Snow Blowers: Throw The Snow, Not Your Back

Right now, while some areas of the West are experiencing warmer than normal temperatures, a cold freeze has fallen over the rest of the country, especially the East! The cold front has brought along steady snow and freezing temperatures that's putting considerable stress on folk's backs, not to mention, keeping snow shovel manufacturers' in business. As much fun as the outdoors and snow might be, shoveling snow day after day is tiring, back-breaking work! A snow blower/thrower can be a great investment to save you time and your back! Snow blowers do exactly what their name implies, they chop up snow on your sidewalk, driveway, or roadway and blow it away somewhere else. They can either be electric, gasoline or diesel-powered. They range from very small, being able to move only a few inches of snow along a narrow path, to very large, being capable of removing 6 foot deep snow banks 10 feet wide! Not your typical neighbor's snowblower! There are two types of snowblowers: Single-stage and Two-stage. Single-stage snow blowers use a single impeller to move the snow into the blower and then blow it out the discharge chute; these are considered lighter-duty machines. Two-stage snow blowers have one set of augers that break up snow, then move that snow into a separate impeller that blows the snow out - definitely more powerful. For more information on the different types of snowblowers, check out the Snowblower Guide. For a glossary of snowblower terms, check out Howstuffworks.com Snow Thrower Buying Guide. If you're thinking about purchasing a snow blower to give your back a break, check out these great buying guides:

• Snow Blower's Direct How to Pick the Perfect Consumer Snow Thrower
• Ask the Builder Snowblower Overview Video
• Lowe's Snow Thrower Buying Guide
• Snowblowerguide.com
• Consumerreports.org Snowblower Buying Guide
• Snow Blower Supply Blog

If you're ready to purchase, browse these manufacturer's sites for more specific product information:

• Ariens
• Toro
• John Deere
• Craftsman/Sears
• Snapper
• Honda

photos courtesy of John Deere and Lowe's