11 Snowblower Maintenance Tips For a Canadian Winter

The Importance Of Snowblower Maintenance 

Anyone who's experienced a Canadian winter knows the value of a snowblower. As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to clear the snow on your property and sidewalk to avoid potential liability issues affecting your home insurance. These devices can save you hours when you clear snow. However, like any piece of machinery, they have a limited lifespan and are expensive to replace or repair. Snowblowers have an estimated lifespan of anywhere from five to over 20 years. While which model you get is undoubtedly a factor in how long your snowblower lasts, taking good care of yours can significantly increase its lifespan. Devices like the engine and the auger (the rubber paddles in the front that gather the snow) are important and vulnerable to damage. Choosing between performing a few light maintenance tasks, paying hundreds of dollars to replace or repair the snowblower, or enduring several hours of shovelling after a blizzard should be an easy choice. Take a few minutes to work on snowblower maintenance, which will help extend the life of your most valuable snow removal device and also help keep your property safe. 

Snowblower Maintenance Tips 

You don't need to be a licenced mechanic to perform snowblower maintenance tasks. In most circumstances, following the instructions in this guide and applying them in the ways detailed in your machine's manual is likely enough. However, make sure you use these techniques carefully. Read everything thoroughly and double-check to ensure you are doing everything right. 

1. Read The Owner's Manual 

There are several snowblower manufacturers out there. This is a positive, as it provides you, as a consumer, with several types of snowblowers. You can choose the size, whether you have a single-stage unit or two-stage model, an aesthetic you like, and even the colour. However, it also means that each of these snowblowers operates uniquely, and the precise details of some tips listed here will vary based on the exact model you choose. Luckily, your owner's manual will outline the accurate things to do for these steps, making things much easier. If you need more clarification about snowblower maintenance, consult your manual. 

2. Have Extra Shear Pins 

Preparation is an essential part of snowblower maintenance. Shear pins, also known as shear bolts, play a unique role in getting your snowblower to last a long time. However, unlike most pieces, shear pins are built to break. While this seems strange, there is a good reason for this: their breaking stops the auger from being damaged. If a foreign object, such as a rock, gets caught in the auger housing, the shear pin will break first, sacrificing itself to prevent another, more valuable piece, such as the auger itself, from being damaged. Having extra shear pins ready to go ensures that if such a situation happens, you can replace them immediately, allowing you to continue your snow removal. 

It should also be noted that most snowblowers need specific shear pins designed for that unique model. Consult your owner's manual if you are unsure if your snowblower needs specific shear pins. 

3. Check The Auger 

Without a working auger, your snowblower won't be able to remove snow from your driveway or sidewalk. Check for wear and tear on the auger, as well as dents, dings, scratches, bends and any other signs of damage to the rudder. If you find any of these, taking proper action is essential. This can range from taking note of the damage and being more careful, asking a professional for help, or replacing the auger entirely. If you plan on doing any mechanical work yourself, check your owner's manual so that you don't harm the auger, the snowblower, or yourself when making the needed adjustments. 

4. Check The Tires 

Having the proper tire pressure is an essential part of snowblower maintenance. You must check the pressure every once in a while and ensure that it's within the correct range. The range a snowblower's tires should be at tends to be around the 15-20 psi range, although this varies by model, so check your owner's manual for a precise amount. If the amount in your owner's manual differs, you must keep it within the range specified in the manual instead. Tires with too little pressure will increase wear and tear on your snowblower and make it harder to push. Since tires lose pressure over time, it's best to check and inflate them if the pressure has gotten too low. However, inflating them too much could lead to them exploding, so be careful not to over-inflate them. 

5. Change The Oil 

Any machine that uses an engine could use an oil change. Oil helps lower the friction between moving parts, and fresh oil does better than old oil. As a result, changing the oil is a key part of snowblower maintenance. There are two common schools of thought on the best time to change oil. Some recommend changing the oil at the end of winter after using it for the last time so that it doesn't sit with old oil for the entire off-season. Others recommend doing so right before you use it at the beginning of the season so that it runs on clean oil. Which is best depends on your manufacturer's recommendation and which works best for your situation. 

6. Inspect The Belts 

Snowblower belts can be subject to wear and tear over time. This damage could break the belt if left unchecked, leaving your snowblower inoperable. An important part of snowblower maintenance is to check your belts for wear, tears, scratches, withering, thinning, or anything similar. If you find damage or excessive wear, getting a new belt to replace the old one is best. Other signs that something might be wrong with the engine's belts include the belts making squealing or chirping sounds, difficulty starting, and general difficulty running. 

7. Inspect The Spark Plugs 

Without a spark plug, your snowblower won't even be able to start. If you haven't used your snowblower in a while, if it's been having problems starting recently, or if you haven't checked the spark plug recently, a good snowblower maintenance tip would be to ensure there's nothing wrong with the spark plug. You should also look at it if you notice any of the following signs: rattling noises coming from the spark plug, difficulty starting, and overconsumption of fuel. Sometimes, a spark plug can be recharged or cleaned, while other times, it needs to be replaced entirely. 

8. Lubricate Any Moving Parts 

Anything with an engine and moving parts needs some lubrication to help slow down the effect of wear and tear. As a general guideline, when it comes to snowblower maintenance, places where moving parts touch will require some lubrication, but this is not always true. Always make sure that you read your owner's manual carefully before applying any lube so that you know where to use it, how much to apply, and how to apply it correctly. 

9. Clear The Discharge Chute  

The discharge chute is where the snow comes out of the snowblower. If it is jammed or otherwise blocked, it negatively impacts the snowblower's ability to do its job. For this reason, part of snowblower maintenance is to ensure that this part is left clean and unclogged to avoid interference. However, you mustn't use your hands for safety purposes. The discharge chute should have special cleaning tools; if not included with your snowblower, they can be purchased separately. 

10. Store Your Snowblower Properly 

Your snowblower will spend most of its time stored away. For this reason, it's essential to be careful and not just store it anywhere. Part of snowblower maintenance is keeping it in a cool and dry area. Be sure to keep rodents and other pests away from it so they don't damage it. A good bonus is covering it with a tarp or similar item for an added layer of defence. 

11. Empty The Gas When The Season Is Over 

Gasoline has a very limited shelf-life, and if it remains in your snowblower for a long time, it could easily break down into sludge over the summer. The best way to avoid this is to empty your gas tank at the end of the winter season as part of your snowblower maintenance routine. There are a few ways to empty the fuel tank: Siphon the gas out at the end, only refill what you need for one job at a time near the end of the season, or let the snowblower run outdoors until it runs out of fuel. Regardless of your choice, ensure that the tank is either empty or as close to empty as you can reasonably get it so that when next winter comes around, you will only have fresh gas to use. 

Remember To Be Consistent In Your Maintenance 

Regular maintenance should help your snowblower last as long as possible without expensive repairs. It's important to remember that consistency is vital. Although you don't need to do each of these tasks every time you use your snowblower, you should do them as regularly as you can and be vigilant for any problems.