Snowblower Blog



             


Saturday, February 9, 2008

Snow Throwers

Snow throwers serve a great purpose during the wintertime. This article will give you information on how snow throwers do their job and how to get the best results from your snow thrower. These tips will help you to reduce the time that you have to spend outside getting rid of that cold and wet snow.

Snow throwers Can Keep You Warm

When there is snow outside. many men have to leave the warmth of their home to keep their sidewalks and driveways clean so that their family can go on with their life as normal. Your local government keeps the roads clear of snow. but the snow in front of your home is your responsibility. A snow thrower will allow you to quickly do this job and get back into the warmth of your home in no time.

Gas Engine Single Stage Operation Snow Throwers

You can find a snow thrower that is either single stage or two stages. The single stage snow thrower has a hard rubber or a combination metal and plastic auger. The engine uses a gear system to drive the auger. which cuts through the ice by chipping it. cellecting it. and then spitting it out of the snow thrower with quite a bit of force. This gets the ice off of the driveway. A single stage snow thrower is self-propelled as it rides on the snow. This kind of machine clears 12 to 22-inch width strips so it will most likely take several passes to clear your driveway of snow.

The More Powerful Two-stage Machine

The two-stage machine includes a pump in addition to the auger that is in a single stage machine. In a two-stage machine. the ice that is churned by the auger is sent to a pump. The pump helps to increase the distance that the clear snow goes and in some cases. the distance that the snow is thrown can be up to 45'. Children love watching the snow flow through the air and this machine can make your snowy chore easy and fun. These machines can make a path of 2 to 3-feet in one pass so it will take you less time to clear the driveway and/or sidewalk.

How to Remove the Snow Easily

• Sprinkle salt over the snow to help clear it more easily. (It is important to check with your local authorities to see if this is allowed.)

• When using your snow thrower. you need to wear many layers of clothing instead of just one layer to ensure that you stay warm.

• Spiked shoes are a good idea to help make sure that you do not slip on the hard snow. Keep in mind that if you fall. you could break a leg. arm. or another bone or you could hurt your head. That is why you want to take precautions to ensure that you are safe.

Andrew Caxton is the author and editor of many resources published at http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . A website with tips on lawn care and snow throwers

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Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Choosing A Snow Thrower

There are many advantages to owning a snow thrower. You can find one that will be perfect to help you clear the driveway quickly next time there is a heavy snowfall.

Should You Get A Snow Thrower?

These neat pieces of kit can be a godsend in winter, making short work of removing the snow that blocks the access to your home and therefore allowing you to stay nice and toasty indoors for longer! While the city and state administration take care of removing the snow public roads, the responsibility is all yours when it comes to your property so you may have to brave the arctic weather to clear the footpath to your door and the driveway. This is traditionally the men’s job to sort out. A power tool like the snow thrower can be the difference between hours of punishing, back-breaking physical efforts and getting it all done very quickly.

Single-Stage Snow Thrower

Snow throwers, usually powered by a gas two-stroke engine, can be either single stage or two-stage. Both kinds feature a metallic or plastic trepan designed to cut through the snow or ice. Sometimes it can even be made of hard rubber. The machine features a series of gears that will drive the trepan to break off, gather and then blow the snow out of the way with impressive strength and velocity. The spinning trepan, or auger, contributes to propelling the thrower by being in contact with the ground, and pulling the machine forward as a result. A single-stage blower can usually cope with clearing between 12 and 22 inches of snow with each pass. You will most likely need several passes to rid your driveway of snow so these are usually only recommended for light residential usage.

What’s In A Two-Stage Thrower?

In addition to the trepan or auger, a two-stage thrower also features a pump, which makes the machine a lot more efficient by propelling the snow pumped up into the thrower much farther away. Sometime they can throw the snow gathered as far as 45 feet away, which can act as a magnet for all the kids in the neighborhood, so you should make sure they stand well away from the place the snow is going to land. A two-stage thrower is so powerful that it will make short work of any snow clearing job you can think of, and you may even have quite a bit of fun in the process! In a single pass your double-stage machine will be able to clear a width of snow of between 2 and 3 feet, so you should be back inside in no time at all.

Making Snow Removal Easier

- If this is allowed by your local authorities, you may be allowed to sprinkle salt onto it to ease up the process. Always check before going ahead to make sure you are complying with local regulations.
- Think layers! When going out in very cold weather to clear the driveway after a snowfall, try to wear several layers of clothing: you will be better insulated against the cold and able to work more comfortably.
- Be extremely careful when walking out on the snow or ice to clear the driveway as it is easy to fall and sustain serious injuries as a result: shoes with added grip may be a worthwhile consideration. A website with tips on snow thrower, amongst many related topics.

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Friday, January 25, 2008

Secrets to Getting the Right Protection for Your Nursery, Pre School or Kindergarten

For many people and businesses insurance is something they would rather not have to purchase.

Most people don?t want Insurance. Most people don?t like insurance.

What you probably do want is protection for your family, your loved ones, your business and the things that are most important to you. The mere mention of Insurance may very well make a vast number of people think of words like:

Rip-off, too expensive, waste of money, doesn?t pay claims, annoying, boring and some much worse!

The truth is though for most people and businesses Insurance is required as it provides them with protection and peace of mind.

With literally thousands of insurance companies, brokers and providers you are faced with a massive choice. So faced with decisions at every turn finding the right cover for you, your Nursery, Pre-School or Kindergarten is sometimes difficult.

This article will therefore give you some free advice that insurance providers rarely share with their customers. These few steps should help you in your quest to find the cover that is best for you at the right premium and with the best service.

Secret Number 1

The first secret to making sure you get the right cover at the right premium is perhaps the one that most people will find hardest to believe but it really works.

Are you sitting comfortably??? Here it is:

When you find yourself ringing around for quotes (and for anyone looking for Nursery Insurance I would recommend buying face to face or on the phone rather than online) the chances are you will be asked ?What?s your current premium?? or ?What?s the best price you?ve had??

The single biggest mistake people make when asked this question is to not tell the person asking the question. That?s right, when you are asked the best price you?ve had TELL THEM.

Most people assume that by telling an insurance provider your premium you are at a disadvantage. The truth is the opposite is true. Let me explain:

If you tell a good insurance provider your premium they should pretty much know straight away whether the premium is too high, too low or about right. Armed with this information they could give you an immediate indication if they can get a lower premium. If they know they can?t they can tell you and save you time.

Another reason you should tell the person if they ask your premium is because the vast majority of insurance companies won?t give you the best price unless they have something to beat. Let me say that again, if you don?t give your broker or company a price to beat, the chances are you won?t get the best premium. However, if you do tell them, they can use this information when dealing with the insurance company which ultimately can save you money.

One final tip on this matter is, don?t be tempted to make up a price. For example, Mrs Blogs is looking for Nursery Insurance and she has a best price of ?2500.00. She thinks it?s too much money so when asked the magic question of ?What?s the best price you?ve had so far?? she decides to go in low at ?1800.00. By doing this most companies will know the price seems low and many won?t even provide a quote. Whereas had Mrs Blogs been up front and said ?2500.00 there?s every chance she could have saved some money.

Therefore Secret Number 1 is be totally honest when looking for insurance as it?s the best way to make sure you get the best premium. Give it a go...it really works.

Secret Number 2

Secret number 2 is common sense but so many Nurseries fail to make sure it happens because they are focusing on the price. The second way to ensure you get the right cover is therefore to use an insurance provider who has an understanding of your requirements.

You can establish this by listening to what questions they ask, how they ask them and how they react to what you are saying. If they enter into a conversation about your Nursery it?s likely to be because the more information they have about your circumstances, the better cover, the better premium and the better service they can provide you.

If the conversation is very scripted and they either don?t understand what you?re looking for or don?t ask the type of questions you would expect there is every chance it?s because they don?t have a real understanding of your business. If this is the case you risk not getting the right cover and ultimately not being correctly insured.

Secret Number 3

Secret number 3 is ask questions. So many people ring around looking for Nursery insurance, Pre-School Insurance or Kindergarten Insurance and spend the entire conversation answering questions. Secret 3 is therefore ask questions to find out if they provide not only the right cover and premiums but also the right level of customer service. Types of question you might want to ask are:

In the event of a claim what will they do to help you and to ensure your claim is settled as quickly and as favourably as possible? Do they just give you a telephone number and leave you to it or do they offer help when you most need it? Are they experienced? How long have they been trading? If it?s a Broker, which Insurance companies do they use? Again, if they are Brokers are they independent? That is, do they have access to numerous policies and insurance companies or are they tied into just one?

By getting answers to these questions you can then a make a decision on whether you would like to deal with them (and whether you trust them to act on your behalf.)

Secret Number 4

The fourth and final secret to making sure you get the best from your insurance provider is another which may not seem right as Insurance is one of the most price sensitive purchases a Nursery, Pre-School or Kindergarten will make.

With this in mind many Nurseries, Pre-Schools and Kindergartens make the decision on where to place their insurance on price alone. I would advise anyone looking for Nursery insurance, Pre-School Insurance, Kindergarten Insurance or indeed any kind of Business Insurance is NOT TO ASSUME THAT CHEAPEST IS BEST.

Whilst getting a low premium is one of the most important things to look for, a really cheap premium without a combination of other factors is probably cheap for a reason. Things you may want as well as a low premium are:

Are they local? Are they friendly and approachable? (we all prefer doing business with people we like) Who are the insurance company? Have you heard of them? What is the excess? Make sure the excess is one you agree on and not one given just to give you a low premium Do they have a good reputation? Do they listen to you and explain things in a way that you understand?

If you follow these 4 simple secrets there is every chance your experience when dealing with Insurance for your Nursery, Pre-School or Kindergarten will improve. And whilst I cannot guarantee that Insurance will become your number 1 hobby (in fact I?d be a little concerned if it did!) there is every chance the cover you get will be what you want, the premiums you pay will be less than you?ve paid before and the service you receive will be one you would be happy in giving and one you would be happy to recommend.

The secrets to getting the right protection for your Nursery, Pre School or Kindergarten was compiled by Mark Burdett, Marketing Manager of Northern Counties Insurance Brokers.

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Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Truck-Mounted Snow Blowers

 

Truck-mounted snow blowers affix to the front of a pickup or sport utility vehicle. Drawing power from the vehicle engine, a truck-mounted snow blower can eat a path 7 feet wide and 3 feet tall, throwing the snow 40 feet in any non-backwards direction. With its 2-cylinder, 4-cycle, 27-horsepower gas engine, a truck-mounted snow blower carries the same amount of power and force of six full-size push units. It’s no wonder people have been using them religiously in mountainous and rural areas since 1980.

The snow blower manufacturer Hanson is credited for first introducing pickup truck-mounted snow blowers; Hanson continues to be the only manufacturer actively marketing them. Based on a long tradition of tractor-mounted snow blowers, Hanson truck-mounted snow blowers are powerful, solid, and efficient.

If you’re thinking about buying a truck-mounted snow blower, there are some things you should consider first.

A truck-mounted snow blower weighs 800 pounds. Your truck or SUV must weigh at least half a ton, preferably ¾ or a full ton, to support its weight.

Your vehicle must be a 4-wheel drive and have automatic transmission because at low speeds, operating a manual transmission and the snow blower simultaneously can be very difficult.

Truck-mounted snow blowers are compatible with most plow mounts, including Meyers, Western, Fisher, and other common brands. Before buying a truck-mounted snow blower, contact Hanson and tell them what kind of a plow mount you’re working with, just to be safe.

Truck-mounted snow blowers take their power from the vehicle engine. All the controls are wired into the truck cab, including the electric key start, choke, throttle, discharge chute rotation and deflection, and hydraulic snow blower lift. Imagine the power of having all these controls in the cab with you as you heroically clear all the snow from your neighborhood roads. They are also great for small road contracting businesses.

Three alternatives to truck mounted snow blowers are:

Truck mounted snowplows: If you live in a more densely populated area, you don’t want to be launching tons of road snow onto your neighbors’ walkways, driveways, vehicles, and pets. It’s usually better to get a plow, which merely pushes the snow off the road.

Tractor-mounted snow blowers: If you live in a rural area, a tractor-mounted unit is best. Chances are you have a lot of area to clear, so you’ll need the snow moving power of a tractor.

ATV-mounted snow blowers: The Snow Hogg (not to be confused with Snow Hog, a maker of snow tires) is a big snow blower that attaches to your all-terrain vehicle, making for one hungry-looking snow chomper. Smaller than a truck-mounted unit, but still more powerful than most push units, the Snow Hogg can clear a path 42” wide and almost two feet deep, with a chute rotation range of 210°. The Snow Hogg weighs almost 400 pounds, but thanks to a built-in suspension and traction system, the machine only puts about 10 to 15 pounds of stress on your ATV frame.

Snow Blowers Info provides detailed information about electric and truck-mounted snow blowers, snow blower parts, and reviews of best snow blowers. Snow Blowers Info is affiliated with Original Content Web

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