Ice happens, so what do you do when a layer of slippery ice has formed on where you need to drive or walk? Will the snow blower even work on ice?
A snow blower will work if the ice is broken up into smaller chunks that the auger can chew up and spit out. A two stage gas-powered snow blower should be able to break up and remove hard snow and ice that have been pushed into a ridge. Although, you might have to use a snow shovel to reduce the size of the largest chunks of ice before letting the snow blower bite into it. However, if the ice has formed into a solid sheet on the ground, then the snow blower will not be able to break it up and throw it away. You will have to use an ice scraper tool or rock salt to break up or melt the icy sheet of snow.
Can snow blowers remove ice?
A walking path or a driveway that has iced over presents a safety hazard to people and pets. The ice should be removed before any accidents can occur.
A single stage snow blower might only be able to remove a very thin layer of ice. You will probably need a two stage, or even a three stage snow blower, to remove thicker ice deposits. The ice must first be broken up into smaller pieces by the auger before it can be thrown away through the chute.
Self-propelled, gasoline powered, two stage snow blowers are the best choice for clearing ice from a driveway. Of course, if the ice has formed a solid sheet, then the snow blower will not be able to pick it up. You will have to find some other way to melt the ice.
How do you remove ice from sidewalks and driveways?
If you put your back into it, you can probably remove ice with an ice scraper tool, or even by using a sturdy pitchfork. Even so, it is better to remove the snow while it is still fresh, before it melts and refreezes overnight. Getting rid of ice is more difficult when compared to blowing away freshly fallen snow.
The most popular way to get rid of ice is probably to spread rock salt (or calcium chloride pellets) on the driveway. You should first remove excess snow to get down to the layer of ice before sprinkling the rock salt over the ice. The salt causes the ice to melt due to the fact that saltwater freezes at a lower temperature when compared to regular water. This is a slow process that could take 30 minutes or more. Once the ice has turned into a wet slush, go out and shovel the melted slushy snow off the driveway or sidewalk. It is important not to leave melted ice on the driveway, since it might freeze during the night, and then you will have to repeat the process again.
Rock salt can be harmful to pets and plants, so you might choose a more ecologically friendly solution, such as spraying the sidewalk with rubbing alcohol. Foremost, you fill a spray bottle with the rubbing alcohol and a little water. Then, you spray the ice with the contents of the bottle. Wait for the ice to melt before grabbing a snow shovel and removing the icy slush from the driveway.
Of course, the simplest way would be to pour or spray hot water on the ice until it melts. I have also heard about people using a water and vinegar mixture. There is more than one way to remove ice from sidewalks and driveways.
Does a snow blower work on wet snow?
The problem with wet snow is that it is heavier and stickier than dry snow. Therefore, it tends to stick to the auger blades and clog up the impeller and discharge chute. Generally, snow blowers are the best at clearing dry, fluffy snow.
Now, the worst snow blower to use for wet and heavy snow is a single stage model, since it lacks the power and the teeth to chew through heavy snow that might contain chunks of ice. In addition, single stage snow blowers are rarely self-propelled, which means that you will have to push harder to get through wet snow.
A better choice for blowing away wet snow would be a two stage model that has both an auger and an impeller. It will be able to do more with the wet snow when compared to a single stage model. Furthermore, the impeller will help to discharge the wet snow further away. Two stage snow blowers also have self-propelled wheels so that you do not have to push it around through the wet snow.
The best choice for clearing wet snow from a large area is a three stage snow blower. It has an auger plus an accelerator located in the center that moves the snow even faster. The impeller then pushes the show through the chute at high speed. Thus, a three stage snow blower has three stages: accelerator, auger and impeller.
Will a snow blower work on hard packed snow?
Snow that have fallen or been thrown into a big pile can be a problem to remove with a snow blower. Moreover, these snow piles can be left behind at the end of the driveway after the street has been cleared of snow. Such hard, packed snow piles can cause a snow blower to stall or stop it from moving forward. Otherwise, you might only end up chewing an auger shaped hole out of the packed snow. At the end of the day, you have to get out the snow shovel and reduce the size of these hard packed snow piles until the snow blower is able to work on them.
How do you keep the chute from clogging with wet snow?
Wet, heavy snow has a higher moisture content than light snow: as a result, it will clump together and clog up the chute. The simplest solution is to spray the auger, impeller and discharge chute with a snow blower non-stick spray, household cooking spray or even some WD40. The non-stick coating can reduce the amount of wet snow that gets stuck in the chute. Generally, if you move faster and throw the wet icy snow at a faster rate, then there is less time for it to clog up the chute.
If the auger, impeller or chute has clogged up to the point that you need to clear away the snow, then you should turn off the machine and wait for all the moving parts to stop completely. Then, grab the unclogging tool (it should be stored on top of the auger housing) and loosen the clogged snow from the auger and chute. You might have to apply another layer of non-stick spray if necessary. Remember, never use your hands or feet to clear clogged snow from the business end of a snow blower. This is a dangerous habit, and the way in which most snow blower injuries occur.
Conclusion
To conclude, a snow blower might not be able to remove a hard sheet of ice on the ground. In that case, you will have to use a snow shovel or an ice scraper tool to break up the hard sheet of ice. Conversely, you could melt the layer of ice by using rock salt, rubbing alcohol or some other homemade remedy to melt away the ice problem.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash