If you’re like most people, you probably dread the thought of shoveling snow. But if you’re also like most people, you don’t have a snow blower. That’s where a snow blower comes in handy. Not only can it make your job a lot easier, but it can also keep your family safe this winter. Here are four reasons why you should get a snow blower:

  1. It Can Help You Save Time If you have a snow blower, it can help you save time by clearing the snow faster than if you were to shovel it yourself. Plus, with a machine like this, there’s less chance of injuring yourself or damaging your property in the process.
  2. It Can Keep Your Property Safe From Damage A snow blower is especially helpful when it comes to keeping your property safe from damage from the snow itself. Not only can this machine clear large areas quickly and easily, but it also has attachments that make it easier to remove ice and other dangerous objects from around your home. This is especially important if there are children living in the house – they won’t be able to get hurt as easily if there’s ice on the ground outside their door!
  3. It Can Help You Save Money On Your Energy Bills This Winter One of the biggest benefits of having a snow blower is that it can help reduce your energy bills this winter. By clearing away all of the snow quickly and easily, you’ll be reducing how much energy is needed to do so – which will save you money in the long run!
  4. It Can Make Your Job A Lot Easier Than Shoveling Snow Himself/Herself ..

Use a Cleanout Tool, Spare Your Hand

The rate of snow blower injuries over time is surprisingly consistent, with a steady stream of people ending up in emergency rooms across the U.S. every winter. An analysis of snow blower injuries that lead to ER admission between 2003 and 2018 shows a clear pattern. While some ER admissions are because of slip and falls, heart attacks, or other issues, the bulk of the injuries had a clear cause.

The study found that out of an estimated 91.5k injuries during the time period, around 43.5k instances involved lacerations, fractures, or amputations resulting from the snow blower operator putting their hand into the chute and getting cut or mangled by the snow blower’s auger.

But it’s not like people are just wantonly jamming their arms into snow blower chutes to make viral videos. The injury almost always occurs when snow jams up the mechanism and chokes out the engine, and then the operator uses their hand to bang on the snow or pushes out a heavy clog of wet, damp snow.

If the engine isn’t completely stalled out, as soon as the jam is cleared, the auger starts spinning and can cause serious injury to your hand and arm.

The simplest way to avoid that kind of injury? The spoiler is in the photo above. Use a snow blower cleanout tool like the one the snow blower operator is holding in their right hand. Newer snow blowers ship with them and often include a bracket or clamp on the snow blower to keep the tool right where you need it. But hundreds of thousands of older snow blowers still in operation didn’t ship with a cleanout tool, and the owners never bought one.

If your snow blower doesn’t have a cleanout tool bracket already, it’s best to buy a snow blower cleanout kit with a bracket like this one or this one that you can screw-mount or zip-tie to your snow blower.

A few models on the market also have a hook on the end so you can secure the cleanout stick to the snow blower’s handle. If your blower has brackets, search for the snow blower brand to find a replacement that fits the existing bracket.

Either way, it’s a simple and inexpensive way to ensure you start and end snow blowing season with all your fingers.