Over the past few weeks we have posted a number of articles about snowblower maintenance. The term snowblower and snow thrower are used interchangeably. We thought we would summarize some of the tips for snow thrower maintenance activities that we have read. Anyone who owns and operates a snowblower should consider.
Safety
Never allow your children or pets to be near an operating snowblower. The Snowblowers can throw rocks, hard ice and the engine sound can lead to deafness. There’s also a danger of slipping into the spinning blades particularly with active dogs. Always read the safety section of the snowblower manual prior to operating your machine for the first time.
Tips for Snow Thrower Maintenance
- Wear hearing protection and safety glasses
- Wear excellent grip footwear to stop you from slipping
- In heavy snow conditions try to clear the store more often or only take a half cut with each pass of your snowblower
- Always wear lots of protective clothing particularly in windy conditions with dry powder snow.
- Always clear your driveway of any rocks and sticks or anything else that could damage the snowblower or be thrown.
- Never point the snowblower chute at windows or vehicles or humans.
- Lower the speed, the forward speed of the snowblower when you’re dealing with deep snow and heavy wet snow.
- Always clear all of the snow from the driveway, since any snow left can freeze and make it difficult to clear the snow next time.
- Always clean the auger and the impeller of snow once you’re finished. Make sure you turn the engine off to avoid any potential accident with the moving auger
- Always use the proper bolts for shear pins to avoid expensive repairs to the transmission and the gear system of the snowblower.
