Okay. If you are new to snowblowers,
where do you begin. There are so many snowblower manufacturers with
different horse powers and widths that you are at a loss on where to
start.
Then, you hear about snow throwers. What are they and how do they
differ from a snow blower, or do they?
Well, hopefully these few short paragraphs will clarify some basics and
give you the needed information to intelligently pursue the purchase of
a machine of some sort to remove your snow.
Snow blowers
vs Snow Throwers
Ask most people about this difference and they will say that they are
the same. One just “throws” the snow off your pavement and one “blows”
the snow off your pavement. Just like some say “tomato” and some say
“tomatoe”.
In essence snowblowers and snow throwers are the same. They remove snow
off the ground and blow (or throw) it to the side. How they do that is
a different story.
Types of
Snowblowers (Snow Throwers)
There are two types of snowblowers (snow throwers); a single stage and
a double stage. Some say that a single stage snow removal machine is a
“snow thrower” and a double stage is a “snow blower.”
Whatever it is called, it is important to know about these two types of
snowblowers.
Single-stage snow blowers use a single high-speed impeller to move the
snow into the machine and then out the discharge chute. The impeller is
usually in the form of two or more curved plastic paddles that move
snow towards the centerline of the machine where the discharge chute is
located.
Lastly, single-stage snow blowers usually are light duty machines and
meant for moving less amounts of snow.
In contrast, the two-stage snow blowers have one or more low-speed
metal augers that break up the snow and move it into a separate
high-speed impeller which 'blows' the snow out the discharge
chute with considerable force. Obviously the two stage blower is needed
for moving vast quantities of snow.
Now that you
know the difference in snowblowers, which is for you?
Well, if you were reading closely you should have seen the
first of two requiremnts for choosing a snow blower. The first
requirement is that your need is based on how much snow you have to
remove.
If you live in a part of the country that gets feet and feet of snow,
or, you have a lot of snow to plow (or remove) than you need a two
stage blower. These are more durable and powerful and are made for
moving lots of snow. They are gas powered and usually clear a path
width of up to 30 inches or maybe even more.
On the other hand if you just need to plow your sidewalk and it usually
only has a few inches, a single stage snow blower will be adequate.
These could be gas powered, but also may be electric, and can clear a
width of maybe 12 to 20 inches. They are also light and easy to handle
and store.
The second requirement of a snow blower is to understand what surfaces
you will be plowing.
The auger of a single stage snow blower is made to pick up and break up
all the snow in its path. Consequently, this type of auger is made out
of a hard rubber or plastic and will make direct contact with the
ground. This means it will clear everything off the ground and leave no
snow behind. Sounds good, right??
Well this is not good if you have a gravel driveway that nees to be
plowed. Since the auger is making direct contact with the ground, it
will pick up stones and rocks and shoot them out the chute.So anyone
standing in its path may be injured by flying stones.
The bottomline is that if you have a gravel driveway, you need a two
stage blower. These blowers will not scrape the ground (thus leaving a
layer of snow behind) so you don’t have to worry about the blower
shooting stones out the top.
What else is required in a snowblower? Lots of "littler" things.You
have different options and bells and whistles to choose from and they
are dependent on the manufacturer and model.
Where do you
get Snowblowers and/or Snow Throwers?
Obviously, many of your local stores will carry them. Popular brands
are Sears, Ariens, Honda, Yard Machines, and Toro, to name
just afew.
You can also look online. Snow Blowers Direct
is supposed to be the online superstore for snow blowers and carry the
top rated snow blowers from the leading snowblower manufacturers.
Other than them, most of your major snowblower
manufacturers will also carry blowers in their online stores. Or, you
can simply visit eBay and get quite a selection, and usually a pretty
good deal.
To quickly see the best deals on ebay, simply click here and you will immediately be
shown over 30 snowblower manufacturers that are sold on ebay,
This list is categorized by manufacturer and snow blower width - all to
make it quick and easy for you.
Best
SnowBlower Deals
|
|
