How to Use a Snowblower
Winter storms bring in loads of snow, and it’s likely that your backyard and your driveway are buried underneath it. Shoveling is a good way to get rid of it, but why go through all the hard work when you can easily use a snowblower? Here’s how to use one.
What You’ll Need:
Snowblower
Gas
Warm clothing
Earplugs
Procedure:
Bundle up. Working with snow can cause frostbite and sickness, so make sure you keep your body well protected. Wear warm sweaters, socks, boots and pants. Put on a pair of mittens. If your snow blower works too loudly, use ear plugs to protect your ear drums. Avoid wearing clothing that might accidentally get caught on the snow blower, such as scarves.
snowblower
Snowblowers are either electrically-charged or fueled by gas. If it’s electric, charge it fully before using. If it runs on gas, check and see if there’s enough gas in it. The gas cap on most snowblowers is labeled, so it’s not hard to find. A reminder, never smoke when you’re operating a gas-powered blower.
While at the top of the driveway, start or crank up the blower. Make sure there’s nothing in front of it, otherwise the auger will pull it and chop it up in pieces.
Start in the driveway’s middle, and make a strip right down the center and going to the end. For the first stroke, it doesn’t matter which way your output faces. Just pick one side.
When coming back up the driveway, run the snowblower so you overlap the area you removed from the snow by just a few inches. This assures you that no snow is pushed on the area you recently plowed.
If you have gone to the left side of the original stripe, blow the snow to the left, adjusting the output so that the snow goes to the right side of the driveway, if you have gone towards the right of the original stripe.
When you get back to the driveway’s top, keep removing the snow in the same direction you went before, continuing to blow the snow on the driveway’s edge. Keep doing this until all the snow from the driveway is removed and there’s just a huge drift piled on the side.
Go to the other half of the driveway, then repeat the same process. Stop when the driveway is completely cleared.
Keep your driveway well-maintained and safe to walk on by using a snowblower. Make sure you keep these tips in mind, so you maximize this handy equipment.