A frozen newspaper is the leading cause of machine jams. It can break shear pins or belts and damage expensive auger and impeller components. A fresh layer of snow over newspapers makes them hard to see, and they’re easy to forget. So protect your machine by scouting the area before you hit it.
If you do suck up a newspaper, shut down the engine and remove it with a broom or shovel handle, but never with your hands. If you can’t remove the paper, take your machine to a pro, who will charge a whole lot less than even the cheapest surgeon.
To avoid any other hiccups while removing snow, use these tips to fix a snow blower that won’t start.
Take Smaller Bites to Avoid Clogs
It’s tempting to crank up the speed and plow right through it. That’s the single best way to clog your machine and wear out (or break) the drive belts. And when you consider how long it takes to constantly stop and unclog the chute, ramming at full speed doesn’t actually save any time. Worse yet, improperly clearing a clogged chute is dangerous, and the most common cause of snow blower?related injuries.