Snow blowers are a necessity if you live in an area that gets heavy snowfalls more than three times a year. When shopping for one, you need to consider various factors to get the right one. Getting the right snow blower will go a long away at ensuring you do not get stuck in your house waiting for plow service after a heavy fall. You can check out this website for some insights of how to select the right snow blower. Here are a few tips that guide you in this process though.
The Size of Your Compound
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The size of your compound, including the length of your driveway, will determine the kind of a snow blower you get. If you just have a short driveway, then you can get by with a simple snow shovel to clear away the snow. A long driveway will need you to get a machine that will enable you to work with ease and speed since it will collect a substantial amount of snow. Working with a shovel here will take you ages and have you getting very tired just to clear the driveway. Moreover, seniors can’t clear snow daily with a shovel on their own as it might increase the risk of injury. It is recommended to get lightweight snow blowers for aged people to avoid such things
Blower Stages
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Snow blowers are classified into three blower stages. The single stage snow blower is the basic design that sucks up the snow and throws it just a few yards. It can be ideal if you do not get very heavy snowfall. In these blowers, the auger that has the shape of the corkscrew is the only device that moves the snow. If you experience moderate snowfall, you can consider going for the two-stage design. In addition to an auger, these blowers are fitted with an impeller. The impeller is a kind of fan that helps push the snow from the auger to the discharge chute. It also propels the snow further away than the single stage model. The best of these blowers and the most effective is the three-stage model. This particular blower has the auger and the impeller, as well as another device called the accelerator. The accelerator helps force the snow to the impeller once it is collected in the impeller. This additional device makes this blower to work faster and throw snow the farthest of the three designs.
Wheels and Tracks
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Your choice here depends on the size of your compound. If you have a small compound with a short driveway, then you can get a single-stage blower with wheels that you can simply push or pull. The wheels turn easily on any terrain. For larger compounds, you may want to go for a snow blower that is powered by an engine. Most two and three-stage models come fitted with an engine. The engine is to enable you to drive around the large compound instead of pulling and pushing. A single-stage model that you have to use physical strength to move around can be very tiresome. The powered snow blowers can either have wheels or tracks. Again, your choice here depends on your terrain. If the area you are to clear snow is hilly or steep, consider going for one with tracks as the tracks boost traction enabling easy movement.
Source of Power
Still related to efficiency and speed is the source of the power of these snow blowers. The best snow blowers are those that have engines powered by gasoline. These can cover very large areas and clear very heavy and thick snow. Most are two and three-stage models. There are a variety of smaller models that use electricity. You have to plug in from a power source. These come with cords up to 100 feet. You can only clear an area that is within the 100 feet distance from the power source. These are not as effective if you have a large compound or if you need to clear very heavy snow. More so, during heavy snow storms, you sometimes have blackouts for days. These machines can thus be limiting if you do not have electricity. There also the battery-powered variety. These models are not as many in the market, so there are still no powerful ones for clearing heavy snow. You can get one of these with rechargeable batteries if you only need to clear a small patch.
Cost of Snow Blower
The different models retail at different prices. These are some of those machines where the more expensive a machine is the better it is, not unless you find price varying with the brand. Since it is a machine you can use for even up to 50 years, you can consider going for one with the best features based on your needs. The initial price might be high, but the duration that machine gives you service will be worth that price. So, make sure you go for the best possible machine.
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