When the winter storms arrive and you have inches of snow to worry about, you reach for the trusty old shovel. Maybe you’ve gone so far as to buy a snow blower or a power broom to help clear away the worst the winter throws at you. But what about those frigid days when the temperatures are in the twenties or below, and you wake up to a dusting of snow? You may find yourself asking if you can you use a leaf blower for snow?
Can You Use A Leaf Blower For Snow?
Provided that it’s in the right condition, you can absolutely use a leaf blower for snow. If it’s cold enough that your snow isn’t slushy, you are in luck. However, don’t try to use a leaf blower if you have a large amount of snow. In that case, a snow blower or even a plow is best.
Snow Blower Alternatives
There are many ways to clean up snowfall. When there’s a lot of it, the problem is a good bit simpler. Most of you are not going to try and move a foot of wet snow with a power broom or a leaf blower. Likewise, you’ll probably not try and clean up some blowing flurries with a snow blower. The winter is a time where it makes sense to have multiple tracks you can take when it comes to snow removal.
When cleaning up a lot of snow on a walkway or sidewalk, the snow blower is the tool that shines brightest. A snow blower is great because you not only can move the snow out of the walkway, you can blow it into a pile away from the walking surface. This also is a great method for clearing your driveway if it’s not too large.
When To Avoid Using A Leaf Blower For Snow
When a driveway gets longer than 50 feet or so, usually it makes sense to hire a plow company. If you don’t want to spend the money on the plow, you can certainly snow blow a larger driveway, it just takes time.
When you have a dusting up to an inch of snow, the snow blower is usually out of the question. A snow blower is not worth using as you’ll have trouble getting it to blow anything at all. This is the time where you want either a power broom or a shovel. However, if the outdoor temperature is 25 degrees or below outside, you may want to try the leaf blower before you just reach for a massive amount of salt.
Can You Use A Leaf Blower For Snow And Ice Mix?
Obviously you’ll not want to use a leaf blower for snow when you have wet or iced over snowfall. A thin layer of wet snow or ice is a great time for using salt or snowmelt. However, when the snow is light and windblown already, a puff from the leaf blower can get it moving. Just be prepared for a lot of airborne snow. You’ll obviously want to dress warmly. Although, you may want to add a balaclava or face mask of some sort to keep warm from the airborne snow.
Can You Use A Leaf Blower For Snow Summary
So, can you use a leaf blower for snow? Yes, you absolutely can. Just make sure the temperature outside is cold enough to allow for blowing snow. Additionally, ensure there’s not too much snow to make it impractical. If your leaf blower has adjustable speeds, try to blow the snow with the slowest speed first. Then you can increase speed as you find that you need to. A power broom is often the best tool for small amounts of snow of any kind. However, if you don’t have one, a good leaf blower can come in handy for those small overnight storms.
