If you’re thinking of owning Hilltop real estate or want to sell a Hilltop home in the winter, you’ll need to clear a path to the front door. Unless you’re up to the physical challenges of shoveling snow, you’re going to need a snow blower. With winter almost over, it may be a great time to purchase your snow blower for next year. You can typically choose from four major types:
- Electric. More maneuverable because of their light weight, electric snow blowers are best for light snowfall on decks, balconies, stairs and pathways where larger models do not fit. The machine is generally quieter and practically maintenance free because it requires no fuel. All you need for power is an extension cord long enough to reach the nearest outlet.
- Single-stage. These machines throw snow once up to 35 feet away and are useful for fluffy snowfalls up to six inches deep. They have a clearing width ranging from 19 to 22 inches and are useful for paved surfaces such as driveways. Like all fueled machines, single-stage equipment is noisier than the electric models and requires occasional engine maintenance such as oiling.
- Two-stage. Useful for clearing paths from 2 to 3 feet wide, two-stage versions first scoop up the snow with an auger before discharging it through a chute. They’re useful on pavement and gravel surfaces because the auger does not touch the ground to pick up and throw small stones. They can throw wet and heavy snow up to 50 feet.
- Three-stage. This most expensive and most powerful type can plow through accumulations of almost two feet and have clearing widths of 26 to 30 inches. They use two metal augers to scoop up the snow into an accelerator, which chops and propels the snow through the chute up to 50 feet away. If you need to plow through literal mountains of snow on large properties, the three-stage blower is your best purchase.
For more information about keeping your house well-maintained in the winter or if you want to enter the real estate market, please contact us.