Maintaining your backyard or lawn can be quite daunting if you don’t have the right tools. It’s smart to invest in a leaf blower to quickly and efficiently take care of fallen leaves and debris. As lawns have different sizes and produce varying volumes of fallen leaves, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all blower.
Here are some different types of leaf blowers:
- Handheld leaf blower.This is the type of blower found in most households. It’s designed to be light, compact, and portable. As the name implies, this can be operated and carried using just one hand.
- Backpack leaf blower.This type is similar to handheld blowers, except that it has a bigger motor that can be worn as backpack. It’s more comfortable to use as you don’t need to carry the whole tool in your hands.
- Walk-behind leaf blower.This type is the biggest in size and resembles a snow blower. It has wheels placed under the motor so the user can easily push it from behind while it does its job.
Lawn maintenance largely depends on the composition of your lawn, the season, and the weather condition. Each leaf blower type offers different uses and features depending on your needs. Here are some things to take note of when deciding which one is the most suitable for you:
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Consider the Workload
The most important factor to consider is the extent of the job that needs to be handled. Handheld blowers are ideal for light cleaning tasks around your house and lawn. It’s good enough to get rid of small leaves, dust, sawdust, and light snow.
If you have a bigger backyard, opt for a backpack blower as it has more power to cover a lot of ground. It can also pick up twigs, pebbles, and even metal shavings that its handheld counterpart is too small for.
For heavy debris, go for a walk-behind leaf blower. It’s most commonly used by professional cleaning crews as it has enough power to ger rid of heavy materials in parks and fields.
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Choose Between Convenience and Maintenance
Leaf blowers have two possible power sources: gas and electricity. Gas-powered blowers are more powerful than electric blowers, but frequent fuel refilling can be costly. They are also a lot heavier because of the gas engine. On the other hand, electric blowers are lighter and cheaper to maintain, but they have a shorter runtime.
Electric blowers are further divided into two types: corded and cordless. Cordless blowers provide more mobility than corded ones—however, they are often more expensive. Visit this page to find out more about cordless blowers.
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Check the Noise Level
Leaf blowers are notoriously loud machines, some more than others. Gas-powered blowers are the loudest type. In fact, some communities limit or even ban the use of gas-powered blowers due to its disruptive tendency.
Electric blowers are recommended for residential areas since they are usually quieter. Still, noise levels may vary depending on the brand so it’s always best to check product labels for specific decibel levels. As a general rule of thumb, a blower must not exceed 65 decibels.
