It’s that time of year again where summer is winding down and the kids are getting ready to head back to school. The good news is that also means it is time to put away the lawn cutting equipment so you can take a much deserved break from grass cutting. The other side of this coin is that the weather is going to start getting much cooler in Ottawa and with that is going to come that dreaded white stuff… that’s right – snow is on it’s way! Are you prepared for winter in Ottawa? We all need to prepare by getting out our winter jackets, shovels and more and of course the most important thing is to prepare the snow blower so that you can easily clear your walkways, paths and your drive way.
To make sure that you are prepared for the winter season, you should get your snowblower tuned-up with a small engine maintenance package and even get some small engine repairs done if needed so that you aren’t stuck last minute during a snow storm wondering how you are going to handle the massive amounts of snowfall before work.
Having a properly running snowblower can make your snow clearing job a breeze in the winter so you can get back to more important things like sitting in front of the fireplace or playing ice hockey if that’s your thing.
Use Fresh, Good-Quality Fuel
As part of the snow blower repair and maintenance services, we always make sure that your snow blower is topped up with some fresh and high quality fuel so that you will be prepared for whatever the winter season throws at you. Today’s gasoline does not have the same chemical makeup as years ago. Testing has shown that significant deterioration can begin in as little as 30 days. The first sign of old gas is it makes starting more difficult. This is because the most volatile components of the fuel are the first to deteriorate and are the ones that help an engine start easily. It’s also a good idea to wait until the cool fall weather season arrives before purchasing gasoline for your machine. Gasoline is reblended to suit the season, and although the difference isn’t as great as it once was, winter-grade fuel will make cold weather starts easier.
Spark Plugs and Oil
As part of our small engine snow blower tune ups, we also make sure that your spark plugs are in great condition so that you will be able to better ignite the fuel-air mixture with your engine. You see starting the snow blower is just as if not more important than anything else.
We also make sure to change the oil. It’s crucial to change the oil between seasons and even if you only run the snow blower for a few hours each season, the oil in your snowblower should be changed. Even though oil that is in a small engine won’t break down very fast, moisture from the air and small amounts of byproducts from the exhaust can build up and contaminate your small engine oil in a short period of time. When your oil becomes contaminated your snow blower can suffer from increased wear and tear having you replace the machine prematurely or pay for expensive and unnecessary repairs that could have been avoided with proper small engine maintenance.
Give us a call for an annual snow blower inspection and we can make sure that your snowblower is running in peak condition ready for the winter months and the large amounts of snow we are expecting.