Can Snow Blowers Be Used On Grass?

During winter, homesteaders face a lot of challenges, like protecting your garden against the winter cold, abd winterizing tools that will not be needed until spring. But for people living in areas that experience snowfall during winter, impassable or slippery roads and driveways are often a major concern. Something even more worrying is walking on snowy lawns. Thawing on lawns caused by snowfall is not healthy for walking a pet.

Can snow blowers be used on grass?

The answer is yes. You can use snow blowers on your lawn to clear light or heavy snowfall. However, we recommend taking certain precautions to avoid damaging your lawn and your snow blower. Prepare your lawn before the snow season starts, and do not wait for the snow to pile up on your grass.

If you are looking for answers to using snow blowers, especially on lawns that have been heavily clogged by snowfall, this post is for you. Also, if you are looking for answers to a question of the best snow blower to use on your lawn, you have landed in the right place. Keep reading to learn more.  

Which Is The Best Snow Blower Suitable For Use On Grass?

Well, even with an affirmation that you can use a snow blower on grass, more questions arise. For Example, is there a specific type of snow blower suited for use on grass? The truth is that not all types of snow blowers will deliver excellent performance on grassy locations such as backyards in your compound. It always boils down to the features of a single-stage, two-stage, and three-stage snowblower. And so, here is the catch. What do homesteading experts living in areas that experience snowfall recommend?

● Single-stage snowblowers

A good example of a single-stage snowblower is Toro38381. But the big question is whether they are ideal for clearing snow off your lawn? These machines are designed for clearing thin layers of snowfall, usually below eight inches. However, from our end of the bargain, we would say, they are most ideal for throwing snow off your driveways, sidewalks, and walkways. Compared to the two-stage of three-stage variants, you will realize that single-stage blowers are lightweight and compact, give you all the convenience you need at work.

Something even more noteworthy is that single-stage snow blowers have an auger that cuts through and sucks snow then expels it through a discharge chute. Because these machines cut through snow, the risk of damaging your lawn is high compared to other variants. The design also means you cannot use single-stage blowers on rugged terrain and slopes.

● Two-stage snow blowers

We also weigh into two-stage snow blowers, especially their suitability for clearing snow off grassy surfaces.  It because for someone who has a large backyard, snowfall during winter means you must select the right snow blower for the job. First off, you should note that two-stage snow blowers operate differently.

Their augers do not establish contact with the surface when collecting snow before throwing it through a discharge chute at high speed. For that reason, you will often realize a more efficient performance in your yard with two-stage variants than single-stage snow blowers. It is the more reason why a two-stage snow blower such as DELUXE 24-INCH 921045 variant or TORO 826 OXE POWER MAX is perfect for the job. Moreover, with a two-stage blower, you can pick and blow snow from as deep as ten inches without any trouble to the machine.

Moreover, two-stage blowers are also ideal for use on slopes and rugged surfaces that contain stones, rocks, and broken concrete. You do not have to clear everything from the lawn that might be an obstruction to the machine even though it is necessary to avoid accidents.

Precautions to Take When Using Snow Blowers on Grass

Because snow blowers are typically for clearing snow off driveways and pavements in your homestead, using them on grass means you should take certain precautionary measures. Thus, before using your brand new acquisition from Husqvarna or running your Troy-Bilt blower on your lawn after a snowfall, take note of the following:  

● Prepare your lawn for snow blowing

Even with the best snow blower in the market, you should always prepare your lawn or yard before running the machine over it. Simply put, rid the space off rocks, extension cords, garden hoses, pebbles, stones, and any other markings that could make the process a little difficult. Moreover, with driveway markers, clearing snow off your grass will be a lot easier and risk-free. You can also rest assured of the safety of using your blower without the risk of damaging it at the end of a snow blowing routine.

● Throw small bits of snow at a time

The excitement that comes with using a snowblower for the first time may get you into a rush mode. However, hurrying the process is not a good idea. However, for experienced homesteaders who have used these machines, throwing large quantities of snow at a time comes with the risk of clogging your machine. Drive belts in a snowblower will also wear out faster if you rush through a pileup of snow. Moreover, with a clogged machine, you will end up spending more time unclogging it. But who would want to stay out in the cold winter weather for long hours?

Moreover, the risk of injuries when unclogging the chute is always high as it accounts for a larger percentage of snowblower related accidents.

Thus, from an experience perspective, we recommend plowing throwing small bits of snow. It is both easy on you and the machine. Most importantly, you will throw snow to the furthest point possible if you take small bites.

● Throw snow far away from the machine

Another notable point when using a snow blower on grass is that you should throw snow as far away from the machine as possible. Thus, apart from taking small bites of snow from, there are other ways of ensuring the chute on your snowblower. You can also run the machine at full rpm, albeit, at a slower speed at the ground level.  Another way to throw snow to a further point possible is by adjusting the chute to a higher level facing the direction of the wind.

● Do not wait for the snow to pile up on your grass

While most people would want to wait until snowfall is over, it is often counterproductive. We recommend using your snowblower as soon as possible, especially before snow builds up to a depth beyond 6 inches. Waiting for long means you and your machine will work extra hard to clear snow from your lawn. It also means spending several hours doing something you could have completed within a few minutes.

● Always start your machine using fresh fuel

Another important consideration to make is using fresh fuel. Used fuel is a major cause of hard starting in snow blowers. Even more importantly, use a winter-grade fuel to realize a great start and more volatility. For someone having trouble differentiating stale from fresh grass, there are lots of blogs out there that explain everything in detail.

● Use a fuel stabilizer

To realize the best performance with your snow thrower on grass, we also recommend using a fuel stabilizer. If you cannot add it at the filling station, we recommend doing so at home then leaving the machine idle to realize the right mixture. Moreover, read the label on the fuel stabilizer to help you come up with the right dousing composition.

● Synthetic oil is often a great alternative 

We know operating a snow thrower from Toro or any other manufacturer can be a real challenge for a novice. It is why; apart from using the ideal fuel stabilizer, we recommend using synthetic oil. The catch is that synthetic oils allow snowblower engines to spin faster. It means, for smaller engines, you will easily realize maximum RPM. The disadvantage with motor oil is that they are thick hence realizing a high spin rate is not always easy.

● Maintenance is important

Like every other machine you may have used, snow blowers will only deliver excellent performance on grass if you invest in proper machine maintenance. From replacing spark plugs, ensuring the drive belts are in great condition to changing engine oil, a well-maintained machine will never disappoint even after a heavy snowfall.  Moreover, ensure rusted areas are replaced or repaired using an appropriate method to ensure your snowblower remains in great working condition.

Final Thoughts about Using Snow Blowers on Grass

In the end, let’s emphasize that you can use a snowblower on the grass. However, given that it comes with challenges, you must make some decisions from the onset. It is because blowing snowfall on grass boils down to choosing the most ideal machine for the job. With so many variants from which to choose, we recommend two-stage or three-stage snow blowers as the perfect options for use on grass.