There’s a long list of things people dread about winter, but at the top of that list is shoveling out your driveway and sidewalk after heavy snow in the frigid pre-dawn darkness so you can drive to work. Fortunately, modern technology has given us machines that can do most of the heavy lifting for us in a much shorter amount of time. This handy guide will teach you everything you need to know about snow blowers and how to pick out the perfect blower to lighten your (cold, snowy) load this winter.
Why Use a Snow Blower Instead of a Shovel? Save Time Snow blowers can move snow at a much faster rate than shoveling snow by hand. In fact, a snow blower can clear over 600 pounds of snow per minute. They take a job that would normally take hours and reduce it to mere minutes, so you can instead spend that time inside where it’s warm, doing something that is likely a lot more fun than moving snow.
Avoid Aches, Pains, and Injuries Shoveling snow is incredibly taxing on your body.
The combination of heavy lifting in subzero temperatures is unforgiving on your muscles, joints, and circulatory system. In recent years, snow shoveling has also been linked to an increased risk of heart attack. Between 1990 and 2006, a medical study found that over 1,500 people died from heart attacks related to snow shoveling. Turns out, our bodies aren’t quite designed to handle strenuous physical activity in cold weather that constricts our arteries.
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Scary, huh? Letting a machine take care of the heavy lifting for you will take a lot of that physical strain off of your body. Instead of risking heart attacks, achy joints, and sore muscles, you can glide easily down your driveway with a motorized snow blower. Choosing Your Snow Blower Before you buy a snow plow, you should consider the different types of snow plows available on the market so you can get the one that best fits your needs. Here are a few factors to consider: Size of the area you will be clearing Amount of snow you typically receive in your area Incline of the area you will use your snow-blower Different types of snow blowers: Gas vs. Electric Gas: Gas-powered blowers are more powerful than electric blowers and more effective at clearing away deep snow. Since the fuel-powered engine doesn’t require the blower to be plugged into an outlet, you’re not tethered to an extension cord and can move freely over vast distances.
If you have a long driveway or sidewalks that need plowing, a gas blower would be your best option. Keep in mind that these benefits do come at a higher cost than electric blowers, which are significantly cheaper. As the fuel used to power gas blowers burns, it creates fumes which are harmful to the environment and don’t smell very pleasant. If you’re sensitive to fumes or eco-friendly, a gas-powered blower may not be your favorite option. Gas blowers are available in single-stage, two-stage, and three-stage builds, which we will take a look at in detail later on in the guide. Electric: Electric snow blowers have a reputation for being lighter-weight, quieter, easier to maintain, and more affordable than gas-powered blowers. To get started, all you have to is plug your blower into an outlet with a cold weather extension cord. They’re great for clearing snow from small to mid-sized areas like driveways, patios, and walkways. Since the blower needs to be plugged in at all times, the length of your extension cord will determine your maximum plowable distance. This alone could be a deal breaker for people with large properties.
On the plus side, maintenance is fairly easy for electric blowers and they don’t need fill-ups or oil changes like gas-powered models. In addition, their light-weight build makes them easy to carry up stairs if you need to clear a raised deck or patio. Electric snow blowers pack less power than gas blowers, so they’re ideal for areas that receive low to moderate amounts of snow. For snow levels over 12 inches, a gas-powered model would do best. Less power also means these models can struggle with hills and steep inclines. Electric blowers perform best on flat, smooth surfaces like paved driveways, sidewalks, and roads. Corded vs. Cordless Corded: Corded snow blowers plug directly into an exterior electrical outlet and are powered through a cold weather extension cord. Fueling your snow blower with electricity is simpler and cleaner than using gas. Plus, some people are simply not comfortable with handling gas cans and storing a volatile liquid in their shed or garage when the blower is not in use. If you do choose this option, keep in mind that your snow blower can only move as far as the extension cord allows. For this reason, smaller areas and areas directly adjacent to your home are ideal for electric blowers. Taking your blower down the sidewalk in front of your house or onto the street may not be possible with a corded model. Cordless: Cordless blowers don’t have the limited maneuverability of corded models.
If you know you have a large area to clear snow from, like a long driveway, or you want to clear areas far from the nearest electrical outlet, like sidewalks and pathways, a cordless model would make that possible. Smallest of the cordless models is a snow-thrower, which is a hand-held machine carried much like a leaf blower. These are great for people with a very limited amount of storage space and who only have a small area to remove snow from, like residents of condos or townhomes. Their light carrying weight also makes them great for seniors. Single-stage, Two-stage, and Three-stage Snow blowers come in three stages. We’ll review each stage as well as pro’s and con’s of each type in this section. The general principle to keep in mind is that the more stages a snow blower has, the more snow it can handle, the faster it can clear the snow, and the farther it can throw it. Single-stage: All snow blowers, regardless of stage, come equipped with a component called an auger. As the auger spins, it picks up snow from the ground and passes it through a funnel-like device called a chute.
Single-stage snow blowers are the simplest in terms of design and utilize only an auger to collect and remove snow, as opposed to double and triple stage blowers which use additional components to facilitate snow removal. Single-stage snow blowers are smaller, lighter, and easier to maneuver around than larger multi-stage models. Both gas and electric blowers are available in the single-stage design, so you can choose whichever works best for your needs. Singel-stage models work great on flat, paved surfaces like cement driveways and sidewalks. Keep in mind that the auger blade comes in contact with the ground as it’s rotating and will pick up rocks and gravel from gravel driveways, so single-stage blowers are not recommended for this type of environment. They perform best with mild to moderate levels of lighter, powdery snow, so if you live in a far northern state where it snows more than 9 inches at a time, a single-stage blower would not be your best option. They’re also less powerful than multi-stage blowers and can only project snow about 20 feet from their chutes. Two-stage: For heavier snow falls, a two-stage snow blower gives you an extra boost of power.
In addition to the auger utilized by single-stage blowers, their two-stage counterparts also use a powerful fan to draw snow into the machine, churn up any wet, heavy snow, and hurl it out of the chute. With its more powerful build, two-stage blowers can throw snow up to 35 feet and can clear a patch of snow between 1 foot and 2.5 feet wide. Two-stage snow blowers are typically gas-powered, but you may be able to find a couple of electric options on the market if you have a strong preference for them. With their larger wheels, they’re also able to handle bumpier, uneven surfaces much more effectively than the smaller single-stage machines. Their higher ground clearance also means their auger doesn’t touch the ground, so this one is the better of the two options if you have a gravel driveway or rocky property. The larger size and higher power do come at a cost, though. Two-stage blowers are significantly more expensive than single-stage, and also much larger, so you’ll need to have enough room in your garage or storage shed to house one.
Three-stage: Three-stage blowers are the biggest and strongest members of the snow blowing family. Much of their strength comes from an accelerator and a third auger which drills down into the deepest, heaviest drifts of snow and reduces it to a liquidly slush. Snow ejected from the chute can travel as far as 50 feet! In addition to being the strongest snow blower on the market, it’s also the most expensive. For the average consumer, a three-stage is probably more than you need, but if you live in a heavy-snow area where you expect 18 inches of snow or more, or have a lot of ground to cover, a three-stage is probably worth the price.
Size & weight considerations: Small: Electric snow blowers and single-stage gas-powered snow blowers are the smallest and lightest on the market. They’re small enough to store easily in a closet or a corner of your basement if you have limited storage space. Since they weigh as low as 60 pounds, you can also carry them up steps to clear snow from elevated decks and porches. Medium: Two-stage snow blowers fall in the medium category. They sit higher off the ground, have larger wheels, and a larger trough in front for collecting larger quantities of snow. A medium-sized snow blower is sizable enough to require its own storage space, whether it’s in a storage shed or a garage. Falling anywhere between 150-200 pounds, they’re a bit heavier than their single-stage counterparts. Large: Three-stage blowers are the largest and heaviest.
Weight can run between 250-300 pounds, so they can be tough to push, especially through deep snow or on steep inclines. They can eat up a lot of space in a garage, so consider the amount of room you having available for storage before you make your purchase. Standard models are around 30 inches wide, but compact models are available at a width of roughly 24-inches. Other desirable features Modern snow blowers come equipped with lots of cool, helpful features to make working in the cold a little easier and more enjoyable. Headlights: Headlights make it easier to see where you’re going in the darkness. Depending on where you live, the winter sun may rise late in the morning and set very early in the afternoon, making a headlight a very handy addition to your snow rig. Electric Start: Gas-powered blowers have traditionally used a pull cord to get started, which can sometimes be unreliable.
Modern blowers are equipped with an electric start button that you simply have to push to get started. Most models outfitted with this feature also have a plug-in for an extension cord if you’d like to use it near an outlet. Speeds: A gear stick allows you to choose four speeds (or six, depending on the model) going forward as well as backward. This is helpful for dense, thick snow drifts which require you to move more slowly. Chute Rotation: This lets you adjust the angle of the chute so you can decide exactly where the snow is going to fall. Available in both joystick and crank control, test out both types in the store to see which one feels right for you (and remember to use thick gloves, some people find the joystick hard to operate with them on). Heated Handlebar: Keep your hands nice and toasty (and un-frost bitten) while you work. Even with gloves on, brutally low temperatures and wind chill can take a toll. Heated handles will protect your fingers against the worst of winter’s wrath.
What Are People Afraid Of In Winter?. (2022, Feb 23). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/what-are-people-afraid-of-in-winter/
