Store Your Snowblower For The Summer (The Right Way)

At the end of the snow season, you might be tempted to tuck your snowblower away in a corner of your garage and forget about it until next year.

However, if you do not perform essential maintenance before storing your snowblower for the summer then you run the risk of damaging the machine and rendering it useless.

This guide will take you through the essential steps and various ways you can safely store your snowblower for the summer.

How To Store Your Snowblower For The Summer

Before embarking on the following steps, remove the spark plug from your snowblower.

Some of the steps you need to take involve getting up close with the auger and removing the spark plug will ensure you do not accidentally start the machine.

What To Do With The Fuel in Snowblower?

The first question you need to answer is what you intend to do with the fuel.

If you have pure gasoline in the tank, you could leave the fuel in the tank for the summer. All you need to do is add some fuel stabilizer, run the machine for a few minutes to allow the stabilized fuel to permeate through the machine, then top the tank up with gasoline.

It is important to have a full tank to prevent condensation over the summer.

You will not be able to safely store gasoline that is already several weeks old. Either siphon the gas and replace it with fresh gas before adding the stabilizer or simply store it while empty.

If you use ethanol gasoline then you will need to siphon the fuel before storing the snowblower. Ethanol can accelerate corrosion within the tank, fuel lines, and carburetor.

Ensure that you siphon the fuel outside and away from any ignition sources and that you dispose of the fuel safely.

You will also want to run the snowblower dry, allowing it to burn through any residual fuel in the lines and carburetor.

Check out this video to see how to add fuel stabilizer to a snowblower: 

 

If your snowblower requires oil, now would be a good time for an oil change.

How to Prevent Rusting of Snowblower

The last thing you want to discover at the beginning of the next snow season is that your snowblower has been destroyed by rust.

The number one solution to preventing rust is to thoroughly wash the snowblower before storage using a hose and soap.

The soap will help to remove salts from the components which, left on there, would cause rusting.

You are also advised to lubricate the auger, axel shafts, and other components within the machine. You can use a common oil-based lubricant to protect the components from degradation over the summer.

The specifics of lubricating the internal components are usually detailed within the owner’s manual.

Check out this video from Ariens to see how to lubricate the components on an Ariens machine: 

Once you have thoroughly cleaned and lubricated your snowblower, it would be a shame to leave it out to accrue more dirt, dust, and moisture over the summer months.

Cover the machine in a tarpaulin and block up the machine to ensure that nothing can get into the components.

You can also buy snowblower covers that are specific to your model, which may function better.

Where To Store The Snowblower?

Many people ask if it is safe to store a snowblower outside, usually because they lack indoor space.

In most cases, it is far better to store the snowblower inside to keep it safe from weathering. However, if you must store it outside, there are safe ways to do it.

It is doubly important when storing the snowblower outside to ensure that the snowblower cover or tarpaulin is well-secured and that any gaps are thoroughly blocked.

You will also want to find an elevated spot to keep the machine so that it is not in contact with the ground.

These measures help to limit the amount of moisture that can get into the machine, which could cause rusting over the summer.

It is better to keep the snowblower in a garage or shed. You will still need to fit the cover and block the gaps, but the risk of collecting moisture is much lower.

If you do not have a suitable shed, you can buy a specialized snowblower shed for a reasonable price.

Failing that, you could build one yourself with a little bit of skill and hard work.

Finally, you could hire a storage container for your snowblower. As a bonus, you can move your lawnmower into it when you retrieve your snowblower.

If you use a storage container, be aware that you will have to drain the fuel for safety reasons as a full fuel tank can be a fire hazard.

Summary

We hope that this guide has given you all the information you need to safely and securely store your snowblower over the summer months.

Putting in the effort now will save you time and expense when winter comes around once more.

If you have any questions or comments about this guide or snowblowers in general, please feel free to leave them in the section down below.