Gritting & Snow Clearance

Paths, drives and entrances gritted and cleared by hand, before anyone slips

Gritting, done properly and done by hand. When a frost or snow is on the way we come out, clear what’s fallen and salt the paths, driveways, steps and entrances that people actually walk on, for homes and businesses across Horley, Crawley, Reigate and the villages around them.

Grit before the frost, not after it

Salt works by stopping water freezing, which means it’s far better at preventing ice than shifting ice that’s already there. It also needs a little time and a little moisture to get going. So the best moment to grit is the evening before a frost, or first thing in the morning before anyone’s out, not at nine o’clock once the path’s already a sheet of glass.

If you’d rather not keep an eye on the forecast yourself, we can do it for you. Through the winter we’ll come out when a frost or snow is forecast for your area, grit the agreed paths and let you know it’s done. Or ring us when you need us and we’ll fit you in as quickly as we can.

Snow gets cleared first, then salted

Salt on deep snow just turns it into slush that freezes again overnight, and snow that’s been trodden down turns to ice that salt struggles with. So when it snows we clear the paths, steps and drive first, while it’s still loose, then salt the cleared surface so it doesn’t refreeze. We never use water. It looks like it helps for ten minutes and then turns into black ice.

Grit doesn’t last forever. Rain washes it away, fresh snow buries it and busy paths wear it thin, so in a proper cold spell we’ll come back and treat it again. Below about minus five salt becomes much less effective, which is when clearing snow promptly matters most.

Careful with your garden and your paving

Salt is hard on plants and lawns. Too much of it in the soil starves roots of water, and the damage usually only shows up in spring as brown patches along the edges. We use only as much as the surface needs, keep it off beds and borders, and don’t heap salty snow onto the lawn.

Some surfaces need more care than others. Natural limestone and reconstituted stone don’t like salt, and very new concrete is best left alone in its first winter, so tell us what your path and drive are made of and we’ll treat them accordingly. If you’ve got dogs, a quick wipe of their paws after a walk on a gritted path is sensible.

Running a business site?

Flats, care homes, offices, shops and churches get a site plan, forecast-led visits before you open and a record of every visit.

Commercial gritting

Questions people ask

Anything else, just ring. You’ll speak to the people who do the work.

Do I need to ring you every time it’s going to freeze?

You can, and we’ll fit you in as quickly as we can. Or we can agree at the start of winter which paths you want doing, and we’ll come out ourselves whenever a frost or snow is forecast for your area.

Will the salt damage my lawn, plants or block paving?

Used sparingly and kept off beds and lawns, it shouldn’t. We avoid heaping salty snow onto grass, and if your path is natural stone, limestone or newly laid concrete, tell us and we’ll treat it accordingly.

How long does gritting last?

Until rain washes it off, new snow covers it or footfall wears it away. On a dry, cold night it lasts well. In a wet or snowy spell it needs redoing, so we come back as the weather needs.

Am I liable if someone slips on my path?

The government’s guidance is that you’re unlikely to be held responsible if you’ve cleared snow and ice carefully, and taking reasonable care is what matters. Gritting before a frost is exactly that, and it makes a real difference.

Can I book it for an elderly relative?

Yes, and plenty of people do. Give us their address and which paths and steps they use, and we’ll let you know when it’s been done.

Is it just for homes?

No. We grit office car parks, paths and entrances, and the grounds of blocks of flats, care homes, shops, churches and schools. See our commercial gritting page for how that works.