Minneapolis lots and driveways, clear by morning.

It's the amount of snow that starts a visit. A two-inch trigger means we plow once two inches have fallen. Homes often use two inches, and businesses that need bare pavement use one inch or less. A lower trigger means more visits and a cleaner lot.

We don't wait for the last flake. In a long storm we plow in passes to keep things open, then do a full cleanup once it stops. If the next storm arrives before that cleanup, we go back to keeping lanes and driveways open and finish when the weather lets us. Your agreement says how repeat visits are billed, so a rough week doesn't end in an argument over the invoice.

Stakes are how we prevent it. Before the ground freezes we mark the edges of the pavement, the curbs and anything hidden, like a low wall or a drain, so the driver can see them under a foot of snow. If a blade does catch an edge, tell us and we'll come look at it.

Rock salt can dry out and irritate paws, so wipe them after a walk, and ask us about a pet-friendlier ice melt for the areas your dog uses. On concrete, the damage comes from water freezing and thawing in the surface, and new concrete in its first winter is the most at risk. We go light or use sand on fresh concrete.

Before the first snow. September and October are when the season's list gets built and sites get walked and staked. We still take calls mid-winter when there's room, but you'll wait behind the properties already on the list.