Snow Blowers

General snow Blower information you need to know. We used to include this material with every post. Now we link to it to allow us to provide more information about specific snow blowers and snow throwers that are being reviewed. Please read this information for your own safety and information.

Delivery

Most customers will have to arrange for the delivery of their new snow blowers. They are far too big to take home in your car, so you will need a trailer, rent a van or arrange for delivery by the store that you are purchasing the snow blower from. There will be a charge for this service, but it will be the easiest way to arrange for your new snow blower to be delivered to your home. Some stores will rent their vans/trucks to you for a very low price for 2 hours for you to take your purchases home.

Accessories

Most snow blowers can be purchased with tire chains to provide extra traction in icy situations. In addition, snow shields are also a good idea if you want to protect yourself from windy conditions and snow being blown back at your face by the wind.

Safety & Operation

A snow blower is a powerful machine and should be treated with safety in mind. Carefully read all of the safety guidelines in the manual prior to operating the machine for the first time and follow these guidelines to ensure that both you and the machine do not have an accident.

Prior to starting your snowblower the first time each day, perform a quick walk around check of the machine to ensure there are no loose parts and no leaking fluids. Check the engine oil to ensure that it is at the correct level as specified by the manual. Top up if necessary. Fill the fuel tank while the engine is cold and prior to using the machine. If you do spill fuel, wait until it has fully evaporated prior to starting the engine. Never spill fuel on a hot engine to avoid fires. Always fill the fuel tank outdoors to avoid any possibility of vapors going into your house.

Finally never point the chute in the direction of people, buildings, or cars to avoid any possible damage and accidents. Sometimes chunks of ice can be thrown at high speed from the chute. If they hit something, it can cause a lot of damage.

General Snow Blower Information

Never work on your snow blower with the engine running

This seems like an obvious thing but people still do it and are hurt, sometimes badly, every year. Always turn it off before you do any maintenance, add fuel, check the oil, fix the chains on the tires, or clear the augers of snow.

Clearing Snow from the Augers – this is where lots of people are hurt every year. Before you try to clear snow that is plugging the augers, shut the engine off. This could avoid the sudden turning of the augers or the impeller. This could cause lots of damage to fingers, hands, and arms.

Use Snow Clearing Tool – This is the really important part. You have plugged the augers with snow, you have shut the machine off and now you are trying to clear the snow away. Never place your hands inside the augers to get at the snow. Use a broom handle if you have an old machine. Or the snow clearing tool that came with your newer machine to clear the snow. You can also purchase these tools from most stores as an extra. Or if you break yours or if you have an older machine which does not have one. This is the safe way to clear snow from around the augers and the impeller.

Sometimes the snow is so compacted, that as you clear it away, it allows the augers to turn. This is due to built-up tension in the pulley mechanism. Better to have a broom handle stuck in there than your hands!

Most new snow blowers come with a snow clearing tool which you can use for this purpose. Always use this tool and never use your hands. If you have an older machine, an old broom handle will do the trick as well.

Maintenance

Like all snow blowers or snow throwers, maintenance is important for your machine to operate at a peak level for many years. Change the engine oil regularly, check the belts for tightness, change the spark plug as required, and grease any spots outlined in the manual. If you need to leave the snow blower outside all year round, cover the machine with a proper cover to keep it looking new and avoid deterioration of the tires and metal components.

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