How to Choose a Snowblower for Your Specific Needs

Although snowblowers use just a few simple motions to move large amounts of snow, there’s a surprising amount of variety to how they make those motions. Snowblowers aren’t really a “one-size-fits-all” kind of situation. If you buy the wrong snowblower for the area you have to clear, you may be better off shovelling or you might have paid way too much for a more powerful blower than you need.

At Alberta Small Engine Services, we would like to help everyone get the snowblower that’s right for their needs. Although there are many different brands and models of snowblowers with all kinds of features, all snowblowers have three basic parts: an augur in the front that’s near the ground to scoop up the snow, a chute that takes the snow and expels it in another direction, and an engine that powers the movement. Sometimes there’s also an impeller; a kind of fan that helps move the snow from the augur to the chute and out quickly. With just this little bit of information, you can ask yourself a few questions about your needs and be better prepared to buy your first snowblower in Edmonton.

• Would bigger be better?
  If you’re not physically capable of being outside shovelling regularly, snowblowers can be a genuine matter of safety during Edmonton winters. We typically get a lot of snow so you may need more power than some others. If you’re simply clearing the walkway in front of your house, you won’t need that much power to get the job done efficiently. Who wants to pay a lot for a high-end blower that you won’t use much?
• What kind of snow do I get?
  Does your property tend to get heavy, wet snow or light, dry snow? Heavier snow means you may need even more power.
• Gas or electric?
  Gas-powered snowblowers are typically the more powerful of the two. They’re also heavier and more expensive. Electric blowers will be lighter and cheaper but not as powerful. They usually have to be plugged in as well and dealing with a power cable while pushing a machine through the snow can be annoying.
• Are there any hills or gravel that needs to be plowed?
  When plowing, you want the augur that scoops the snow to be nice and even with the ground and big enough to handle the amount of snow. If you have to plow hills or have lots of gravel that can be kicked up by the augur, you may need a plow built to handle those situations.

Dedicated to Helping You Find the Right Snowblower in Edmonton

If you need help selecting a new snowblower in Edmonton, come see us at Alberta Small Engine Services. Our trained and knowledgeable staff can help you with all your snowblower and small engine questions. To serve you better, we even have industry-trained technicians on-staff to offer peace of mind with quality repairs. For more information, just give us a call or stop by our shop today!