Winter is upon us, and heavy snowfall is inevitable during these months.
To get to our jobs, drive to the store, or do any activity that involves taking your vehicle out of the garage, removing snow from your driveway is a must.
If you do not own a snow blower or a snow thrower, the only way to make this happen is to shovel.
The following is information you should know when deciding between snow shovels and snow blowers.
Snow Shovels vs snow pushers
Although, many people think that all snow shovels are the same, there are a few different types of shovels that each serve a specific purpose.
The three different types are snow shovels, snow pushers, and combination snow shovels-pushers.
Snow shovels have a flat, rectangular blade, and are best suited for small areas and walkways.
Snow pushers have a longer, narrow curved blade designed to push the snow, and are best suited for driveways.
The combination snow shovels-pushers are designed to both scoop and push snow. The combo shovel is also best suited for your driveway.
Most snow shovels come equipped with a straight shaft and handle, but there are some that have "ergonomic" handles.
These handles feature a curved shaft that attaches to the shovel head to lessen your tendency to lean over and lift the snow with your back.
Most shovels feature a "D-grip" handle so that you can firmly grip the shovel to scoop or push away the snow.
The most efficient way to shovel is to place one of your hands at the middle of the shaft connecting the shovel head to the grip and place the other hand in the grip.
Snow Blowers vs Snow Throwers
"Snow blower" and "snow thrower" may seem like synonyms, there are subtle differences between the two machines. The following explains the differences between the two and the pros and cons of each:
Snow throwers are single-stage machines powered by a horizontal auger that grabs the snow and creates enough force to throw it out of the discharge chute. This machine gathers and tosses the snow all in one motion.
Snow Blowers are two-stage machines that use the auger to scoop the snow and feed it into the impeller, similar to a powerful fan, that launches the snow out of the chute.
When to Use a Snow Blower
Snow blowers can withstand larger accumulations of snow, and are able to remove wet, heavy snow that a snow thrower doesn't have enough power to handle.
Snow blowers typically have a larger swatch and chute so that they can take in more snow at one time and discharge it out of the machine more efficiently.
You can find two-stage and three-stage snow blowers at stores. A two-stage snow blower can clear up to 26 inches of snow in a single swatch. A three-stage snow blower can clear up to 30 inches of snow in a single swatch.
When to Use a Snow Thrower
Snow throwers are best suited when the snow in your driveway is light and not very dense.
This is because they are smaller and less powerful than a snow blower, the chute typically is shorter and closer to the ground, and often they are not self-propelled.
However, snow throwers are easier to store since they are smaller in size.
