Snow Removal & Plowing in McHenry, IL
Driveway Plowing, Parking Lots, Sidewalks & De-Icing
Landscaping Pros McHenry handles snow removal for houses, shops and apartment buildings across McHenry, IL and the nearby towns. Our crews plow home driveways and business lots, shovel the walks and steps, then treat icy surfaces with salt or another de-icer once the snow is off. We're licensed and insured, and estimates are free.
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What Our Snow Removal Covers
- Residential driveways: plowing from the garage to the street, with the snow stacked where it won't block your view or the road
- Commercial parking lots: lots, drive lanes and entrances for shops, offices and multi-unit buildings
- Sidewalks and walkways: front walks, steps, paths to side doors and the public sidewalk along your property
- Salting and de-icing: treating driveways, walks and lots so the surface underneath stays safe once the snow is off
Driveway Plowing for McHenry Homes
Most of the snow here falls in three months. At the McHenry weather station, NOAA's 1991–2020 normals put January at about 11 inches, February near 9 and December just over 8, out of roughly 34.5 inches a year.
A plowed driveway is only half done if the end of it is left blocked. Snow from the road plows also ends up at the foot of the drive, so we clear right back to the street. McHenry County's transportation department advises pushing driveway snow to the side at the end of the drive, where a passing plow carries it on down the road. The county also suggests checking your mailbox before the season, because heavy wet snow thrown off a road plow can knock one down.
Commercial Snow Plowing and Parking Lots
Parking lots need a plan before the first storm: where the snow will be piled, which entrances get cleared first, and how the drive lanes stay open while cars come and go. During the estimate we look at where snow can be piled, keeping it off sidewalks, away from fire hydrants and clear of the sight lines drivers need when pulling out onto the road.
We plow lots for shops, offices, HOAs and apartment buildings across the area. Walkways and entrances can be cleared on the same visit, and lots can be salted once the plowing is finished.
Sidewalk and Walkway Clearing
Plowing handles the big surfaces, but walks and steps are where people slip. We clear front walks, steps, side paths and the public sidewalk in front of the property, then treat them where ice is likely to form.
Illinois law: The state's Snow and Ice Removal Act encourages people who own or live in homes to clear the sidewalks next to them. It says owners, occupants and anyone they hire to do the work aren't liable for injuries blamed on the snowy or icy sidewalk because of their clearing, unless their conduct was willful or wanton. The Act is written for residential property.
Salting and De-Icing in a McHenry Winter
The right de-icer depends on how cold it is. Rock salt, which is sodium chloride, works well near freezing but slows down a lot once the pavement drops to about 15°F, and it stops working entirely around -6°F. Calcium chloride keeps melting down to about -20°F and magnesium chloride to about -10°F. That matters here: in January the average overnight low at the local station is about 13°F, below the point where plain rock salt does much.
Using less also matters in this county. McHenry County says chloride from road salt and other de-icers is polluting water, including the groundwater aquifers its residents drink from, and since 2009 the county and its partners have held annual Sensible Salting workshops, which have included plow operators and contractors. Its own highway crews wet the salt with brine as it's spread and, when conditions allow, spray liquid before a storm so ice can't bond to the road, and four routes it has switched to all-liquid treatment each showed a 38% cut in salt use. The same idea applies to a driveway or lot: clear the snow first, then use only as much de-icer as the surface needs.
Where the Snow Can't Go
Keep it off the road and the hydrant. Under the City of McHenry's code, snow or ice from private property may not be put onto a public street, a public sidewalk or a fire hydrant, and that includes windrows along the curb. A violation that goes on for several days is charged as a new offense for every one of them. The county gives the same advice for county roads and asks homeowners to tell anyone they hire. We stack snow on your own property, clear of the hydrant and the sidewalk.
Licensed, Insured and Careful With Your Property
We're licensed and insured, and every visit ends with a tidy-up, so walks, steps and entrances are left clean and clear when the crew leaves. Ring us for a free estimate before the first storm, and we'll come out, see what needs clearing and give you a price.
Protecting Lawns and Evergreens From Salt
Salt that lands on lawns and beds doesn't disappear when the snow melts. University of Illinois Extension explains that sodium damages soil structure, chloride can build up in plants to toxic levels, and salt spray from passing traffic dries out plants, most often on the side of trees facing the road. Evergreens are especially sensitive, and the browning usually shows in late winter or early spring.
Extension's advice is to clear the snow before any salt goes down, spread it evenly with gaps of about 3 inches between grains, sweep up what's left once the ice has gone, and go especially easy on salt after March 1, when plants start to come out of dormancy. In spring, a thorough watering helps flush salt out of soil next to drives and walks, and our lawn care page covers getting the lawn going again once the snow has gone.
Snow Removal Prices at a Glance
The figures below are typical published prices for the Chicago area, taken from cost guides and Chicago price pages (2022–2026). Driveway or lot size, snow depth and the length of walkway all move the price, so treat these as a guide and use the free estimate for your actual cost.
Homes
- Driveway plowing, typical one- or two-car drive, per visit $50–$225
- Walkway and sidewalk shoveling, per worker per hour $25–$75
- Salting a driveway and walks, per application $20–$65
Businesses
- Parking lot plowing, per push, small lot to large $75–$800+
- Parking lot de-icing, per application, standard lot $50–$150
Deep snow costs more: prices typically rise once a storm passes about 6 inches.
Typical published prices, Chicago area, from cost guides and Chicago price pages (2022–2026). These are a guide only; ask for a free estimate to price your own property.
Winter in McHenry and Nearby Towns
A little snow sometimes falls here in October (the long-term average is just a tenth of an inch), but the season usually gets going in December and runs into March, with about 4 inches still falling in a typical March and an inch in April. Big storms do happen. During the Groundhog Day blizzard of January 31 to February 2, 2011, the National Weather Service in Chicago reported that most of northern Illinois got one to two feet, with lake effect pushing totals highest in Lake, McHenry, Cook and DuPage counties.
We plow and clear snow in McHenry and across the surrounding area, including Woodstock, Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills, Prairie Grove, Island Lake, Fox Lake, Johnsburg, Spring Grove, Richmond, Ringwood and Wonder Lake. For everything else we do around the year, see our landscaping in McHenry page.
Snow Removal FAQs
Answers to the questions people ask before the first storm.
Is it illegal to shovel snow into the street in McHenry?
Yes. Snow or ice from private property may not go onto a public street, a public sidewalk or a fire hydrant under the city code, and a pile left there can be treated as a fresh offense each day. The county asks the same for county roads.
How much does snow plowing cost around McHenry?
Published Chicago-area cost guides put a typical one- or two-car driveway at about $50 to $225 per visit, with deep snow costing more. The size of the drive and the depth of the storm change it, so ask for a free estimate to get your actual price.
Do you plow commercial parking lots?
Yes. We plow lots, drive lanes and entrances for businesses, HOAs and apartment buildings, and we can clear the walkways and salt the lot on the same visit.
Does rock salt work when it's below zero?
Not well. Rock salt slows down sharply once the pavement is colder than about 15°F and stops working around -6°F, so on the coldest mornings calcium or magnesium chloride does a better job.
Can I book snow removal for an elderly parent?
Yes. You can book driveway and walkway clearing for a parent or neighbor who shouldn't be out shoveling. Call us with the address and what needs clearing, and we'll price it with you.
Will salt damage my lawn or shrubs?
It can. Salt builds up in the soil and burns evergreens, so it should go down only after the snow is cleared, spread thinly and swept up once the ice has gone. A good soaking in spring helps wash it out of the soil.
Which towns do you cover?
Along with McHenry, we cover Wonder Lake, Johnsburg, Richmond, Ringwood, Spring Grove, Fox Lake, Island Lake, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, Prairie Grove and Woodstock.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Both our residential and commercial snow work is licensed and insured.