The short version: Shoveling is one of the riskiest things an older adult does all year, for the heart and for the hip, so the plan is to hire it out or get it done free. Snow contracts come in two kinds, per visit and seasonal. Get three estimates, get everything in writing, and pay a seasonal fee in two or three installments, never all up front. Many cities run free Snow Angels volunteer programs for residents over about 60. Register before the first storm, and keep a neighbor as backup.

Why you should not be the one holding the shovel

Every winter the first big storm sends people to the emergency room from their own driveways. Two things go wrong at once, and both hit harder with age.

The first is the heart. The American Heart Association says the strain of heavy snow shoveling “may be as or even more demanding on the heart than taking a treadmill stress test.”2 Cold air causes blood vessels throughout the body to constrict, which raises blood pressure while narrowing the coronary arteries at the same moment the shoveling is driving the heart rate up.2 The people most at risk are those with a sedentary lifestyle or obesity, smokers, anyone with diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, and anyone who has already had a heart attack or stroke.2 That list describes most of our readers.

The second is the fall. The National Institute on Aging’s winter guidance is direct: “Avoid shoveling snow yourself when possible. In addition to the risk of falling, there is a risk of heart attack for older adults while shoveling snow.”1 A shovel puts you on the slickest surface of the year, bent over, lifting, often in the dark. If a fall on ice does happen, our guide to getting up after a fall covers what to do, but the better plan is not to be out there.

If you must clear a small area, the AHA’s advice is to push or sweep the snow rather than lift and throw it, to start gradually and pace yourself, and to call 911 if chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or other symptoms do not subside shortly after you stop.2 A snow blower is easier than a shovel, but the AHA says to “still proceed with caution.”2

So this is a hiring question, not a fitness question. Here is how to hire it well.

Your four options

Most households end up with a mix.

1. A plow or shoveling service. The standard answer for a driveway. Companies range from one person with a truck to landscaping firms that switch to plowing in winter. Driveways need a plow or snow blower; walks and steps are usually an add-on done by hand.

2. A neighbor, a teenager, or a handy relative. Informal, cheap, and often the most reliable for sidewalks and steps. The catch is that they are not under contract, so have a second name.

3. A city or volunteer program. Many cities and towns pair older residents with volunteers who clear sidewalks and walkways for free. More on these below.

4. Yourself, for the light stuff only. A push broom for a dusting on the steps, and ice melt or sand on the walk, is reasonable for many people. Lifting wet snow is not. The NIA suggests keeping walkways clear with an ice melt product or sand and, when the weather is bad, simply staying inside and using delivery for groceries and prescriptions.1

How snow contracts work

Snow services are sold two ways, and the Better Business Bureau’s guidance on hiring a plow contractor is built around understanding the difference.3

Per visit (also called pay-per-plow or per push) charges you each time the company comes out after a qualifying snowfall. You pay less in a mild winter and more in a hard one.

Seasonal charges one flat fee for the whole winter regardless of how many storms there are. It is predictable, which is why many people on a fixed income prefer it. The trade-off is that if the winter turns out light, the contractor keeps the fee.

Neither is wrong. If your climate is unpredictable and your budget can absorb a bad month, per visit can be cheaper over the years. If a surprise bill is the thing you cannot handle, seasonal is worth the premium.

What to put in writing

The BBB’s first rule is that contractors “should always provide a written contract,” and that you read all of it before signing.3 A good snow contract answers these questions in plain language:

  • What triggers a visit? Usually a snow depth, such as 2 inches. Below that, nothing happens unless you call.
  • How soon after the snow stops? A window of hours. This matters if you have a morning medical appointment.
  • Exactly which areas? Driveway only, or driveway plus front walk, steps, the path to the mailbox, and the end of the driveway where the street plow leaves a wall of packed snow.
  • Is salting or ice melt included, and on which surfaces?
  • What are the extra charges? The BBB specifically says to understand “cancellation fees and any extra charges that may apply.”3
  • How and when do you pay?
  • How does either side cancel?

Two more things the BBB tells you to do before signing. Ask whether the company is “fully insured in case of damage to property,” since plows and mailboxes meet often.3 And expect a representative to visit the property first and make notes about the services requested and potential obstacles.3 A company that quotes you a price for a driveway it has never seen is guessing.

Pay in installments. The BBB says most contractors “split fees into two or three payments,” typically at the start, middle, and end of the season, and that a company asking for the entire season up front should be treated as “a red flag.”3 This is the same principle as our guide to contractor deposits and payment schedules: money follows work.

Get three estimates

The BBB recommends at least three estimates before deciding, and asking each company for all costs up front.3 Prices vary a great deal by region, driveway length, and whether walks are included, which is exactly why three quotes on the same written list of areas beats any national average. Check reviews and complaint history while you are at it; our guide to checking references and reviews works for plow companies too.

The red flags

Snow brings out a particular kind of operator: the truck that appears in your driveway the morning after a storm, offers to clear it right now for cash, and vanishes. The BBB’s warning signs line up with what we tell readers about any contractor:

  • All the money up front for a seasonal contract.3
  • No written contract, or a reluctance to put the details in writing.3
  • Won’t answer questions or give references. The BBB says if a company is reluctant to do either, “there could be cause for concern.”3
  • Part-time availability you did not know about. Some plow operators work part time, and the BBB says to ask whether a snow removal schedule exists.3 A company that plows only after its day job is done may not be there before your appointment.
  • The door-knock after a storm. Not always a scam, but it is the setup for one. Take a card, say you will call, and compare.

If you run into an outright scheme, the BBB asks that you report it through its Scam Tracker, and you can file a complaint if a dispute cannot be resolved.3 For the broader playbook, see handyman vs. licensed contractor for what small outdoor jobs need, and contractor insurance and bonding for why the insurance question matters.

Free and low-cost help

This is the part most people do not know exists.

Many cities and towns run volunteer programs, often named Snow Angels, that pair older residents and people with disabilities with nearby neighbors who clear their sidewalks and walkways after a storm. Pittsburgh’s is typical. Recipients must be 62 or older or unable to remove snow because of a mobility impairment, live within the city, and lack the money or nearby family and friends to handle it.4 Volunteers shovel and salt the sidewalk and walkway and are asked to come as soon as they can and within 24 hours of the end of a snow event.4 Sign-up is online, by calling 311, or by phone and email to the program.4

Two honest caveats from the same program page. A volunteer is not guaranteed, because it depends on a neighbor signing up nearby, and you should allow up to 24 hours after a snowfall for someone to arrive.4 Treat these programs as one layer of your plan, not the whole plan, and register before the first storm rather than during it.

Beyond the city, the usual helpers apply. Your Area Agency on Aging may know of local programs or vetted low-cost providers. Faith communities and high schools with community-service requirements often organize shoveling. And a neighbor who already clears their own walk will frequently do yours for a thank-you and a plate of something. Our guide to hiring in-home help covers how to think about informal helpers safely.

Keeping yourself safe between visits

Even with a good plow company, there is a stretch of hours after every storm before anyone arrives. The NIA’s winter rules cover that gap.1

  • Keep the walkway treated. Ice melt or sand on the path to the car and the mailbox, applied before the storm if you can.
  • Use the railings on every step, every time. If the front steps have no railing, that is a worthwhile job for a handyman before winter.
  • Wear nonskid, rubber-soled, low-heeled footwear outdoors. Indoors matters too; see our guide to house shoes and fall risk.
  • Stay inside when it is bad. Use delivery for prescriptions and groceries rather than venturing out on the worst days.
  • Keep the house at 68°F or warmer. The NIA warns that even mildly cool homes, 60 to 65°F, can lead to hypothermia in older adults, and the CDC lists older adults without adequate heating among the people most at risk in cold weather.15

The rest of the winter checklist, from space heaters to frozen pipes, is in our winterizing guide for seniors.

Key takeaways

  • Do not shovel. The NIA and the AHA both say the heart risk and the fall risk are real for older adults. Hire it or get it free.
  • Per visit or seasonal: per visit is cheaper in a mild winter, seasonal is predictable with no refund if it is light.
  • Get three estimates and a written contract with trigger depth, timing, areas, extras, payment schedule, cancellation, and proof of insurance.
  • Pay in two or three installments, never the whole season up front, and never cash to a stranger after a storm.
  • Register for your city’s Snow Angels program before the first storm, and name a backup neighbor.

What’s next

Reviewed by John Smith, CAPS, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. This guide is general consumer and safety information, not medical advice. If you have heart disease or other health conditions, ask your doctor before doing any outdoor work in the cold.

  1. Cold Weather Safety for Older Adults. National Institute on Aging, U.S. National Institutes of Health, reviewed January 3, 2024, retrieved November 10, 2026. .
  1. Snow shoveling, cold temperatures combine for perfect storm of heart health hazards. American Heart Association Newsroom, January 11, 2024, retrieved November 10, 2026. .
  1. BBB Tip: Hiring a snow plow contractor. Better Business Bureau, retrieved November 10, 2026. .
  1. Snow Angels Program. City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, retrieved November 10, 2026. .
  1. Preventing Cold-Related Illness and Injury. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reviewed August 25, 2026, retrieved November 10, 2026. .