A Quick Guide to Choosing the Right Leaf Blower

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All trees shed their leaves, whether it’s deciduous or an evergreen. The only difference is evergreen trees shed their leaves all year around while deciduous shed their leaves all at once, usually at the advent of the dry or wet season, depending on the biome. Enough about the biology lesson. You’re here because you have a leaf problem. Lots and lots of it. You could use a rake to collect all the leaves, or if you’re feeling masochistic, pick them up one by one.

As a homeowner with lots of trees, you have two options: hire someone to clean the leaves, or do it yourself. Unless you live in a sprawling estate, you’re probably going to do the cleaning yourself. That’s where a leaf blower comes in. This guide aims to help people to choose the right leaf blower for the job.

A leaf blower is a gardening device that propels air to move light debris like leaves and paper. The device is used all over the world due to its ability to complete outdoor cleaning tasks without expending much time and effort. If used properly and conservatively, there is also the added advantage of inflicting little damage to surface soil.

They come in a lot of forms, and many people have invested in leaf blowers to save them from backbreaking work. People have found other uses for leaf blowers apart from removing and gathering leaves; some have used the device to clear a yard of cut grass, moving matted grass, clearing blocked gutters and even drying off machinery.

Leaf blowers arrived only recently. In the 1950s, the precursor to today’s leaf blowers were chemical blowers, used to dispense fertilizers and pesticides in farms and fields. It was only two decades later when some people realised that chemical blowers could be adapted to move light materials with propelled air. Leaf blowers were mass-produced soon after.

The power of centrifugal force makes leaf blowers possible. The motor within the leaf blower casing powers the fan, which sucks in the air and forces it out through a small gap. The sheer force of the fan and the small size of the opening pressurises the air, which goes out of the leaf blower through the nozzle at extremely high speeds. The most powerful leaf blowers can push air out at 400 kilometers per hour.

There are a lot of aspects you have to consider before selecting the right hedge trimmer for you.

How big is your property?

How many trees are there?

Knowing the answers to these basic questions can go a long way in choosing a hedge trimmer. Knowing the extent of the job is the best information you can have when determining the trimmer for you. Most people buy leaf blowers without so much as a second thought, choosing the latest, or flashiest or most expensive model without thinking about whether it’s right for the job or not.

Kinds of Leaf Blowers

Leaf blowers can be classified according to its mobility and maneuverability. Each leaf blower type has their own advantages and disadvantages, so choose carefully.

1 - Handheld Leaf Blowers

The handheld type is the most common kind of leaf blower for general purpose cleaning. Handheld leaf blowers are good if you have a small to mid-sized yard which needs clearing and if you need to clear leaves and other debris from tight, hard-to-reach spaces or roof gutters.

Its limited power means you can only work with light debris like grass clippings and leaves. What sets handheld blowers apart from the rest is you can use them to vacuum leaves for mulch. You can’t do that with backpack and push leaf blowers.

2 - Backpack Leaf Blowers

Backpack and handheld leaf blowers are practically the same when it comes to power output. One advantage backpack blowers have over their handheld counterpart is easier maneuverability.

The operator carries a handheld blower with their hands, with the weight of the machine and stress borne by the arms. Backpack leaf blowers, on the other hand, distributes the weight of the machine, reducing arm and hand strain. This is perfect if you have arm injuries or a condition which reduces arm mobility.

3 - Push Leaf Blowers

Push leaf blowers are the biggest, heaviest, most powerful and the most expensive among the three types of leaf blowers. They are typically used by professional landscapers and groundskeepers or on extremely large estates. Push leaf blowers are strong enough to move larger and heavier debris like twigs, pebbles and small branches. The vast majority of homeowners do not need this much power to clean their yards.

 

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