How Does a Snow Thrower Work?

Introduction

When shoveling your driveway or sidewalk begins to wear on you, one of the best options is to buy a snow thrower. Snow throwers are the perfect outdoor equipment for winters where snow becomes a problem. Snow throwers offer a lot of power for helping clear out the area around your home or commercial property. They do so with much less effort and in less time than if you were to shovel the snow manually.

Parts

The snow thrower consists of five main parts. The first part is the engine, which gives power to the thrower for it to work. The next part is the blade, which breaks the snow up to make it easier to work its way through the machine. Next are the paddles, which scoop up the snow and push it into the machine. Once the paddles have scooped the snow in, the impeller forces the snow out of the machine. Finally, the chute at the top of the snow thrower shoots the snow in whichever direction you point it to.

Single Versus Two Stage

There are two types of snow throwers, single and two stage. A single stage snow thrower uses a single stage to break down, scoop up and shoot out the snow. These throwers are often cheaper, but are also unable to break through very heavy snow. A two stage thrower uses two augers instead of a single paddle to scoop up the snow and shoot it out. One auger breaks and scoops the snow as the other auger shoots the snow out.

Electric Versus Gas

Snow throwers come in both gas and electric form. Each has its own unique benefits and drawbacks. The electric type has the benefit of using household electricity to charge the motor. However, the electric model also has less clearance, with a maximum of 18 inches. The gas-powered model has a wider clearance of up to 32 inches, but also requires purchasing gas to power the machine.