Titan Storm Spreads More Snow Coast to Coast

Winter Storm Titan

I'm sad to deliver bad news, but more cold winter weather is on its way.

Winter storm Titan, the latest ice and snow storm, is scheduled to dump more snow and ice across the US from coast to coast on Sunday and Monday.

Snowfall is expected to exceed 6 inches across the majority of Ohio. If you think that's bad, there's also a band of much heavier snow that will follow, dropping approximately 10 inches of snow somewhere. Meteorologists still don't know where that snow will fall.

The National Weather Service states that winter storm Titan is set to drop heavy snow from California to New England. It's also possible that it may drop sleet and freezing rain from the Plains all the way to the Mid-Atlantic States.

While most of you likely have gotten a snow blower by now, those of you who haven't likely won't worry about it until next winter. With winter nearing the end, and it is (only a couple of weeks left), many of us need to consider what will happen to all of the snow when late March or April showers begin washing it away.

Sump pumps are the concern now. I know I personally need to get a battery back-up sump pump because I live on a large pond in a neighborhood that often floods. My pal Jim is a sump pump expert over at Sump Pumps Direct, and he's great when it comes to finding you the perfect pump for your needs.

Keeping Up Appearances - How to keep your snow blower looking new.

Ariens Touch-up Paint

As you use your snow blower, it inevitably gets scratched and dinged, often times stripping small amounts of paint from the metal.

Leaving the scratches and dings unattended to may seem okay, excusing it as average wear and tear, but what if they begin to rust? Without the protection of the paint, the metal is now exposed to harsh environmental factors such as water, ice, and salt.

You change the oil, you add fuel stabilizer, you buy and use maintenance kits, and you keep it sheltered and covered during the off-season, so why leave it rust when you put such effort into keeping everything else on it so nice?

Cub Cadet Touch-up Paint

I spoke with one guy who told me how he keeps his snow blower looking great from year to year and prevents rust and corrosion.

With a stainless steel brush, he brushes off any rust or corrosion that's there, and smooths out the area that's missing paint.

Once it's clean, dry, free of rust and corrosion, and smoothed down, he takes a matching color of snow blower touch-up paint and sprays the spot. As long as you keep using a matching color of paint, which comes in brand specific colors at Snow Blowers Direct, it'll look great.

By doing this after each season, he gets to start the next season with a brand new looking snow blower, keeping his neighbors wondering why his stays so nice!

What Does the Groundhog Say?

6 More Weeks of Winter - Time for a Snow Blower!

The groundhog said, "Bring more snow."

Winter's far from over, and more snow is on its way. A snowstorm is sweeping through the country from Denver, Colorado to Maine and New York.

The strongest portion of the storm will stretch from Kansas City to Vermont and New Hampshire, bringing with it 6-12".

Omaha, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, and Boston will be seeing around 3-6" of snow between tonight and Wednesday. And Denver, New York, and Philadelphia will only see around 1-3".

If you're in the more severe strip, you're probably wishing you had a snow blower right about now. If you don't have one, it's not too late to get one in time for clearing that 12 inches of snow off of your drive and walkways.

If you're in the lighter areas between 1 and 6 inches, you may be fine with a single-stage snow blower as long as you keep on top of the snow as it comes. Anything more though, and you'll want a two-stage snow blower with a bigger opening in the front for taking in snow deeper than a few inches.

If you've got a city plow that likes to come by and plow your driveway shut with a pile of frozen slush, you'll be happy to see we've got the all new three-stage snow blowers in that can handle that frozen mountain with no problem.

Take a look around Snow Blowers Direct, and visit the Buyer's Guide for help finding what you need.

Is There Any End in Sight?

To many of us, it seems like winter will never end. As soon as the temperature rises a bit, it drops again. Next thing you know there's more snow.

But one of these days the groundhog is bound to find its shadow missing, and we'll be able to celebrate the start of spring.

Some parts of the country however will be able to celebrate earlier than others.

Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona will be the first to experience an early, dry spring. With recent droughts causing problems for some communities, they'll be sure to welcome the possibility of spring showers.

Southern Utah, Colorado, much of Kansas, Western Oklahoma, Western Texas, and all of New Mexico will come in a close second, finding warm, dry weather by March.

Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Northern Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, much of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Southwestern Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and the southwestern half of Illinois will have a slow transition to spring.

The Northeastern United states consisting of much of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northeastern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New Jersey, Deleware, Maryland, and Massachusetts will remain cold with continuing snow possibly into early spring.

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As Promised, Here it Comes!

Clearing Snow With a Power Brush

Being called Winter Storm Maximus, a wave of snow accompanied by a band of sleet and freezing rain is making its way from the Central Plains to the Northeastern US today.

Minneapolis, Minnesota is already seeing the effects this morning with snowfall of up to 3 inches complicating people's early morning commutes.

Chicago and Milwaukee are expected to experience this snowy driving hazard this afternoon and evening; so be sure to take care driving home today.

Today's snow wont be the end of it though. Friday and Saturday snowstorms bring sleet and freezing rain to cover the Ohio Valley, Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes, most of New York, and parts of New England.

While it wont be a severe crippling blizzard, snowfall accumulations in areas stretching from Nebraska to Michigan are expected to reach around 6 inches by the time both waves have passed.

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How to Tackle the Approaching Snow in Northern States

Cub Cadet Snow Blower

I hate to be the messenger on this one, but it's not over yet! Coming soon to a neighborhood near you... a lot more snow. And it's not going to be light and fluffy either.

East of Lake Ontario, it's predicted there'll be over a foot of snow coming. It's possible they may get as much as 18 inches.

The rest of the area east of the Great Lakes is expected to get several inches, possibly accumulating up to 5 or 6 inches.

This snow will be lake effect snow created by cold air moving over the Great Lakes, and the snow will be damp and heavy to shovel.

If shoveling is getting you down, you could try using an electric snow shovel in areas that are only getting another inch or so.

If you're east of Lake Ontario, it may be a good idea to research the most current snow blower ratings to find out what model of snow blower or snow thrower will fit your needs as well as your budget.

If you've already got a riding lawnmower, you could get a tractor mountable snow blower or plow blade to make the job easier.

Whatever your case, the reviews at Snow Blowers Direct can help you narrow down all of the best available models to find the best snow blower for you.

Stay warm, stay healthy, and keep clearing that snow. Eventually Spring will return, but until then, try letting some modern technology help you through the season.

How Do You Fix a Broken Shear Pin?

Most two-stage snow blowers are equipped with a fail-safe mechanism that will protect your drive shaft and the motor from becoming damaged due to excessive torque.

This occurs when something other than snow, such as a chunk of ice, gets into the blade of the auger. This is where the shear pins come into play.

A snow blower's shear pins are designed to break off to prevent damage to the auger shaft and gear case.

Here are a few helpful tips for replacing a broken shear pin:

1. Pull the wire off of the spark plug to ensure the snow blower cannot start while you're working on dislodging the foreign object from the auger. 
2. Remove any debris that could be jammed in the auger. Never remove the debris by hand - jammed objects can cause the auger to spring forward. Use a pair of pliers if possible to pull the debris loose.
3. If you notice the shear pin is stuck, line up the holes on the axle and the auger, then just lightly tap out the pin.
4. Align the drive shaft holes and slide the manufacture specified shear pin into the hole and tighten the nut onto the threaded end.
5. Reconnect the spark plug and you're ready to go. 

For more information on shear pins including how to select the correct style and where to buy, check out this article titled, "Shear Coincidence."