Snow Blower Storage in 3 Simple Steps
Posted March 10, 2015 by T A 4 Comments
Goodbye snow blower! Time to pack up and tuck it in.
After a long winter of snow, ice, freezing rain, and power outages, the spring season is just a few warm breezes away.
But don’t just throw your snow blower in the corner. Take a few minutes to prepare it for Off-Season Storage.
Here are three easy steps to follow:
1.) Drain the Fuel
Leaving fuel sit in your snow blower during the long off-season will slowly corrode and clog the carburetor and fuel system components. This is what we like to call the damage from ethanol.
There are a couple ways you can remove all the fuel from your machine.
- Turn on your snow blower and run the tank dry.
- Use a fuel siphon pump to extract the fuel from the tank. The fuel you extract is safe to use in your car.
Remember, remove and drain the carburetor fuel bowl too!
2.) Create a Fix-It Checklist
Do a quick check of all the wear items on your snow blower, including the scraper bar, skid shoes, shear pins, augers, belts, and spark plug.
Make a list of any parts that will need to be replaced before next winter. It might even be easier for you to replace the parts now, before putting it away for storage.
3.) Clean Up and Cover Up
Thoroughly clean and wipe down your snow blower to remove salt and dirt buildup. This prevents rust and corrosion from eating away at the metal parts and paint on your machine.
Finally, whether storing your snow blower in a shed or in the back of your garage, throw on a protective cover to keep off dust and dirt.
*Owner’s Manual Recommendations
Read your owner’s manual to cover any additional storage procedures specific to your make/model of snow blower. Some further recommendations may include:
- Changing the oil
- Replacing the spark plug
- Lubricating gear case and shaft
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4 Comments
Turnpike Warrior
on March 10, 2015 at 10:28 amPut the snowblower away? Its only March 10th!
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Mike
on March 10, 2015 at 10:43 amRead owners manuals first people! Some carbs have diaphragms in them that will dry out and crack if fuel is drained. What to do? If you can find some alcohol-free gas, such as marine gas, fill your tank with that and add a stabilizer like Seafoam. If you have to add oil in your gas, add that as well. If you dont have alcohol free gas in your area, Lowes, Home Depot, Menards,or most small engine shops sell small, 1qt cabs of pure gas specifically designed for small engines. These small cans of gas are kind of expensive, but a cheaper alternative than replacing carbs from ethanol damage. Also , if your blower has a 4 stroke engine, change the oil as well.
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Ronald Faugh
on March 10, 2015 at 4:57 pmYou forgot the mothball flakes to keep the mouse and their nets out.
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Mike
on March 19, 2015 at 7:37 pm3-6 Inches forecast for tomorrow…Better drag the thing back out!
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