Yard Equipment

How to Care for Your Leaf Mulcher

How well your leaf mulcher performs, in many cases, is directly related to how well you care for it. While they need little in terms of care and maintenance, they will need a bit of looking after and cleaning up. The effort that you throw in will be rewarded with a lower incidence of breakdowns, a machine that functions properly for a longer period of time, and a clean and healthy yard.

To care for your leaf mulcher, the first thing that you should do is to know your machine inside and out. There are many types and combos of mulchers. You have stand-alone leaf mulchers and chipper shredders and you have hand-held devices like the leaf blower that contains vacuum and mulch settings. You have gas-powered, oil-powered and electric-powered machines.

Each machine will come with their own specialization and limitation. Respect the strengths and the weaknesses of your machine and work within those parameters. Pushing your machine to do tasks that are beyond its capabilities will only cause problems and accidents.

Take the time to read the manual that comes with your equipment. The manual will help you get acquainted with the different parts of your leaf mulcher and the instructions on how to use it properly. Very often, simple problems can be avoided and solved by simply referring to the user’s manual.

Another way to care for your mulcher is to clean it after each use. Do not allow the debris to build up as this can cause your leaf mulcher to clog and break down. When cleaning your machine, make sure it is turned off. If it is an electric unit, make sure it is unplugged.

Cleaning your mulcher goes hand in hand with being familiar with its various parts. You need to know how to pull it apart and put it back together to be able to clean inside your machine, especially the portions that the yard debris touches. While you don’t need to pull apart your machine to clean it after each use, doing so every couple of months and especially before stowing it away for the winter will help keep it in good shape.

Another thing that needs to be checked annually is the state of the blades of your leaf mulcher. Sharp blades cut and mulch more efficiently. Have it sharpened and replaced regularly.

Store your mulcher. After cleaning it, make sure you let it dry completely before storing it. Put it somewhere where it is out of reach of pets and kids. Store it where it is shaded from the elements like strong winds, rain or heat, which can cause cosmetic and real damage to it.

For many homeowners, leaf mulchers are stored for a few months during winter. If you have gas-powered leaf mulchers, it is important to empty the fuel tank and do not let left over gas sit in the tank for months.

Top 10 Snow Blowers

The top 10 snow blowers for this year offer features and durability that let you move mountains of snow while keeping money in your pocket. Manufactures have pulled out all the stops to make sure this years crop of snow blowers are the best of the best. Listed below are some of the top models for this current year with descriptive features included.

Toro 1800 Power Curve plugs in and goes. No need to mix oil and gas. Light weight and at just under 28 pounds maneuvers easily and handles approximately ten inches of snow with each 18 inch wide pass. The Toro 1800 snow thrower is a quality electric start model that gets the job done.

The Snow Joe 622u1 features a 13 amp motor. The adjustable discharge chute lets you control were the snow goes. Another electric easy start machine that is virtually maintenance free. Pivoting wheels make the Snow Joe 622 easy to maneuver.

The Toro 38361 Power Shovel is a compact model weighing just 13 pounds. Costing about $100 the Toro Power Shovel can clear a surprisingly large amount of snow considering its size. Perfect for small sidewalks, decks or balconies and features an extension cord lock system.

The Greenworks 26032 clears to a depth of 10 inches with a path width of 20 inches. As the name suggest Greenworks is a company committed to producing quality machines that leave no carbon footprint. A four year warranty which is double the industry standard makes this a snow blower to consider.

The Murray 1695537 is one of the Murray snow throwers that features a Briggs and Stratton gasoline powered engine in the single stage class. Works well in light to moderate snow and has a discharge chute that wont easily clog. A fold down handle allows you to easily store it away at the end of the season.

Poulan Pro features the 961820003 model which has a 4 cycle gasoline powered engine that can run almost 2 hours on a single tank of gas. A scraper bar and a 13 inch chute makes quick work of snow removal. Weighs approximately 70 pounds and there are no belts or cables in the drive system.

The DuroStar SD1300 Snow Demon is a 9.7 amp electric model which means there is no gas or oil needed and no need to worry about tuneups. Clears a 16 inch path and weighs only 40 pounds making it easy to maneuver and control. Stores away easily with a detachable handle.

The Toro 38381 is another quality electric snow blower that will clear a path 18 inches wide and throw snow 30 feet in the direction you choose with its adjustable chute. Rated for a depth of 10 inches the 38381 handles easily with its large sized wheels and weighs only 24 pounds.

Snow Joe makes a SJ620 snow blower that can remove 650 pounds of snow per minute and is virtually maintenance free. Adjustable chute gives you the option of where the snow ends up. Push button start means the Snow Joe is ready to go when you are no matter what the weather conditions.

In the heavy duty class the Poulan Pro PR624ES is a two stage gasoline powered model that removes snow more efficiently than a single stage model. Poulan produces some of the best snow blowers around and this one is no exception.

These top 10 snow blowers offer a cost effective way to remove snow and most come with two or four year warranties. Plus many of these models ship free to your front door. Find out more about these snow blowers plus special deals on pricing at the top rated snow blowers website.

Where to Find Snow Blowers for Sale?

Winter time is coming and snow will be dropping by soon. Snow is quite a nice view to see. You can see the white shining ground. The houses, buildings, trees and mountains are all covered with white shiny snow. But not everything is good during winter. It is also the time when blizzards come and the streets become covered with snow making it impossible to move around. A way to solve this is using snow blowers. If you want to buy these type of blowers, here are a few tips on how you can find them. Hopefully by the time you’re done reading these tips, you can find one that works for you!

Check locally: Go check yard sales or classified ads; someone might be selling used snow blowers. Before buying used snow blowers, just be sure the blower is still in good condition. Check also your local general store for brand new blowers. Here you may find a wide array of snow blowers that would fit your needs.

Get your search engines running: Check the World Wide Web for someone who might be selling snow blowers. Online auctions are great places to find used items like snow blowers. There are also online shops who sell snow blowers. You just have to scrutinize them one by one to prevent yourself from getting scammed. We all know that not everything on the web is a legit business.

If Google and Yahoo search engines fail, try these sites. Amazon is like a great online general store, which sells anything and everything under the sun. In this site you will see the prices of the products, their descriptions and other information about it like the makers. Since this is an online store, you will have to wait for a week or so to get your product. Do not worry, you will surely get your product. It will be delivered right at your doorstep. It is not hard to find these blowers. All you have to do is be patient and persistent enough to look for it.

How to Find Used Snow Blowers

There are times when you run short of money and all you can afford is a second hard machine. During winter season, it is a must for a household to have snow blower. If you look at the brand new blowers you would see that the prices are quite high. If you are a bit low on the budget, you tend to go to used snow blowers; but remember that even though it is used it does not necessarily mean that it is not in a good condition. Here are some tips on how to find used snow blowers.

Check online: Get your search engines running and start clicking away the site who sell used snow blowers. A good search engine will help you with this task. Choose as many as you can and then choose from them which do you think gives you a better deal, not just in monetary terms but also in the quality of the snow blower.

Check locally: If you are not satisfied with the results you get in the internet, try looking up in the classified ads or in yard sales perhaps there you will find a bargain that would suit your needs. Look for people who are upgrading or downgrading their tools or old people. They sell their blowers not because it does not function anymore but because they don’t need it anymore.

One place to look for blowers is the equipment dealer himself. Your local dealer may have snow blowers that have been used for demonstrations or discontinued models. If you buy this one, you will get maximum discounts because they can’t sell it anymore. There are many places where you can get snow blowers. They may be used or unused, the only important thing to remember is that you must know where to look.

By following a few of these tips, you should be able to find one that is used for a fair price. Even if you find one that is used, be sure to compare the new prices to ensure that you’re getting a great deal.