Towering snow piles could lead to very expensive problems you didn't see coming

Terry Mackenzie has been honing his skill at digging out vehicles in New Glasgow, N.S.

“I don’t want to scratch it when we move it, so I’m going to pull all the snow off the side of it, then we’re going to try to pull it out,” he tells The Weather Network.

The auto detailer says the key is carefully shaving the snow off the sides so paint doesn’t get scratched. He says the $100,000-dollar rig is for sale, but like many vehicles around town, it became buried in a snow drift.

“I think we got just as much snow as White Juan, myself,” says Mackenzie.

Letting your vehicle sit under a pile of snow for a long time can lead to several issues that could end up costing you thousands of dollars. (Photo taken after winter storm dumped historic amounts of snow over New Glasgow, N.S., from Feb. 2 to Feb. 5, 2024. Courtesy of Nathan Coleman/The Weather Network)

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While a few days under the snow isn’t likely to cause permanent damage, the sooner you can get it out, the better. Leaving your car buried for too long can cause several issues, including a drained battery, damage to the body of your car, and leaks into the braking system.

You should also be cautious when turning the engine on if the tailpipe is buried under snow because the fumes will have nowhere to escape, raising the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Watch the video above to get more tips.