# Melting snow and ice in driveway **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2022, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583 "2022-01-28T17:56:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 12
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583/12 "2022-01-28T22:10:20Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > It probably would take quite a long time to clear snow with it (I’ve never tried). Earlier threads: > [@Is there any reason I couldn't try shovelling the sidewalk with a flamethrower?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-i-couldnt-try-shovelling-the-sidewalk-with-a-flamethrower/336397): > > Or rather, clearing the sidewalk of snow with a flamethrower? There are a number of businesses by me that haven’t shovelled the snow and its been stomped into ice and is quite treacherous. Removing it by hand or chisel would be pretty involved, but would there be any ill effects to using a flamethrower, like cracking the sidewalk? How long would it take to clear say a 3’x3’ foot section completely? > [@Can I use a flamethrower to clear away snow?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-flamethrower-to-clear-away-snow/155930): > > Yep. Purely hypothetical question, I suppose, but there you go. Due to yesterday’s blizzardey conditions on the east coast, I’m stuck with a huge pile of snow blocking the garage door. Yeah, I could shovel it out, but that would require shovelling snow – the single worst job known to mankind. I’ve got several pressurized sprayers that you can fill with the chemical of your choice; conceivably, it would be really easy to fill them with a flammable liquid, rig up a pilot light, and boom: minia… > [@Trying to Find a Snow Removal Device](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-a-snow-removal-device/603459): > > I’m not sure of the right google terms to find what I’m looking for, so here’s hoping someone around here can help. I’m looking for prices on snow removal machines that use heat to melt the snow. I know such things exist - Papahomie said he’s seen the maintenance guys at a local hospital using them. Basically they’re self-contained units that carry a heat source in a backpack, while the user points the heat output at the ground, clearing snow from the sidewalk without having to shovel. I’ve tr… > [@Why Don't We Melt Snow?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-melt-snow/570161): > > I grew up in Michigan and Indiana. We had some good snows every year. Kids, of course, look forward to a foot or two of snow and getting out of school for a while. I know I did. But, the fact is that a few inches to a few feet can be troublesome for some cities. People miss work, emergency workers get stuck, and many more problems. I was just reading that some cities are considering dumping snow into waterways to get it off the streets and sidewalks, even though it would contain enough sal… Tldr: not practical --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-snow-and-ice-in-driveway/958583)._