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With the onset of winter, private sector owners and utility workers have a new concern - Snow removal... Moreover, it is necessary to clean not only the sidewalks, but also the roofs of buildings. Many tools have been invented to carry out these works. Each snow scraper is different in shape, size, and material from which it is made.
Varieties of snow shovels
The most common and familiar snow removal tool for everyone is shovels. The shapes and designs of this simplest inventory are constantly being improved. Modern modernized shovels have folding handles, are made of lightweight materials and even equipped with a wheel.
Let's start our review of snow removal equipment with a wooden tool. This shovel is characterized by a wide scoop and a long handle. The classic model can be used instead of a scraper. To prevent the edge of the plywood scoop from abrading, it is framed with steel tape.
Metal shovels are more reliable, but the convenience of their use depends on the material of manufacture. Regular steel is not suitable for tools. Water-soaked snow will constantly stick to the scoop, plus susceptibility to corrosion. Galvanized shovels do not rust, but as long as the protective coating remains intact. Aluminum is an excellent material for a snow shovel. Such a metal scoop is resistant to corrosion, lightweight and does not adhere well to snow.
Composite plastic is a popular material for modern snow shovels. Snow does not stick to such a scoop, it is quite durable, and, most importantly, it has a light weight. Plastic shovels do not corrode or absorb water from wet snow. The edge of the scoop is protected from abrasion by a steel edge. With a careful attitude, a plastic shovel will last for five years.
A folding plastic shovel is most often in demand by car enthusiasts. The tool fits in the trunk and you can always carry it with you. The handle consists of two parts connected by a hinge mechanism. To fix the elements in working order, there is a sliding sleeve on the handle.
Another variant of the folding shovel differs in the design of the handle. It was made telescopic. Such inventory is similarly convenient for transportation in the trunk of a car. You can take a shovel with you to the dacha in a bag.
Have you seen a snow shovel on wheels? Yes, there are such examples. More precisely, the design has one large diameter wheel. It is fixed to the handle on the axis at the point where the hinge joint of the two elements of the handle is located. The role of the scoop is played by a plastic bucket, which is a shovel and at the same time a scraper. Bicycle handles are attached to the second end of the handle. During work, a person rolls a tool around the site, and the snow is raked into a bucket. To unload, you just need to push the handles down. At this time, the bucket with snow rises and throws it forward.
Snow scrapers
After shovels, the second popular tool for clearing snow is the scrapers.This type of equipment similarly has a simple design with a handle or a complex mechanism on wheels.
Let's start the review of the models with the simplest scraper, nicknamed the scraper. The snow removal tool also has another name - the scraper. The scraper consists of a wide bucket, to which the U-shaped handle is fixed. During operation, the scraper is pushed forward by hands. Snow is collected in the bucket, which is then unloaded by tipping the scraper.
For those who wish to use the scraper as a shovel, the manufacturers have come up with a modified tool. A design feature is the scoop shape. The bucket can shovel and throw snow.
The auger scraper is a mechanized snow removal tool. Its advantage is that there is no need to unload the snow. The working mechanism of the scraper is a screw with spiral knives. During rotation, they resemble a meat grinder. The man pushes the scraper in front of him. The rotating auger rakes up the snow and throws it to the side. The tool is effective only for removing loose snow up to 15 cm thick. It will not take a thick and caked layer.
A hand-held bulldozer on four wheels has been created to clear large areas of snow. The design of the scraper resembles a trolley with a handle. The blade is fixed in front. The steering angle is regulated by the rod. This power scraper can handle even icy snow.
The manual bulldozer on two wheels is maneuverable. The scraper is easy to lift with the handle to overcome bumps on the road. There are models with adjustable and non-adjustable blade rotation.
Electric snow scrapers
Electric scrapers help to effectively fight snow drifts. They can be designed as a complete snow blower or as a small shredder with an extended handle. The working mechanism is the auger. The electric motor is responsible for its rotation. Spiral knives scoop up the snow, crush it, and then throw it far to the side through the sleeve.
Electric scrapers are used for cleaning snow from the roof, but it is impossible to climb onto a pitched roof with such a tool. Snowblowers and manual shredders clean the large flat roofs of high-rise buildings and industrial buildings.
Telescopic snow scrapers for pitched roofs
Removing snow from the roof has always presented a lot of problems. It is difficult to climb onto a slippery surface with a simple shovel, but from a pitched roof you can, in general, fly off. To solve this problem, there is a special design of extendable handle scrapers. The telescopic handle allows the scraper to reach the highest point of the pitched roof directly from the ground. A person extends the handle according to the principle of a folding fishing rod to the desired length. The design of the scraper itself can be made in the form of a piece of rectangular plastic, perpendicularly fixed to the handle. The disadvantage of such a scraper is the high labor costs, as well as the risk of head injury from snow falling from the roof.
The telescopic scraper has a more convenient design, the working part of which is made in the form of a frame. A long strip of tarpaulin, plastic or any synthetic fabric is attached to the lower lintel. During work, a person pushes the frame along the surface of the roofing from the bottom to the top. The bottom element of the frame cuts the layer of snow, and it slides down to the ground along the hanging strip.
Working with a frame scraper requires minimal labor. Even an elderly person or teenager can push the tool. The frame will not damage the roof covering. You just need to be careful when approaching the ridge bar. With a strong push of the scraper, it can be ripped off and then you will definitely have to climb onto the roof.
The disadvantage of the telescopic scraper is its limited scope.The scraper is only needed to remove snow from the roof. It will not be useful for any work anymore.
Rules for choosing snow removal equipment
An improperly selected tool can not only prolong the snow removal time, but also cause pain in the back, as well as in the hip joint. Before buying or making a scraper, you need to familiarize yourself with the upcoming volume of work. After that, the type of tool is determined, taking into account its design features:
- Weight is an important parameter. Especially - this applies to shovels. Better to give preference to plastic or aluminum models. The lighter the shovel, the less effort you have to make to throw snow. Wheeled scrapers and blades are easier on the go. Part of their weight rests on human hands.
- The size of the bucket affects the cleaning speed. The wider and deeper it is, the more snow it will be able to capture in one pass. However, it must be borne in mind that it will be necessary to increase efforts, which contributes to rapid fatigability. The ease of control of the tool depends on the size and shape of the handle. A bad handle will overload the human body while working, even with a small bucket.
- The shape and design of the bucket affects the comfort of the tool and the quality of cleaning. The working part of all scrapers and shovels comes with one or three sides. The first type of shovel is more intended for shoveling snow. Throwing with such a shovel is inconvenient, since one tailgate is not able to hold a lot of loose snow. Additional side boards of the second type of scoop prevent the snow mass from falling out on the sides. There are homemade scrapers even without a back side. They will not be able to throw snow, but only to move it forward. When choosing a scraper for a scraper or a plastic shovel, you need to make sure that there are stiffeners. They increase the strength of the scoop, plus they serve as skis. Thanks to these lanes, the bucket travels more easily in the snow.
- Edges are usually installed on shovels and scrapers. The aluminum strip is used on plastic and wood scoops. It protects the work surface from abrasion. The plastic edges are removable. Such nozzles wear out quickly, but they are needed for gentle cleaning of paving slabs, roofing, painted objects. The steel edge is designed to remove frozen and caked snow.
Taking into account all the considered nuances, it will turn out to choose a convenient and effective tool for work.
The video provides an overview of snow shovels:
Many owners are accustomed to making their own snow removal equipment. It turns out not worse than the factory counterpart, and sometimes even surpasses it.
