Running a snow blower looks simple.
You squeeze the handle, walk forward, and watch the snow fly.
But every winter in the U.S., there are roughly 6,000 snow blower–related injuries, and repair shops get slammed after every big storm.
Why?
- Operator errors that clog and destroy machines
- Dangerous ways of clearing jams by hand
- Basic maintenance that never gets done… until it’s too late
These tips will help you run your blower safer, longer, and with fewer breakdowns.
Some of them you’ll want to do before the first big storm hits.
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1. Don’t Wait Until It Stops Snowing
One of the biggest mistakes people make?
Waiting until the storm is over and snow is already piled high.
Instead:
- Start clearing before snow depth reaches about 6 inches.
- Blow once mid-storm if it’s a big one, then again at the end.
Yes, you’ll spend more time outside.
But your machine will:
- Work less hard
- Throw snow farther
- Build smaller banks along your driveway (easier for the next round)
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2. Make Your Blower Throw Snow as Far as Possible
Worst habit: blowing snow only halfway off the driveway, then hitting the same pile again on the next pass.
That doubles the work and loads your machine with heavier, packed snow.
To maximize throwing distance:
- Take smaller bites of snow (less than full width).
- Run the engine at full RPM, but slow your ground speed.
- Set the chute diverter to its highest throw angle.
- Whenever you can, blow with the wind, not against it.
The farther you throw now, the less you’ll fight big, heavy piles later.
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3. Prep Your Property Before You’re Buried
A snow blower doesn’t care if it’s chewing snow, rocks, hoses, or extension cords.
So prepare before everything disappears under a white blanket.
Walk your driveway and sidewalks and remove:
- Rocks and loose edging
- Dog tie-out cables
- Extension cords and holiday light cords
- Garden hoses
Then:
- Stake out paths near gardens so you don’t suck up soil, edging, or landscaping.
- Mark the edges of walks and driveway with driveway markers.
If the ground is already frozen, pre-drill with a masonry bit and a cordless drill, then tap the markers in.
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4. Watch for Half-Buried Newspapers (Machine Killers)
A frozen, packed newspaper is one of the top reasons snow blowers jam and break.
It can:
- Snap shear pins
- Burn or break belts
- Damage auger and impeller parts that are anything but cheap
The problem: a thin layer of fresh snow hides yesterday’s paper perfectly.
So before you start:
- Scan the whole route for newspapers, flyers, and packages.
- Pick them up before they become shrapnel inside your chute.
If you do ingest a newspaper:
- Shut the engine off.
- Use a broom handle or shovel handle to clear the jam.
- Never use your hands in the chute or auger area.
If it’s wedged solid and you can’t get it out, take it to a shop. It’s cheaper than a hospital bill.
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5. Take Smaller Bites – Save Time, Avoid Clogs
It’s tempting to slam the blower into full-width passes and “let it eat.”
That’s also the fastest way to:
- Clog the chute
- Overload and wear out drive belts
- Stop every few minutes to clear jams (dangerous and slow)
Manufacturers recommend clearing about one-third to one-half of the machine’s width per pass in heavy or wet snow.
Counterintuitive, but true:
- You’ll finish faster than fighting constant clogs.
- Your blower will throw snow farther and wear out slower.
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6. Start the Season With Fresh Fuel
Hard starting is almost always a fuel problem, not a “bad blower.”
Rule #1: don’t pour leftover mower gas into your snow blower.
- Old fuel goes stale and gums up carburetors.
- Summer blend gas is less volatile and harder to fire in the cold.
Do this instead:
- Dump any old mower gas into your car’s tank (it’ll burn it just fine).
- Refill your can with fresh winter-blend gasoline.
Fresh, correct fuel = easier cold starts and fewer carb problems.
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7. Let the Engine Cool Before You Refuel
Snow blower runs out of gas mid-storm. You’re cold. You’re annoyed. You want to refill right now.
Stop.
Right under that gas tank is a very hot engine. You’re standing over it holding a container of fuel.
Manufacturers see enough snow blower fires that they all say the same thing:
- Shut the machine off.
- Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before refueling.
Use the break to warm up your fingers and toes, grab a drink, then safely top off the tank and get back to work.
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8. Add Fuel Stabilizer From Day One
Winter machines sit. A lot.
That means fuel sits too — and stale fuel is brutal on small engines.
Protect yourself by treating your gas from the start:
- Add the recommended amount of fuel stabilizer to your gas can.
- Best time: right at the gas station so it mixes while you drive home.
- Or drop in a premeasured stabilizer packet before filling the can.
Stabilized fuel:
- Stays fresh longer
- Reduces varnish and gumming in the carb
- Makes off-season storage far safer for your engine
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9. Switch to Synthetic Oil for Easier Starts
Most small engines need to hit around 400 RPM before they’ll fire.
On cold days, conventional oil thickens and makes everything harder to spin — especially with a pull-start.
Synthetic oil stays thinner in the cold, which means:
- Faster cranking speed
- Fewer pulls to start
- Less wear during those first seconds when lubrication matters most
At your next oil change, swap to a high-quality synthetic in the correct weight for your engine.
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10. Do Pre-Season Maintenance Before the First Storm
Don’t wait until the biggest storm of the year to discover:
- A cracked belt
- A dead spark plug
- A rusted-through housing
Before winter really hits:
- Install a new spark plug (consider an iridium plug for longevity).
- Change the oil.
- Inspect belts for:
- Cracks
- Fraying
- Glazing
- Missing chunks
- Replace any suspect belts.
Then:
- Sand rusted areas and repaint.
- After paint cures, apply a high-quality car wax to painted surfaces.
- Wax the inside of the chute to help prevent snow from sticking.
Lubrication:
- Check your owner’s manual for lube points and recommended types.
- Use motor oil on metal joints, gears, and cables.
- Use dry PTFE lube on plastic parts (knobs, gears, chute controls).
- Spray auger, impeller, and chute with silicone spray to reduce sticking and clogs.
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11. Buy Critical Parts Before You Need Them
Belts and shear pins never fail at 2 p.m. on a sunny Tuesday.
They break on Sunday night in the middle of a blizzard when parts stores are closed and everyone else’s machine is broken too.
At the start of the season, pick up:
- A full set of replacement belts
- Several correct shear pins for your model
Do not improvise with a random bolt when a shear pin breaks. The shear pin is designed to fail to protect more expensive parts.
Also build a small kit with:
- Correct size wrenches and sockets
- Proper size pin punch to drive out broken shear pins
Store it with the machine so you’re not hunting tools in a storm.
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12. Prevent Catastrophic Auger Damage
Your auger is designed to be protected by the shear pin system.
Here’s how it should work:
- The drive shaft turns.
- Torque transfers through the shear pin to the auger.
- If the auger jams (rock, ice, newspaper), the shear pin snaps and sacrifices itself to save the auger and gearbox.
But if the auger rusts solid to the drive shaft, they become one piece. Then the shear pin can’t do its job — and a jam can destroy expensive parts.
To prevent that:
- Remove the shear pins.
- Apply lubricating oil along the drive shaft where it passes through the auger.
- Spin the auger by hand to spread oil along the shaft.
- Reinstall the shear pins.
This simple step can save you hundreds in repairs.
[Image placeholder – close-up of auger, shaft and shear pin being serviced]
Put these habits in place now, and your snow blower becomes what it should be: a reliable winter workhorse — not a dangerous, expensive headache every time the forecast turns bad.
