Storing Snow Blowers Safely: Making Winter Machines Last Longer
It may seem as though storing your snow blower is a straightforward task, but anyone you ask will give you a different answer on how to store it. You want to make sure that you protect your snow blower and that you store it safely.
Usually, you will start to pack away your snow blower at the first sign of spring flowers and grass peeking through the blankets of white. However, you know that the seasons aren’t that easy to predict. Therefore, you want to store your snow blower easily enough that it can be pulled out at a moment notice.
Likewise, when you do store it away for a full season, you want to be sure that your snow blower will reliably start again next season and the one after that.
How do you store your snow blower safely?
There are many questions when it comes to your snow blower. Everything from how to clean it for storage and what to do with excess gasoline might be running through your mind. Here is how you want to store your snow blower.
Add a Fuel Stabilizer to the snow blower tank
Instead of emptying your gas out of your snow blower at the end of the season, add a fuel stabilizer. The stabilizer will prevent your gas from breaking down and clogging your tank, injectors, and lines. What this stabilizer does is absorb moisture that accumulates in the tank and keeps the fuel fresh between uses. When in storage, the stabilizer significantly reduces the chance of gunk building up in your fuel.
Seal your snow blower's Engine
Keep the engine in optimal condition by sealing and protecting it. You can remove the spark plug, add oil to the combustion chamber and lubricate the piston and cylinder walls by pulling the cord a couple of times.
Put the spark plug back and pull continually on the cord until you feel resistance. That resistance tells you that the chamber is sealed and will not cause corrosion.
Lubricate the snow blower parts after Wiping Down
One thing that most snow blower owners forget to do when it comes time to store your unit is clean it off. Salt stains and leftover residue from the hard work your unit goes through every winter can cause corrosion to all the metal components.
Using warm water, wipe down your snow blower inside and out. After you have done this and the unit dries completely, spray it down with an engine spray or a rust preventative in order to keep all metal safe during the dry months.
Snow Blower Storage Options
The best option for keeping your snow blower safe is to keep it in your garage. However, if that isn’t possible, there are alternatives. You can purchase a snow blower shed that is just the right size for your unit, and then you can keep it wherever you want too.
If neither of those options is suitable for you and you must keep your snow blower outdoors during the offseason, you want to make sure to keep it as safe as possible. Covering it with a snow blower cover is not enough. You should elevate it off the ground to keep water from seeping under the tarp and rusting your unit. Using blocks and sturdy wood to form a platform is ideal.
Conclusion: How to best store snow blowers
To keep your snow blower in pristine condition, you have to make sure it is stored properly when it goes months without use. Making sure the fuel is stabilized, or better yet, drained, along with lubricating the various parts and keeping it covered properly are all positive steps to increase the longevity of your unit.
Optimally, your unit should start up just fine without any issues when snow rears its face again in early winter. Don’t be left with a unit that won’t work and a foot of snow outside because you didn’t take proper storage steps to keep your snow blower safe.
Resources— SnowBlowersDirect, ChicagoTribune, ConsumerReport
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