The short answer is: yes.

With a properly installed snow fence, you won’t have to shovel or plow nearly as much.

The blowing snow is stopped just passed the snow fence, so you get an area that’s relatively clear of big drifts.

Big drifts can cause a hazard if not removed immediately.

When the winter wind blows the snow into the snow fence, it creates drifts just downwind of the fence, instead of across your driveway or sidewalk.

This keeps your pathways more clear of snow and minimizes the need for snow removal.

Snow fence helps reduce the need for snow plowing and shovelling.

That makes it less work for you every time it snows.

This also helps save you money on snow removal services or a hefty fine from the city.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

It’s not about blocking the wind or stopping the snow completely.

Most snow fences are not solid.

It’s more about how the wind and the snow fence combine to affect the air pressure.

The snow fence creates a pressure differential, with higher pressure on the side where the wind hits the fence (upwind) and lower pressure on the other side (downwind).

As the wind blows across the fence, the air pressure drops and the lower pressure causes the blowing snow to fall to the ground and form drifts – just downwind of the fence.

Where the snow piles up will depend on how tall the fence is, how much air gets through the fence, and how much wind there is.

You should install your snow fence upwind of the pathway or area you want to keep clear of snowdrifts.

Here in Calgary, our winter winds come mostly from the north and west, so you should place your snow fence to the north and west of the area you want to protect.

How far away you place the snow fence is critical.

If you place the snow fence too close, new drifts will form where you don’t want them.

Place the fence too far away and you’ll get drifts forming past the fence’s blocking effect.

The best distance between the snow fence and the protected area should be 35 times the height of the fence.

So if you have a four-foot snow fence, which is the most common height, position it 140 feet away from the area you want to protect.

It’s not an exact science, however, so you probably want to leave the placement to the experts, like the experienced installers at First Class Fencing.