How To Operate A Snow Blower? You Should Know Before Use

Are you interested in some brief advice on how to operate a snow blower?

Here we give you some tips on how to operate snow blowers, these tips will get you prepared for any amount or level of snow you might encounter.

Check this out if you haven’t buy yet: 6 Best Electric Snow Blowers | Check Buying Guidelines

A Pre-Check is needed – “How To Operate A Snow Blower”

The following points must be checked before you start using your snow blower:

• Is the proper oil filling level reached, and have you filled the gas tank with subsidized fresh fuel?
• You need to check on your two stage snow blowers if the skid shoes, shear pins, and scraper blade are installed correctly.
• Ensure that all foreign objects along sidewalks or driveways have been cleared.
• You should ensure to be putting on the right clothes for snow clearing task with this machine; safety glasses, gloves and clothing’s of bright colors are recommended.
• You must strive to come to terms with the operation of this machine, the drive clutch, auger, chute controls, and steering levers. All can be found in the user’s manual.

Clearing the Snow- Must Plan Ahead – “How To Operate A Snow Blower”

Just like lawn mowing, you must decide your plan of action, this will help ensure that you won’t have to clear an area twice.

You have to decide in time where you aim to dump your discharged snow,

whether on roadside or both sides of your driveway.

Just ensure that you avoid blowing the snows towards houses or people and even cars.

You might decide to blow the snow into the street, well that isn’t a great idea either, because if snow blow trucks do plow the streets, the snow would be pushed right back to you.

Secondly, it is very dangerous for cars using that road, as it can cause an accident.

Note: Wind direction plays a very vital part in deciding where you want to dump your plowed snow unless you are in need of a face full of snow that has been blown back.

A Ventilated Area is Needed to Start your Snow Blower – “How To Operate A Snow Blower”

Your new snow blower must be started outside or in a place like a garage with its door open. This is to avoid fumes overwhelming you.

Also, ensure to disengage the drive clutch and auger.

However,

new snow blowers now come to an electric start feature, and it might require an extension cord to be plugged into a wall socket or an outlet.

Some also feature a battery power source, which means you just have to charge it and then use it without a power cord. Nevertheless,

you need to check the owners’ instruction manual for battery charging and usage or for an extension cord recommendations. check this out to know more: How to Start a Snow Blower? 9 Things You Should Know

Make Sure to Utilize Both Hands – “How To Operate A Snow Blower”

Whenever your snow Blower is activated, It is safer to always keep your both hands on the snow blowing machine.

This ensures that you can access the controls easier, and it also avoids injuries in an event you are about to slip.

Some snow blowing types like the two-stage snow blowers feature a one-hand interlock option. This makes it easy to drive your snow blowing machine with one hand and the chute can be rotated with the other.

Go Nice, Carefully and Slow – “How To Operate A Snow Blower”

You should note that snow clearing is never a race.

When you move too fast in deep snow, just know you’re bound to clog your snow blower machine, and also, you will have to dedicate your time to clean up your snow blowing machine or even more, replacing its shear pin.

You should make snow turns and have a steady pace based on the snow conditions.

However,

a single stage snow blowing machine is easy to turn. Just like a pushing a lawn mower, you can just make a quick turn and be ready for next turn. The chute should, however, be rotated as needed.

Because steering a two-stage Blower can be difficult, this has made many individuals purchase snow blowers a power steering option.

This helps the user to stop one wheel or slow down when there is a need to make a turn.

To ensure an appropriate turn, you should disengage the augers first, then you squeeze the steering lever handle towards the angle you aim to turn to.

Just beware of the discharge chute direction before you engage in the next pass.

Clearing on Gravel Surfaces – “How To Operate A Snow Blower”

Using a single stage snow blower to clear a gravel surface is very dangerous, in fact, it is not a recommended option.

This is because it’s auger paddles touches the ground directly, this makes it pick up stones and release them into the air erratically.

A two-stage snow blowing machine is recommended for clearing of gravel surfaces.

However,

you should adjust the auger housing height or the skid shoes to a higher setting. This will ensure that a minute layer of snow would be left on the gravel. This ensures that the chute of your snow Blower won’t eject the gravels.

Things not to do with Your Snow Blower – “How To Operate A Snow Blower”

These snow Blower machines Don’ts should be strictly adhered to, no matter the excitement you get at operating your machine.

• Never leave the snow blowing machine unattended.
• Never attempt to clean the augers or chute with your hands or feet.
• Avoid pointing the chute at cars, buildings or people.
• Avoid refueling when the engine is on.
• Ensure that you don’t start your snow blower in an enclosed space.
• Never use your snow blowing machine on any other thing except for snow.
• Always ensure to learn about more snow blowing machine safety precautions.

Cleaning and Maintenance of Your Snow Blower

Your snow Blower must be wiped down once it’s used is completed for the day.

This will ensure that you don’t have a watery mess in your garage or any place you prefer to store it.

Before the wiping of this tool, make sure that the engine is shut off, you can use a cleanout tool for the removal of snow in the discharge chute or the auger housing.

Any additional snow should be wiped off the snow blowing machine if you have a snow Blower mat, put it down to collect the melting snow and protect you’re the surface from scratch.

Final Words

In all,

the best advice was given when using a new device, tool or equipment is to read the owners instructional manual, it carries a more detailed and guided explanation on how to operate the machine and some of its features.

We hope with this advice you got to know how to use snow blower and, you’ll be ready for winter when it comes, and you will be able to try out your snow clearing skills. Check this out before buying snowblower: How to Buy a Snowblower- Mistakes to Avoid