The calm before the storm: helpful tips to properly storing your snow blowers & lawnmowers

RAPID CITY, S.D — Whether we like it or not, snow is a large component of South Dakota weather.

So what happens when an early fall snowstorm comes in and your snow blowing equipment isn’t working properly?

You’ll usually find that it comes down to a storage or fuel issue.

“This storm that just came in, there was a lot of people who were just pulling their snow blowers out of storage trying to get them going and we saw a lot of them come in and the fact was that most of them were fuel-related issues,” said Bill Koser, the Owner of Brown’s Small Engine Repair. “Get everything dried out, get them stored properly and things should be good for you.”

Another way to get the most out of your equipment and fuel systems is fuel stabilizers (like Stabil or Seafoam), which keep fuel fresh and help with the storing process.

And while these may prove to benefit your equipment, Koser says you must follow the label.

“Follow the instructions, the instructions are going to get you your optimal levels of stabilization,” Koser said. “A lot of people tend to do the ‘glug-glug’ method where they put a little bit in, then they put a lot more in. That’s usually not good either. So follow the instructions on any stabilizers that you would use”.

Even when the weather is warmer, it’s a good idea to break out the snow blowers and start them up to “get the juices flowing.” The same goes for your mowers in the winter.

It’s also a good idea to change the oil in your lawnmower or snow blower every season. You should also have a trained professional sharper your lawnmower blade once per year. Koser and his staff also recommend to use 91 octane (premium) gasoline in your lawn care equipment.

While the weather does seem to be nice, you can certainly get that last mowing session in, but remember to drain your fuel system so that it doesn’t cause carburetor issues in the future.

In the end, it’s the storage of your equipment which will help you get the most out of it. Store it in your garage or shed and if needed, protect it with a tarp.