“An in Depth Comparison – Scraping vs Air Pressure”
Snow accumulation on truck roofs can be a safety hazard and cause significant damage, as well as being illegal in some states. Traditional methods such as roof rakes where someone manually handles a 20ft rake on a pole from the ground are time consuming, outdated, heavily labor intensive, and difficult for large fleets.
The next technological advancement to come into being has been scraper system machines, where you drive your $100k+ vehicle underneath a blade to literally scrape the snow and ice off the roof to land directly under the machine. To address this issue in lack of a true technological innovation, Arctic Air Snow Removal Systems has been developed to require absolutely no physical contact with the vehicle, to be fully automatic, and to disperse the snow and ice into an adjacent designated collection area or your retention pond.
When it comes to semi-truck snow removal, it’s important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both scraper systems and air pressure-based systems. Each method offers distinct benefits and drawbacks, so considering your specific needs and preferences is crucial in determining the right snow removal method for your trucks. Here we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of both popular systems, Scraper type machines and Arctic Air Snow Removal System.
Scraper systems excel in providing effective snow removal and are used by several companies. With direct physical contact, these systems efficiently scrape away snow from truck roofs, ensuring a clean and clear roof. However, it’s important to consider the potential roof damage associated with scraper systems and the need to clearthe snow after, as well as not being fully automated. Despite efforts to design the blades to be gentle, there is still a moderate risk of damaging roof top equipment. This is especially possible if it is made of delicate materials, such as Conestoga rooftops. A traditional snow plow still need to be used, as the snow drops directly where the vehicle went through and in line for the next vehicle. Regular maintenance and inspections are crucial to mitigate this risk and ensure the longevity of the system.
On the other hand, air pressure-based systems like Arctic Air Snow Removal provide a fully automated, non-contact, and time-efficient solution to snow removal. These systems also can be thought of as high pressure snow removing machines. By utilizing powerful jets of air to blow away the snow and ice without any physical contact, this eliminates the risk of roof damage and ensures safer roof snow removal process. Additionally, air pressure-based systems are generally faster than scraper systems and require less upkeep and maintenance.
With the automatic ability that utilizes a laser to start the system, our snow removal machine blows away the snow and ice into an adjacent collection area, covering a larger surface area in less time. This speed can significantly increase productivity, especially for busy truck fleets, and reduce labor costs. Furthermore, these systems offer versatile applications, and we have various models to accomodate different sizes of trucks and trailers.
For further information and details feel free to contact us. You may find further specifics and video of Arctic Air Snow Removal Systems at work on our ‘How it Works’ page too!