What times are appropriate to opperate a snowblower? (how much, to buy)

[bangorme]

Anytime, but if you have a choice, use your head. I have a neighbor that goes to work early, so snow throws early. No problem. I once had a neighbor that used to do it at 3:00 AM for no apparent reason. Maybe insomnia? Anyway, it was annoying, but everyone has one annoying neighbor and this wasn't that bad.

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by beltrams

Snow removal isn't like mowing the lawn. One has to get rid of snow in a more timely manner due to work schedules, avoiding an impending freeze up of wet snow as cold air rushes in behind the storm, especially if it's blocking the car, the front door, and so on. Should I complain when my town plows my side road at 5AM so my neighbors can get to work or emergency vehicles can reach us? The town trucks, pushing 2 blades, can be pretty noisy too. As luck would have it, right as I typed this, the town plow just went by and it's 4:05AM here. (I'm up early!)

Snow removal equipment makes noise and that's the way it is.

I would agree. One can cut the lawn anytime but snow can be problematic if not taken care at ones own rate.
We are an older couple and own a Express cargo van. ( dog transport). That van - it doesn't take much to turn it into a snow bound 6000 pound beached whale load.
My husband is not supposed to shovel, and honestly- I probably should not either. The snow blower is our only option at the present time.

This morning my husband had to get the snow blower out for us to even get the dogs to the fence. While by next winter, our plan is to get a door at one of the windows off the sunporch to access the yard from the house without having to go around. However- that does not help for now.

All in good time.

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by bangorme

Anytime, but if you have a choice, use your head. I have a neighbor that goes to work early, so snow throws early. No problem. I once had a neighbor that used to do it at 3:00 AM for no apparent reason. Maybe insomnia? Anyway, it was annoying, but everyone has one annoying neighbor and this wasn't that bad.

I am giggling at this because this reminded me of my thoughts last night.
Using the woodstoves as our source of heat, and with the temps such as they are lately, one of us is up all night long keeping the stoves going.

I too had the thought about 2am of " I should get the blower and make a path to the fence and in front of the garage...
Honestly- I don't think my neighbors would have minded. The have a snow plow that comes through at the oddest of hours. He states it is because he has alot of customers and just has to come when he gets there...

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by maineborzoi

I am giggling at this because this reminded me of my thoughts last night.
Using the woodstoves as our source of heat, and with the temps such as they are lately, one of us is up all night long keeping the stoves going.

When I moved up here from mid atlantic I had heated my house there for 32 years with a Riteway model 37. I left it in the house and bought a new, high efficiency creosote burning stove. Had it shipped from Washington State.

Maybe you need a bigger stove. I have A Pacific Energy Summit. When I went to bed the temp in the house was 73. At 12:30 I put in a load of wood for the night. With outside temps at -5F and a 30mph wind, the house had dropped to 64F this morning at 9:30 AM. It had lots of coals so I put a log on the right and left, banked the pile of coals between them, and put some small logs on top and blew on it, and in 50 minutes the house was back up to 70.

Still 8 outside, but house is almost too hot at 76.
If you buy a new stove(though) you must put a SS liner in your chimney. They burn too hot and you will have a chimney fire if you don't.

If you live within an hour's drive of Searsport, I can recommend at super guy for this.

[maineborzoi]

My husband is a retired engineer, and also holds masters licensing in just about anything. He would be better to discuss heat loads etc than I would.
That being said- we moved up here with an excellent stove. We ended up selling it, and going with something more fitting to the space of the area being heated. Having smaller rooms and more seperated, the stove we brought with us would have been 'over kill".. ( literally driving you out of the kitchen )
The living room stove will probably be replaced. Its a good stove, and old Franklin, but its a 'wood hog'.
Chimney liners are good for any home, but especially this old house.

We use a Fluke IR Termometer to register our heat of the stoves. This comes in handy to find that balance of burn/heat output ratio to over burn ( hot fire).

[mainebrokerman]

if you need to clear the driveway at 5 am to get to work by 6, then clear the drive way,,,if your neighbors start complaining,,,just fire some shots off the deck at night,,,they will back off

[maineborzoi]

that might do it LOL

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

if you need to clear the driveway at 5 am to get to work by 6, then clear the drive way,,,if your neighbors start complaining,,,just fire some shots off the deck at night,,,they will back off

Yeah... break out the guns and start shooting. Everyone knows that use of firearms always solves the problem.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I was an EMT and volunteer fireman for many years. I always blew out my driveway as soon as the snow stopped and I woke up.

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I was an EMT and volunteer fireman for many years. I always blew out my driveway as soon as the snow stopped and I woke up.

How marvelous- and dedicated job !