How To Use Your Snow Blower

Perhaps you’re looking at snow blowers to prepare for the next storm. At Alex Power Equipment, we have the right crew to help you choose and safely run a snow blower. Come see us at our Alexandria, Minnesota, location for more information.

Gear Up First

Proper gear for using a snow blower includes wearing high-density protective clothing. Look for protective eyewear, boots, and headgear. Snow blowers can be loud, so protect your ears with ear plugs.

Properly Set Your Snow Blower

You have to decide where you want the blown snow to land. Set your snow blower’s discharge chute to direct the snow in the target direction. Avoid directing the snow toward your garage, vehicles, home or other structures. Likewise, don’t blow the snow to the street or neighboring driveways as that could affect the safety of drivers.

While blowing the snow, ensure no pets or people are close to where you are directing the snow. Powerful gas snow blowers can toss debris and rocks as far as 30 feet away.

Practice Moving Your Snow Blower Smoothly

Master the art of keeping the snow blower in motion. Use the drive control to trigger movement in the snow blower and the auger lever to direct the snow to the target sites. Ensure your feet and hands don’t come anywhere close to your snow blower’s moving parts.

You have to blow small amounts of snow at a time. That’s to avoid clogging or overworking the machine. Once you’ve cleared the target snow, wipe clean your snow blower to minimize the effects of oxidation. If you have a clog in your machine, be sure the engine is off before removing it with a proper tool.

Use Your Machine Safely

If you have a gas-powered snow blower, refuel it properly. You shouldn’t refuel a gas snow blower when in use. Moreover, you shouldn’t refuel a snow blower immediately after you shut it down, either. Doing so risks the fuel spilling onto the hot engine parts, which could cause an explosion or fire.

If you’re using an electric snow blower, keep the cord in your sight. You want to ensure you drive the snow away from the blower cord. Don’t use an extension cord that is not made for use outdoors. Make sure the power cord you’re using has a grounding prong. You have to connect the grounding prong to a ground-fault circuit interrupter to prevent shocks.

If you want to buy or learn how to use a snow blower, reach out to the team at Alex Power Equipment for guidance by visiting our dealership in Alexandria, Minnesota. We also proudly serve those in Sartell and St. Cloud, Minnesota.