and refreeze visits.

Want a fixed price for your property? Request a free quote, or call or text (548) 888-8702. You can also read more about our commercial snow removal and salting and ice control.

What's included… and what's extra

Commercial snow service is priced per site from paved area, walkway length and opening time. A typical contract includes plowing at the agreed trigger depth, clearing before opening, hand-cleared entrances, sidewalks and ramps, and a timestamped photo log of every visit.

Common extras are quoted separately so you only pay for what the site needs: salting and de-icing per event, extra sidewalk or ramp coverage, after-hours or priority service, and snow relocation when piles run out of room. See commercial snow removal or request a site quote by calling or texting (548) 888-8702.