# Can I use a flamethrower to clear away snow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 18, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930 "2003-02-18T18:23:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marduk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Marduk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marduk)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/21 "2003-02-19T04:16:57Z")
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned napalm yet. Just make a bit of it and spread it around thin. If its on top of the ice and you spread it thin enough it shouldn’t damage your driveway too badly. ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/22 "2003-02-19T04:42:27Z")
The Tarpolin idea has merit, you can buy kerosene powered heaters to heat the air, and get it to a fairly high temperature contained inside a tarp. Keep this running for about an hour and there will be no water left inside the tarp. Move the tarp and the blowers, and clear another section. Open a flap in one end though, you dont want to set the tarp on fire from the inside. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/23 "2003-02-19T06:13:20Z")
Eat a bunch of beans, aim, light a match ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/24 "2003-02-19T13:35:30Z")
[Here’s](http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/amtk_ice.jpg) what you need for your driveway… Yeah, baby…a jet engine mounted on a railway car. There’s a rail yard about a mile away from our house, and we can hear the jet engine going for a good portion of the night after a snowfall as they try to dry out the switches… ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/25 "2003-02-19T13:46:55Z")
The only problem with trying to burn all that snow is, what do you do with the ashes?😃 ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/26 "2003-02-19T14:00:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flying\_Monk \* > \*\*Of course, the flamethrower would add quite a bit of CO2 to the atmosphere, and this in addition to the fact that more UV rays would be coming in through the ozone hole over your head would reduce the de-snowing time. \*\* CO2? Ozone hole? You are mixing environmental issues here. ---
**Author:** ![Barks\_dog\_food](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@Barks\_dog\_food](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barks_dog_food)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/27 "2003-02-19T14:39:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marduk \* > \*\*I’m surprised no one’s mentioned napalm yet. Just make a bit of it and spread it around thin. If its on top of the ice and you spread it thin enough it shouldn’t damage your driveway too badly. \*\* I don’t think regular napalm works in low temperatures but armies that operated in colder climates have probarbly made their own napalm. I know the Norwegian army made napalm for use in cold weather based on whale-oil. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/28 "2003-02-19T14:41:42Z")
**Anthracite**! Good to see you! 🙂 Where you been? Re the OP-- I recall people putting electrical heating elements under sidewalks & driveways. Flick a switch, & cure the problem in 20 minutes? How’s that? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/29 "2003-02-19T15:34:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Seven \* > \*\*Eat a bunch of beans, aim, light a match \*\* Make sure you only eat 239 beans. One more would make it too-farty. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/30 "2003-02-19T16:03:55Z")
[true story from real life] My sister in law’s sister lives in France, just outside Paris. A couple of years ago they had a heavy snowfall. One of her neighbours, who had just recently moved out into the countryside from town, decided to clear the snow on his driveway away using hot water. It worked excellently. The only snag was that his house was on top of a small hill, so when the water froze his car did swiftly and silently slide down the hill and end up in some other neighbour’s garden. :smack: [/true story from real life] ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/31 "2003-02-19T16:38:46Z")
Don’t you Notherners see advertisements for different remedies for this problem? I mean with business minds constantly working on everyday problems, wouldn’t you think there would be companies installing special driveways, or offering special services and such? Seems like an easy problem to fix if you pay a little money in the offseason… as long as you have good drainage. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/32 "2003-02-19T18:01:41Z")
I think home-owners just use shovels and such things. ---
**Author:** ![JoltSucker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@JoltSucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoltSucker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/33 "2003-02-19T22:21:41Z")
Calcium Carbide. Back in college, I had a geology major roomate who used to go spelunking (cave exploring). He used a calcium carbide lamp, which exploited the fact that calcium carbide + water = acetylene. One time as a prank on a snowy Friday night, I dumped some calcium carbide in the snow and lit it. An unsuspecting drunk passing by kicked snow on the flames, making the flames even higher. Great geeky fun! So get a great big 50 lb. bag, put some in the fertilizer spreader, and flick your bic when you’re done. Try not to immolate yourself or your property, ya hear? :eek: :eek: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![drpepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@drpepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drpepper)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/34 "2003-02-20T02:06:01Z")
I do know of an acquaintance in Pennsylvania who did install heater coils in his driveway (as it was being built)… the flip-a-switch, driveway heats up, problem solved variety mentioned above. (It was a custom home). But I do wonder why that hasn’t caught on a little more – yes it is cost prohibitive, but one would think that some cheaper version would have been developed by now as standard equipment for new homes. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/35 "2003-02-20T02:33:36Z")
Get yerself one of [these](http://www.alteich.com/tidbits/t120902.htm). Melts 136 tons of snow per hour ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/36 "2003-02-20T03:57:04Z")
Years ago I worked with a tiger torch to melt down amalgamated ice chips in an ice storage facility. This torch, run off a 30 pound propane tank threw a blue flame that was about 3inches in diameter and visible for a couple of feet and with considerable noise. You wouldn’t want to handle anything larger. Still, if the chips were loose, the ice removal would have been quicker by hand shovel. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/37 "2003-02-20T05:05:15Z")
[This](http://www.azweapons.com/FUNAMMOmain.html) probably wouldn’t work all that well, but it would scare the hell out of your neighbors. _And_ they’d think twice about ever allowing Fido to poop on your lawn… ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/38 "2003-02-20T05:35:38Z")
Are you thinking of [radiant heat](http://thermacraft.net/radiantfloor.html), **Bosda**? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/39 "2003-02-20T12:46:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by donkeyoatey \* > \*\*Are you thinking of [radiant heat](http://thermacraft.net/radiantfloor.html), **Bosda**? \*\* That’s one possibility. ---
**Author:** ![superfreakicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@superfreakicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superfreakicus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930/40 "2003-02-20T12:54:36Z")
this would be a great idea to get snow off your gutters, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930.md?page=3)