{"id":1340,"date":"2025-08-23T07:34:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T11:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lambtonlawn.com\/blog\/?p=1340"},"modified":"2025-08-23T07:34:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T11:34:30","slug":"how-deep-does-snow-need-to-be-before-removal-services-come","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lambtonlawn.com\/blog\/how-deep-does-snow-need-to-be-before-removal-services-come\/","title":{"rendered":"How Deep Does Snow Need to Be Before Removal Services Come?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>One of the most confusing parts of a snow removal contract is the <strong>trigger depth<\/strong>\u2014the amount of snow that has to fall before your service provider clears your driveway or walkways. Many homeowners in Ontario are surprised to wake up after a storm and see their driveways untouched, even though it looks like plenty of snow fell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how trigger depths work, why they matter, and what you should look for in your contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Trigger Depth?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Trigger depth is the minimum snow accumulation that \u201ctriggers\u201d a plow or shovel crew to come out. In most residential contracts, this is set between <strong>2 cm and 5 cm<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>2 cm Trigger Depth<\/strong> \u2013 Almost every snowfall gets cleared. Best for families, seniors, or anyone who wants maximum convenience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>5 cm Trigger Depth<\/strong> \u2013 Crews wait until more snow builds up. Cheaper, but driveways can get slippery or packed down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Custom Depths<\/strong> \u2013 Some companies let you choose your trigger depth when signing up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Trigger Depth Affects Pricing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>lower trigger depth<\/strong> means crews will visit more often, so contracts are priced higher. A <strong>higher trigger depth<\/strong> lowers the number of visits and brings the cost down. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>2 cm Trigger<\/strong> \u2013 Seasonal contract: $900\u2013$1,200<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>5 cm Trigger<\/strong> \u2013 Seasonal contract: $700\u2013$900<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How It Impacts Homeowners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Safety<\/strong> \u2013 Seniors or families with kids benefit from a lower trigger depth since surfaces stay clear more often.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Driveway Wear<\/strong> \u2013 Packed-down snow that isn\u2019t cleared quickly can freeze into ice, making it harder to remove later.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Convenience<\/strong> \u2013 If you leave early for work, even 3 cm of snow can be frustrating.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Budget<\/strong> \u2013 A higher trigger depth saves money but may mean shoveling light snow yourself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions to Ask Before Signing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What\u2019s the standard trigger depth in the contract?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can I adjust it for my needs?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is salting included for light snowfalls that don\u2019t meet the trigger?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will the crew come out if freezing rain leaves ice but no snow?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Final Takeaway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When comparing snow removal services, don\u2019t just look at the price\u2014check the trigger depth. That small detail can be the difference between a clear driveway every morning or waking up to a surprise layer of snow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever wonder why your snow removal service didn\u2019t show up after a storm? It may come down to something called trigger depth. Here\u2019s what you should know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is The &quot;Trigger Depth&quot; For Snow Removal In Sarnia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what \u201ctrigger depth\u201d means in snow removal contracts, and how it affects when your driveway gets cleared.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lambtonlawn.com\/blog\/how-deep-does-snow-need-to-be-before-removal-services-come\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is The &quot;Trigger Depth&quot; For Snow Removal In Sarnia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn what \u201ctrigger depth\u201d means in snow removal contracts, and how it affects when your driveway gets cleared.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/lambtonlawn.com\/blog\/how-deep-does-snow-need-to-be-before-removal-services-come\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"LambtonLawn LTD Blogs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-23T11:34:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/lambtonlawn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/woman-digs-car-out-deep-snow.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1664\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" 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