[Dino GT]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I've thought about a blower over the years. But this year is the first time in 2 or 3 years where I've had to shovel more than once. We had one storm last year that produced enough snow to shovel. For that one my neighbor who has a plow on his tractor came by and cleared my driveway. I can't see buying (and having to store) a blower I rarely use. It'd be nice to have on the few days I need it, but it'd be a PITA the rest of the time.

A friend of mine uses a leaf blower for snow. For the light stuff, it works well. Not so much for the wet, heavy stuff.

I hear you. I'm lucky that I have a shed where I can store my snowblower.
I used to have a big one and it was a PITA to store it, so a couple of years ago I got rid of it and I bought a smaller one. Best thing I did. I only have a 2 car driveway, but I'm on a corner lot and have a lot of city sidewalk to clean .

[M_Six]

I have a smallish shed, but it's pretty packed already. If I needed a blower 4 or 5 times a year, I'd buy one and deal with the storage. But for once or twice a year it's not worth the hassle. Plus shoveling is a decent cardio workout, so there's that.

Just finished shoveling Round Two (probably Phase One of Round Two). Still coming down out there, so I'll be out again later, I'm sure.

[TXSTYLE]

Our current weather situation... 🥶

[vreihen16]

The first round of rain started here about an hour ago. Already up to 0.28" in the rain gauge.....

[vreihen16]

.

[upstatedoc]

Well, that was a waste of a snow day

[vreihen16]

Our ear-splitting basement flood alarm just went off from the 1/2" of rain. Only a minor puddle so far, but probably a sign that the sump pump has failed or more likely that the outdoor drain piping has frozen.....

[upstatedoc]

Just turned to freezing rain. Put the garbage out and slid down the driveway

[M_Six]

Snow is finally over here. The driveway seems to be a prime drift spot. We got about 6-7", but the driveway had a good 9-10" in it. The worst part is always clearing the mess the plow makes at the end of the driveway.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Snow is finally over here. The driveway seems to be a prime drift spot. We got about 6-7", but the driveway had a good 9-10" in it. The worst part is always clearing the mess the plow makes at the end of the driveway.

When we go to the cabin this time of year, if the plows have come by, there is a solid walk I have to knock down so we can get to the driveway/bridge. Then clear the stairs to get to the front door and start the fire

[cmyx6go]

Crazy ass weather. It was in the 50s yesterday, 57 when I left the house this morning with pouring rain forecast all day. 43 now and is supposed to plummet to below 30 by noon. Should be a fun ride home. Hopefully the ground is warm enough it won't turn to an ice skating rink.

[M_Six]

Nice and sunny out there, but only 12F. At least it isn't snowing.

[Dino GT]

Phase 2 is about to begin I just hope my little friend doesn't give up on me, she's been getting quite a workout lately

[vreihen16]

It's 27F with light freezing rain here. Skating rink in the driveway.

Thankfully, we were dry-slotted from the heavier rain overnight, only receiving 0.31" since midnight so far. I say thankfully since the basement is still taking on water, due to the frozen sump pump drain pipe outside. We just finished throwing in a new temporary sump pump and hose out into the yard, which will hopefully keep the month-old boiler above water until the outside sump pump drain pipe thaws.....

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by Dino GT

Phase 2 is about to begin I just hope my little friend doesn't give up on me, she's been getting quite a workout lately

I had a single stage for years. Served me well. Upgraded to a two stage and never looked back. Clears my driveway in half the time

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

It's 27F with light freezing rain here. Skating rink in the driveway.

... due to the frozen sump pump drain pipe outside...

If you got a check valve, get rid of it. The drain pipe should not have any water in it after a minute or so of the pump stop pumping.

[DonMakaveli96]

I really hate the winter in my city. It's not cold enough for a fun drive in the snow, but it's cold enough so you can't go to the park for a walk..

[JJ 911SC]

We are on the edge, so 2" Wednesday over night and about the same last night.


Very light so I push it to the side and do a couple of passes with the snow blower.

[Dino GT]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

I had a single stage for years. Served me well. Upgraded to a two stage and never looked back. Clears my driveway in half the time

I used to have a a two stage up until a couple of years ago. It's true that it would clean the snow in half the time, but I found myself shoveling more than using the snowblower. It was a PITA to store it and also to big for my property. So I bought a smaller one and it has been good so far. She's so much easier to operate and I can leave it in the garage during winter. As for the bigger one, I would have to drag it out of the shed everytime it snowed.

She's doing good, all done

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

If you got a check valve, get rid of it. The drain pipe should not have any water in it after a minute or so of the pump stop pumping.

Normally, that would have been my assumption. You've never met my in-laws though, who show up (from an hour away when I'm not around to supervise them) and do all kinds of landscaping "improvements" with a focus on aesthetics and not function or gravity. The sump pump discharge outlet that they relocated last summer is buried under a snow/ice plow mound, and I'm sure it is also the highest point in the system (and only worked before it froze because the check valve was holding the water from back-flowing into the pit).

After spending $200.57 for a new/spare pump and 50 feet of temporary drain hose, all of the water has been pumped out through the Bilco door and discharged downhill away from the house.

FWIW, our regional power monopoly is reporting 50,000 customers without power from 625 separate outages from the freezing rain as I write this.....

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

... FWIW, our regional power monopoly is reporting 50,000 customers without power from 625 separate outages from the freezing rain as I write this.....

Before we got a 17K Generac (NG), for the Y2K I got a Watchdog battery back up sump pump that spit the water 3' above ground on the side of the house. Except for the monthly test it never pumps. The original Kirkland Deep Cycle battery lasted 16 years.

[Esteban]

Today is sunny and 70F. Next week the forecast is in the 80s.