Shoveling snow by hand can give you a good workout but it can also be too dangerous for some people and too difficult for others. Thick snow can fall at any time in most areas of the country and a light winter can easily be followed by a snow-filled winter from one year to the next. When snow comes there are very few power tools that are as valued as a snowblower. There are lots of different kinds of snowthrowers from completely electric to single stage and double stage gasoline powered machines. No matter what kind of snowblower you have, there are some general rules on how to operate them to your advantage.
Always think about safety first: Many snowblowers operate by quickly turning a large sharp auger with blades very quickly and gloves, ear plugs and eye wear are always recommended. They are essentially garden tillers that are created to break up icy snow instead of soil and stones. They not only break up anything in their way, but they also forcefully expel debris and ice through the air. You have to be cautious around the front of the machine as well as near the throwing chute.
Throwing snow is like mowing grass: When you need to clear a lot of snow you will want to take your time. Move up and down over your surface cautiously as if you were mowing a very tall lawn and definitely overlap your walking path to make sure you clean up everything. Just like when you mow your lawn without a collection bag, you have to be careful of where you throwing your debris. Turn your chute away from buildings, cars and people when possible.
Use a shovel when necessary: Even after throwing most of the snow out of the way, you'll probably want to shovel or sweep snow out of some delicate areas and spread one of the various types of ice melt that are now available. You will not be able to use your snowthrower in every area, so learn when you can and can't use it. Avoid cars, grassy areas or any unstable surfaces if you can.
A few minutes of caution can save you a whole winter of back pain from clearing all that snow by hand. Snowthrowers are often under valued until you actually use one. Because they are only helpful a few months out of the year, you should familiarize yourself with your machine and perform any necessary repairs at least a month or so before you'll actually need it.
Always think about safety first: Many snowblowers operate by quickly turning a large sharp auger with blades very quickly and gloves, ear plugs and eye wear are always recommended. They are essentially garden tillers that are created to break up icy snow instead of soil and stones. They not only break up anything in their way, but they also forcefully expel debris and ice through the air. You have to be cautious around the front of the machine as well as near the throwing chute.
Throwing snow is like mowing grass: When you need to clear a lot of snow you will want to take your time. Move up and down over your surface cautiously as if you were mowing a very tall lawn and definitely overlap your walking path to make sure you clean up everything. Just like when you mow your lawn without a collection bag, you have to be careful of where you throwing your debris. Turn your chute away from buildings, cars and people when possible.
Use a shovel when necessary: Even after throwing most of the snow out of the way, you'll probably want to shovel or sweep snow out of some delicate areas and spread one of the various types of ice melt that are now available. You will not be able to use your snowthrower in every area, so learn when you can and can't use it. Avoid cars, grassy areas or any unstable surfaces if you can.
A few minutes of caution can save you a whole winter of back pain from clearing all that snow by hand. Snowthrowers are often under valued until you actually use one. Because they are only helpful a few months out of the year, you should familiarize yourself with your machine and perform any necessary repairs at least a month or so before you'll actually need it.
About the Author:
A snowthrower may seem like an expensive purchase when you first begin shopping, but most people can afford it when if they use a decent credit card for home improvements to spread the payments out for several months.
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