To snowblower or not to snow blow. That is the question!

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by srick

The problem with shoveling as far as the load on your heart is concerned is the compounding of three factors:the exertion (and of course snow is often heavier than it looks), the constriction of blood vessels in the lungs because of the cold air, and the energy needed to keep your body warm.

So just be forewarned. It’s not the best exercise.

Rick

Thank you for the concern. Degenerative disk disease is the only real problem. I agree it's not the best exercise. Though in my 60s, I make sure I meet or beat age appropriate various fitness measures. I'll probably ride a bicycle 3000 or more miles this year and winter doesn't stop that. I switch to fat bike.

Indeed people should not overdo it, but I sure worry about the shape so many are in and the way my wife and I do this actually seems like a good contribution to wellness for all but the worst days.

Thanks again for the concern.

[rllink]

I have a Toro two stage. I don't know the model off the top of my head. I've had it at least ten years or more. But two years ago my doctor told me that I was getting too old to go out and move snow. Evidently at seventy you are a fall risk. I was just turning seventy. That was all I needed. I hire it done now and I'm never going back to it. If you can afford it that's the way to go. It didn't really cost me that much to get a kid to come over and do it.

[ssstewart]

i live in Atlantic Canada..so a snowblower or plow is a necessity if you are of my age. we can get buried in 2-3 ft snowstorms ( it sucks) so i have a craftsman 10hp 28" snowblower, + my 30 something yr old son moved back home a few years ago..so i have a standby in case because we are close to the coast, even a snowblower can be slow going in ice storms combined with snow... i love atlantic canada but hate winter ( these are the times in wish i was back living in central america)

[The Watchman]

Yes, get one. I have a low end Toro, and its OK, but if the snow is light enough <2" or so, and not freezing rain, I'll just use my leaf blower to clear things off. Much easier and faster. I'll get the Toro out for anything heavier or wetter, which is becoming less frequent here. Consumer Reports has a good buyers guide on this you can look at online.

[KevWind]

Mine is a Quick Attach Summit Extreme-Duty Hydraulic ....



Works great

[ruger9]

YES on getting a snowblower. Even WITH it, you will still have plenty of shoveling to do (walkways, cleaning off the cars, etc etc). If we get 6", by the time I'm done blowing, shoveling, cleaning off the cars (then blowing THAT), and blowing paths for the dogs around the yard for them to do their business in, I'm beat! it IS exercise...

Shoveling the whole thing? I'm only 52, and a hard worker, and I'd sooner put my truck in 4WD and drive over it than shovel it.

[David Eastwood]

We’ve been in Minnesnowta for 27 years. The first 24, I relied on a single-stage Toro to clear my driveway - 3 car garage width at the top, a bit over 2 car lengths long, narrowing to about 16’ at the street.

That little Toro never let me down, until it self-destructed about 3 years ago. I think it just got tired. I replaced it with an Ego single-stage electric, which has proven equally capable. I went with Ego because I’d bought one of their mowers after my 20-year-old Honda also pretty much fell apart.

Now I have mower, snowblower, trimmer, edger and chainsaw from Ego. All share the same batteries, start first time, don’t smell and are quiet and efficient.

Ego also has a two-stage blower which has been getting great reviews. If our driveway was bigger, I’d consider nothing else.

[Mandobart]

I live in Eastern Washington where it often doesn't snow at all. Sometimes we'll get a couple feet of snow (we have the last two years). Our snow tends to be light and powdery. My vehicles (except for my Harley) are 4WD or AWD. I'm only 58 but I usually don't bother to shovel at all. Not much point when they don't plow our road, and it takes valuable time that I could be XC skiing.

[emtsteve]

For your driveway, this is perfect.

https://www.ariens.com/en-us/power-e...r/crossover-20

I've had one at home for nearly 15 years and it is a tank, but I can fold it up and lift it into the back of my truck when I need to take it somewhere else. I used the same model when doing driveways and walks for rental properties and it worked great for years and years until someone tried to eat a rock with it and bent the shaft.

[sayheyjeff]

Been thinking about investing in one too. Hate the idea of shoveling anymore. Slipped and fell shoveling in the driveway a few years ago. Apparently separated my shoulder which gave me the gift of arthritis in that area. Have many of the same issues as a lot of us pretending 70 is the new 30. Don’t find the possibility of having to shovel a few times this year attractive at all. There are very few kids in the area to hire and we are supposed to have sidewalks cleared within 24 hours. The last 2 years we have invested in rubber mats with electric heat coils for the front and back steps and the 15’ of walk to the driveway. They have really helped minimize the ice we have to deal with. The snow blower I have been thinking about is by EGO and sold through Ace Hardware and Home Depot in this area. I have had one of their chordless electric lawnmowers for 3 years and couldn’t be happier with it. Will be following this thread with great interest.

Jeff

[121]

We have this Toro snowblower and did not use it last winter, and we might not use it this winter either.



I'm 71 and my wife is 66 and
we've been using snow scoops instead.
They work amazingly well, much better than shoveling.
When not in use they hang on the garage wall.
No worries about gasoline, oil, maintenance or storage room.

I found this youtube video that demonstrates how well a snow scoop works.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by 121

We have this Toro snowblower and did not use it last winter, and we might not use it this winter either.



I'm 71 and my wife is 66 and
we've been using snow scoops instead.
They work amazingly well, much better than shoveling.
When not in use they hang on the garage wall.
No worries about gasoline, oil, maintenance or storage room.

I found this youtube video that demonstrates how well a snow scoop works.

We have a single handle variation that also accommodates some lifting. At 12 or more years old I could not find a replacement last year so thanks for reminding me to look early! My wife's hesitated on those scoops because of storage but I'll have to reminder her less storage than a machine with tires and a gas tank.

It may well be that we'll need a blower because of the back issues getting worst with age but I'll keep at the shoveling as long as possible. Looking at people I grew up with and especially ones in same gene pool, the activity of shoveling and all activity seems SO important. Even if the activity doesn't make my wife and I live a day longer, it seems like a significant contributor to quality of life and making the mind feel better too.

[srick]

Of course, so much depends on your location. Connecticut has variable winters.
The number of significant snowfalls in a season is probably in the 5-15 range. But because of our proximity to the ocean, the snow is invariably wet and heavy. Plus, because of icing, the road crews treat the asphalt with magnesium sulphate. This ends up making the apron of a driveway a bear to clear. So in our area, you really need a big two stage blower to get through that stuff.

I always have loved the commercials showing light powder snow blasting away, 15 feet in the air… they didn’t film in our neck of the woods.

[ruger9]

One more piece of advice: and this goes for all gas-powered equipment, not just snowblowers:

at the end of the season, be sure to use STA-BIL in the last tank of gas. This product keeps the gas from becoming "sticky" in the off-months. Drain the tank mostly empty, then run the machine dry, until it runs out of gas. This simple procedure has allowed me to re-start all my machines at the beginning of the following year: snow blower, chain saw, lawn tractor, push mower, leaf blower, generator.... I started this procedure when I had to disassemble and the clean the carburetor of my generator one fall when I couldn't get it to start...

I actually use the MARINE version of STA-BIL, for boats, I guess it's supposed to last even longer than the regular version.

[Steve DeRosa]

IME not having a snowblower when the snow blows blows...