Removing snow may not be the first thing on your mind at the moment, but taking these steps now will help to ensure that your snowblower tackles the first snowfall with ease and efficiency.
1) Check to see how your snowblower is handling its time in storage – A lot can happen while your snowblower sits in storage, so now is a good time to see how things are going. If you covered the machine when it went into storage, pull the cover off to make sure that moisture hasn’t been trapped. If you smell mildew, check the cover for dampness and look for areas where melting snow may have accumulated. Generally speaking, plastic covers are great moisture traps and if you didn’t do much in the way of cleaning your snowblower at the end of last season, there’s a good chance that you’ll have some water in there. If there is, dry the machine and leave the cover off to allow water to escape.
2) Lubricate the moving parts – This prevents parts from freezing up while in storage. Lubricate the drive gears, the chain, impeller gears, etc.
3) Check belts for signs of drying and cracking – Garages and storage structures can get extremely hot and dry in the summer months, which can dry out and weaken the belts. Drying will take place even faster if your snowblower is being stored in an area that receives direct sunlight. If belts are cracking, switch them out now. If your machine is getting direct sunlight, move it to a space where it will be out of the sun’s reach.
Winter is closer than it may seem now. Taking these actions now will help to keep your snowblower ready when the weather turns cold and your driveway loads up with snow.
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