Throwing snow against house - really bad, right?

[snoopy7548]

I'm going to talk to my neighbors tomorrow about this, but I'm wondering what sort of damage I can expect if this continues.

I share a driveway and a property line with my neighbors. See the image below. The gray area is the shared driveway, green is the grass. There's probably ~10' of lawn between the edge of their driveway and my house.

Whenever they clear their driveway, they come straight out of their garage and throw the snow against the side of my house, letting it pile up against the foundation. It doesn't seem like they know how to use their chute properly, and always have it at the highest setting. I have vinyl siding and it sounds like someone banging on the side of my house every time it happens. They tend to park two or three cars on the right side of their driveway, perpendicular to their backyard (or parallel to my little strip of lawn that separates their driveway and my house), so I assume they're not throwing snow over into their backyard in order to avoid piling it up on their cars.

I'm imagining snow getting up underneath the siding and eventually causing rot to the sheathing. My furnace (gas) has its intake and exhaust vent on that side of the house, maybe 4' off the ground. I try to clear it the best I can, but it's probably getting filled with snow. My central air condenser is also on that side of the house, but I have the top of it covered with a piece of plywood. Best-case scenario, I think my siding would get cracked due to being weakened from the cold weather.

I'm going to tell them they need to figure out a different way to snowblow, but I don't want to make it sound like the world is going to end if they don't. They're extremely nice people and we get along well. I just keep forgetting to bring this up.

I'm not over-reacting, right? Any easy ways to check for potential damage without ripping off the siding? The majority of the snow seems to hit about 10-15' up, so I can't really easily check for cracks or holes.

Anyways, I'm going to talk to them tomorrow morning (or after work) after I shovel out my basement windows.

 

[Greenman]

It would all depend on what sort of barrier is behind the siding. If it's just tar paper, and the snow is piled over 3' high, then it could get behind the paper when it melts. Beyond that, I got nothing. That freezing white stuff is illegal around here, so I don't have any direct experience with it. That whole frozen waste land thing doesn't work for me.

 

[Six]

I'm more worried about the AC condenser fins than the siding. The siding will probably be fine.

 

[boomerang]

IMO, you've named a number of reasons why they need to change their behavior. The most pressing I feel is the blockage of the intake and exhaust for your furnace. With those buried in snow, your furnace will not run. Imagine going out of town for a week to find that there has been no heat in the house during that time period. Frozen pipes and the resultant damage would be their fault but guess who would get to pay?

I wouldn't lament about the concerns about intrusion behind you siding, I would cite number one the noise of the snow hitting the side of the house and your concerns regarding the furnace.

It's hard to believe that anyone would not take pause as their snowblower was pelting their neighbors home but it's happening so... That's pretty damned inconsiderate. You may have hit on it when you say that they may not know the angle of the discharge chute can be lowered.

Myself, I would make several passes coming out of that garage on the extreme right side heading towards your house with the chute angled down and use that cleared lane to then maneuver to discharge the remainder of the snow in the pad in front of the garage towards the back yard. Anybody who has used a snowblower (or plowed for that matter) knows that that there must be a bit of thought put into where the snow needs to go and how to make that happen.

 

[snoopy7548]

Thanks for the replies. I think some people just don't consider how what they're doing affects others. Maybe their snowblower has an awkward chute adjustment so they don't use it, but that would be a lame excuse.

The condenser fins being damaged is a good point - something to check on in the spring. My house has the Zip System sheathing and I always try to clear the snow around my foundation so it's not piled up against the siding, so I guess I don't have to worry too much about that.

I've cleared their driveway a number of times without any problems, letting the snow pile up about 2' into my strip of lawn along their driveway. I'll offer some advice and see if they can do the same.

 

[jtworldwide3]

what is to the right of the driveway? Aka how much distance between the right of the two houses and the property line? Based on your drawing the only reason to hit your house with snow is that they are a bunch of aholes

 

[snoopy7548]

what is to the right of the driveway? Aka how much distance between the right of the two houses and the property line? Based on your drawing the only reason to hit your house with snow is that they are a bunch of aholes

The little strip of lawn between their driveway and my house is around 10' wide. Here are the property lines. Blue = shared, red = mine.

 

[Rifter]

id blow it right back across the property line onto their side. Bunch of ignorant assholes IMO.

 

[jtworldwide3]

The little strip of lawn between their driveway and my house is around 10' wide. Here are the property lines. Blue = shared, red = mine.

against the law to do that here. The area above the line and to the right of their driveway seems like a good place to put snow

 

[Humpy]

That red line is where the fence goes.

 

[Rifter]

That red line is where the fence goes.

so much this as well, after you blow the snow back across.

 

[stormkroe]

OP, your AC unit should have a disconnect mounted close by. Although it should be 3R (weather proof), that's only to shed precipitation. The snow will ice-dam (possible from warm air escaping from the house through the penetration behind the disconnect) and eventually get inside. 240 volts don't take much to short.
There's also easily crackable siding in the cold.
There's also tons of potential basement moisture due to the heat of the concrete thawing ground water.
There's also potential damage to your furnace (if it is blocked it can't run, if it can't run the super cold outside air can jet back into the furnace [depending on if you have negative pressure in your house] and it can actually freeze the exhaust bower motor up with the water normally flowing through the condensate bypass line).
Those people are retarded.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would be worried as in spring when it melts it might cause water to force it's way up into the siding then leak behind it. Or other crevices. Also in really cold weather siding will crack more easily so if they pickup a rock or something it might hit your house and damage siding. I would try to approach them about it, or build a fence next year lol.

 

[snoopy7548]

I would be worried as in spring when it melts it might cause water to force it's way up into the siding then leak behind it. Or other crevices. Also in really cold weather siding will crack more easily so if they pickup a rock or something it might hit your house and damage siding. I would try to approach them about it, or build a fence next year lol.

A fence is a good idea, but with how high they shoot the snow it would just go right over! I'd have to build it 20'+ tall.

 

[paperfist]

Vinyl siding? Doesn't take much ice flinging out of the chute in the winter to crack it.

My driveway is similar, it's a royal pain in the ass and non stop chute adjustment but I have to blow the snow a good 20' out first before I can clear my house or the neighbors and pile it in the front or back.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Have you talked with the neighbor yet, or have you been stewing over this for another week? When you talk with them, I'd mention some of the more obvious issues that they might identify with - the noise against your house, the blocking of vents. Not your worries the maybe this or maybe that might happen.

 

[snoopy7548]

Been busy with work and other stuff so I haven't had a chance to talk to them yet, but I will before the next snowstorm.

 

[ch33zw1z]

pretty shitty thing to do. quite a few problems have been pointed out. it amazes me that people can be that foolish.

 

[preCRT]

Their snow belongs on their property, not yours.

 

[mizzou]

they blow snow onto your house? thats terribly ignorant. Just tell them, they probably dont realize the issues it cause

 

[Stg-Flame]

I wouldn't claim my neighbors to be nice people if they are continually blowing snow on my house. They can't think that highly of you if they continue this.

I live in the desert so we don't get much snow, but it's just common courtesy that if you're doing anything in your yard, you keep your shit inside your yard and don't let it spill over into your neighbor's yard.

 

[mrblotto]

Came across this today and reminded me of this thread

http://www.wmur.com/article/pelham-neighbors-charged-after-fighting-over-snowplowing/16776978