With plenty of snow already on the ground in the Rochester, NY, area and more to come, snow removal is bound to be on the minds of many. But you should only head out into the cold and scoop tons of the white stuff if you’re equipped with the right snow shovel from your local hardware store. Grabbing the first one you find on the shelf might not just decrease your shoveling efficiency, it could also cause a serious injury.

A recent study showed there are an average of 11,500 injuries sustained while using a snow shovel each year. Lower back problems were the most common issue, and it’s easy to see why once you realize just how heavy snow can be. A cubic foot of snow weighs 62 pounds on average. This means a typical driveway could have tens of thousands of pounds of snow waiting to be shoveled.

When working with that much weight, choosing the right shovel is crucial. If you select a tool from your neighborhood hardware store that makes the work harder, you’ll be exerting more energy than you would with a better shovel. 

That is exactly why one should consider a pusher shovel, for example. As NPR once noted, these shovels can make it far less strenuous to move large volumes of snow, compared to say a heavy steel shovel.

When choosing your snow shovel, focus on a length and blade size that fit your body. An extremely short shovel will be the bane of any tall person and quickly lead to back strain, while a long shovel will be too cumbersome for a shorter person to use effectively. The diameter of the handle should also feel comfortable in your hands. Something too big can cause painful blisters over the course of a single shoveling session.

Similarly, the size of the blade should be carefully considered. The bigger the shovel blade, the heavier it will be when it’s holding a large scoop of snow.

It can be tempting to always go for a heavy-duty steel shovel, one that looks built to last. Yet, that’s a sure-fire way to overstrain (or even injure) oneself. A good shovel should help you pick up snow without any strain, so any size that hinders that operation should be passed over.

A snow shovel’s design makes all the difference when clearing freshly fallen powder. Ultimately, if you can’t comfortably scoop and toss snow with your current shovel and instead are straining to move it to another location, it’s time for an upgrade.

Black’s Hardware has been providing high-quality products to Rochester, NY, for nearly 70 years. Whether you’re in need of a new snow shovel, painting supplies, plumbing parts, or a wide range of other goods, the hardware store’s dedicated staff will make sure you find what you need. For more information, call (585) 544-9896, or visit the website today.