The Perfect Snow Blower For the Short Girl

My First Snow Blower

    Being a single female, a new home owner, and living in New Hampshire I was about to have my first ever “winter clean-up.” Which meant...snow blower shopping. I was extremely nervous about having to take care of all that snow alone. So for all of you ladies who are in the market for your own snowblower and you are having an anxiety attack, calm down! It was not as bad as I thought it would be.

    The snow blower I decided to purchase is called the “Toro Snow Master” and frankly I am in love! The Snow Master made it so easy for me. I was afraid that my small stature would make it impossible for me to push it. However, that was not the case at all. The Snow Master was able to cut through even our heaviest snowfall without any trouble at all. My Toro even chopped through that hard snow that collects by the driveway entrance, from the city plow.

    So here are the final notes about why you need the Toro Snow Master in your life this winter season. The Snow Master; is extremely lightweight, turns on a dime, gets all the tall snow, cuts through wet snow like butter, has a ridiculously easy chute control, clears to the pavement, it even has poly skid shoes that protect my driveway, a personal pace feature so I can go fast or slow, and its red... I mean can it get any better? 

    Okay, well good luck on all of your snow adventures this season ladies and I hope this helps you make your own decision.

For more help on what snow blower is right for you. Check out these guys ProParts Direct www.propartsdirect.net use the Live Chat Feature.  These guys will really help you out!

It's time to tune-up the snow blower

A snowstorm in the 7 day forecast should not be a reminder to have your snow blower tuned up! If you put the snow blower away last year with concerns about performance, now is the time to act.  As soon as it’s cold enough for snow, small engine shops are quickly inundated with calls for repair, replacement part supplies run short, and many homeowners are forced to grab a shovel and clear snow the old fashioned way.

Schedule service early and save money. Most small engine shops will offer incentives or specials that encourage customers to get the snow blower tuned up in late summer and fall. The small engine shop can curb the influx of calls when it snows and you can save some money!

If you plan to service the machine yourself, here are a few pointers to keep in mind to keep the job frustration-free.

1-      Keep the owner’s manual handy and make note of the snow blower’s model and serial number. When ordering replacement parts online or at your local dealer, the model and serial are critical to getting the correct parts. The manual will tell you everything you need to know about the snow blower and the items that need to be addressed for proper tune-up. Where to grease moving parts, oil change information, belt location and adjustment requirements are all spelled out in the manual.

2-      Go all out – don’t try to save a few dollars by avoiding critical replacements with temporary repairs. Replace the spark plug, remove & paint rust, and if the condition of the belt is questionable – install a new one! New equipment is expensive but will run like new for many years if properly cared for.

3-      Get started. Unless your garage is heated and outfitted with a lift – waiting to start only means the ground will be colder and your hands more reluctant to cooperate! The mad dash for common replacement parts starts at the first sign of snow too.  Order early and stock up on shear pins, fuel stabilizer, or even a spare scraper blade.

Determine the parts needed for your snow blower tune-up, order online, and receive the shipment in time for a weekend project. ProPartsDirect.net sells genuine replacement parts for the most popular brands like Ariens, Toro, Cub Cadet, Simplicity, and Snapper. 

Keep the Basement Dry and Plants Green

In a recent blog we looked at the challenges of keeping your lawn green when hot, dry conditions take hold. The first and most obvious solution was irrigation! Install an automated system or spend extra time pulling hoses to set up temporary sprinklers and keep the landscape green.

A reader was quick to point out that during a dry spell, cities and towns have water usage restrictions. Homeowners depending on well water face the risk of using needed water for the home, on the front lawn!

What if we told you that you could still water regardless of those restrictions? It’s pretty easy, just start collecting rain water.

Harvesting rain water is an effective way to collect and store water that’s safe to reuse on plants and gardens. There are a TON of options to collect water, from burying huge storage tanks to simple connections to a downspout. The elaborate storage systems are large enough that a pump can connect and feed an irrigation system.

For most homeowners, a Rain Barrel is probably sufficient. The barrel sits at the bottom of your downspout and a specialized diverter kit sends rainwater into the container. If your gutter is depositing the water at the base of your foundation now, not only will a rain barrel save rain water, it will probably prevent moisture problems in the basement!

Connect a hose or small solar pump to the container and you are back in business! Now you can capture the afternoon thunderstorm or passing shower and reuse when it is most needed.

What is your experience with harvesting rain? Do you have a harvesting system? Share your photos or experience with us!

Repairing a McCulloch: Fish or Cut Bait?

McCulloch chain saws, string trimmers, and leaf blowers were very popular homeowner tools up until the company shut its doors in 2009.  With McCulloch out of business, production of replacement parts stopped. Any replacement parts that McCulloch had in their factory were sold at auction in June of 1999. Small engine shops from all over scooped up the parts and have been using this limited supply to repair older McCulloch items for 15 years.    

Nobody is making replacement parts for McCulloch and its very unlikely anyone ever will.

What does this mean to you? If you have a McCulloch tool (pre 1999), you should seriously consider replacement vs repair costs. The only way to get a part is a time consuming internet search in the hopes of locating someone who bought parts at the auction, back in 1999. If you locate someone with McCulloch parts, your next hurdle is that they have part you need.

At best, it’s a long shot. You may get lucky and find the part you need, but, you should evaluate if you are throwing good money after bad.

Please note, that the McCulloch brand was acquired by Husqvarna and they are selling tools under this brand name. They are not producing replacement parts for older equipment.  

Dog Days of Summer: Keeping Grass Green in the Heat

After an extended spring season that featured long periods of rainy weather, the summer is continuing the “all or nothing” trend. It’s been hot and dry in the northeast and green lawns are starting to turn brown under the stress.  Here are a few suggestions on how to help keep your lawn looking its best.

Irrigation – Getting water on your lawn nourishes and cools the grass. It’s the first line of defense against hot, dry spells. The best time to water is early in the morning from 3-8am. This allows the soil to soak up water needed and excess water will evaporate when the sun comes up. When a saturated lawn remains in contact with excess water, it creates a breeding ground for disease. This is why watering in the evening can do more harm than good! Finally, watering during the hottest part of the day is bad news…water is evaporating and your lawn won’t appreciate the tease!

PRO TIP: Avoid watering by hand. Use sprinklers to evenly water and connect timers for consistency.  There are even smart-phone apps that can operate irrigation controls! Generally speaking, most lawns want between 1”-2” of water per week. This can vary based on soil and grass types, location, and time of growing season.

Let it Grow…Let it Grow!  Set your mower deck at 3” or greater. Taller grass can absorb water better and creates its own shade too. Cutting too short not only stresses the plant, it prevents it from growing deep roots that could further protect from dry conditions.  

PRO TIP: Get a mulching blade and don’t bag the clippings. A mulching blade cuts the grass a few times before dropping it back into the lawn. The dry, starved lawn will appreciate the mulched clippings for food and shade.

Keep Fertilizer in the Bag. Unless you have an irrigation plan in place, don’t fertilize the lawn when the hot, dry conditions take hold.  Fertilizers provide nutrients for growth, but, without water you’re asking the lawn to do the impossible. Plus, fertilizers need to be watered in to be effective. If the product sits on the lawn for days only to be washed away in a thunderstorm/downpour, you might consider yourself lucky. The alternative would be fertilizer washed into lower areas in super concentrated for that kills the grass in a hurry.

PRO TIP: Use the money you saved on fertilizer and take your spouse to dinner.  A night out beats watching grass grow any day of the week…    

With lawn care, you can’t beat the heat - Mother Nature always has the upper hand. If drought and heat threaten your lawn each year, you might consider a new yard design. Trees can be added to create shade, planting a drought tolerant type of grass, and even reducing the lawn size are all long term solutions to consider.    

Four things to remember before sharpening a set of mower blades.

Sharpening lawnmower blades saves time and money, unless the technique is incorrect – that costs money. 

** Always use proper safety equipment and goggles, hearing, gloves. **

1.       Set the blade grinder to the correct angle. For Oregon replacement blades, use 30 degrees. OEM blades, consult your owner’s manual.

2.       For a right hand cut, set the motor to forward (counter clock wise) to draw the blade into the stone. This will throw sparks out to the right, away from the user.

3.       Your first pass should be to square up the blade.  This will remove any Knicks or chips in the blade.  Once you have set your edge then draw the blade across the stone until you have ground away the metal to meet the bottom edge. Flip the blade and repeat using the same number of passes. Do not attempt to get a razor sharp edge, a .030 - .060 is ideal.

4.       Balance your blade – it is a simple step, but very important when sharpening your blades. A simple screw on the side of your work bench or even a fancy blade balancer will do the trick. Balancing your blade can save you from having to replace your deck spindles prematurely.

A blade grinder is a great addition to any landscape company. By properly learning how to sharpen your own blades you can get a longer blade life, better cut and save money and time while doing it!

For more information on Oregon belt and blade grinders, click here: http://www.propartsdirect.net/pages/CustomCatalog/Catalog/1057

Getting Toro replacement parts just got easier for The Grounds Guys.

As the landscaping season begins its important to inspect your equipment and identify equipment problems before they happen. Air filters, blades, and trimmer line all wear at a predictable rate – so stocking up early saves time – and prevents unneeded breakdowns mid-season. Another place to investigate is the lawnmower’s repair history. Are you nearing the end of life on your belts, cables, or hoses? Keep detailed notes and keep a copy of this information with you in the truck.

This list will make it easy to call in a replacement part order from the field, as soon as it breaks. If you don’t have this list, you should keep a copy of the ProParts Direct catalog handy. Pricing, parts, and Dingo breakdowns alone make it invaluable, but for The Grounds Guys who receive 4% off all orders – it’s a no-brainer!

Unfortunately, ProParts Direct can’t prevent your equipment from unforeseen breakdowns, but we can get you replacement parts faster!  This summer, we are offering The Grounds Guys landscapers factory direct, drop shipments from Toro! When you order from ProParts Direct before 2pm (EST), you receive your Toro order in 48 hours. 

In addition to the best pricing around, we are excited to deliver Toro and Toro Dingo parts with the speed The Grounds Guys demand!  In addition to Toro, ProParts Direct is an OEM and aftermarket dealer for all commercial lawnmower parts.

Order online at ProPartsDirect.net or call our dedicated commercial parts team at 800-305-9255.