Archive for August, 2010
Bet you’re looking forward to spring, warm weather and entertaining in your home. But, maybe you’re front lawn and backyard doesn’t look so inviting. Winter leaves behind dead leaves, twigs and those spring berries can start to fall fast. If yard clean up’s got you down, consider buying an electric leaf blower to make your life easier. An electric blower can make yard clean up in a small or large space more efficient, less time consuming and less frustrating. They come with powerful fans that blow leaves and debris into piles you (or the kids) can quickly remove. And many also have vacuums and bags you can attach to the blower.
The vacuum and bags simplifies yard clean up even more. Simply suck up the debris with a blower and you can quickly dispose of the leaves in eco-friendly yard bags. Some leaf blowers also have mulcher to turn those leaves and debris into mulch you can use to beautify your flowerbeds or nourish your vegetable garden. Electric blowers come with or without a cord. Cordless models are better for bigger areas because you’re not restricted by the length of the cord. Most of them can be easily recharged from a socket in your home, and they’re light and easily portable.
If you find you can’t bear the weight of carrying around a leaf blower in your large yard, you can always choose a backpack electric leaf blower. Just slip it over your shoulders and you’re ready to make your yard clean up nice and easy. Blowers with cords can make yard clean up in a tight area much quicker and easier than using a rake. Keep in mind, though, that if the cord is long, the leaf blower will be less powerful.
Many people find electric blowers are great for yard clean up. But, the noise level these machines create isn’t so appealing. Remember, however, that as far as noise goes, electric blowers are much easier on your ears than gas leaf blowers. However, manufacturers and health professionals recommend wearing hearing protection when you use an electric leaf blower. Also, you may not be worried just about the messy leaves and debris below – on your lawn or in your backyard. Sometimes, it’s the leaves and other waste that clog up your gutters or eaves troughs. You can also use your blower to clear away this mess during your yard clean up. Keeping your gutters clear helps to protect your home’s exterior – and it’s environmentally friendly.
Another benefit that electric blowers provide for homeowners is that they’re low maintenance, unlike gas leaf blowers. The most you may need to do to your electric blower is clean out the tube on occasion to remove residue, and clean the brushes once in a while. To keep it working smoothly make sure you use a cord with the right voltage. If you are looking to save time and keep your yard looking spectacular consider investing in an electric leaf blower.
Scott Gray is currently a handyman enthusiast who enjoys providing tips to consumers and homeowners. For more information about Toro electric leaf blowers, home handyman tips, and tips about how to top dress a lawn be sure to visit everydayhandyman.com.
For Fallen Leaves That Deserve the Best
Buying the best leaf blower can be a challenge, but it is worth the time involved. One that doesn’t match your needs will just create more work instead of making lawn care easier. The goal is to find one that is the best for specific jobs. The best leaf blower for a small yard will be different than the best for a large yard or the best to use for commercial landscapes. Fallen leaves deserve the best and it doesn’t matter if they are blown into a garden to be used as mulch or blown together for easy pick up and removal.
Before you head out to the local hardware store or home improvement store, sit down and list what you need to do, the size of the area that you will be using it on, the distance to a power outlet, the parameter of the yard, and anything else that you think will be helpful to use to be able to choose the best one to buy.
Some of the information you should have with you when you head out to buy the best:
- What type of debris will you be blowing?
- How much of an area will you be maintaining?
- What is your physical strength?
- How much power do you need?
- What is the noise level tolerance of your neighbors?
- What amount of money do you have available to spend?
TYPE OF DEBRIS
For dead grass and leaves the best blower is a lightweight electric one. Weed Eater’s Barracuda 2595 (2010) is a good choice. For the same debris but on a larger yard, you may consider one that is carried in a backpack or on wheels.
When you have small twigs, branches, and heavier debris the best choice is an electric handheld leaf blower. Some good choices include the following: Toro’s Super Blower Vac 51591, Toro’s Ultra Blower Vac 51598, and the John Deere BH25 (2010). For the same debris but on a larger yard, the best one is one that is carried in a backpack or on wheels.
PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVELS
For the highly fit with strong arms, any type is the best leaf blower. For those less fit, who have physical problems, or medical issues the best is one that is lightweight or is on wheels.
LEAF BLOWER FEATURES
The following features are found on the best:
- Variable speed
- Adjustable airspeed direction
- Handlebar throttle
- Extra battery
- Long life batter
- Adaptable to wheels or backpack
When you are looking for the best leaf blower, ask around the neighborhood and find out what is working for your neighbors who probably have similar needs as you do. Finally, shop around for the best prices before buying one.
The owner of theleafblowers.com has been providing Leaf Blowers to his visitors and giving you a source on Types of Leaf Blowers, Leaf Blower Accessories, and much much more.
I will be writing a number of articles on Halloween. Why you ask? Because it is my family and friends favorite time of the year! Let me explain what I mean when I say FAVORITE! We hold our party as close to Halloween as we can. It is a neighborhood party. Usually about 75% of our neighborhood participates in the party. We also have friends and our neighbors friends join in the fun. Each year the amount of people rises. You know you do a great job when people start talking about it in July! Our party consists of food, beverages (also BYOB) finger food and candy. We have themed costumes and contests. We spend at least a week prior to the party getting food ready and getting the decorations ready. Our number of attendees range from 40 to 60 and, like I stated earlier, grows each year.
The Food
When we prepare food for the party, it is always themed food. And, our food is usually gross! One year we had a kitty litter cake, and was so gross no one ate it! We have had chocolate mice, fried lung, fried skin, bat wings, brain, heart, monster toes, witch fingers, centipedes, bat droppings, mummy spread, swamp juice, and many, many more disgusting foods. It is real fun watching people ew and yuk at the gross looking food. But, it tastes great! Looks can be deceiving.
Themes
We try to have themes that are kid friendly as we do have a lot of children attending. As an example, one year we did a play on words. You had to think of a word or phrase and make a costume about it. One lady had a white sweat suit with candy wrappers on it and came as White Trash. A girl had a devil costume on with eggs all over it for Deviled Eggs. We had a web server, maid of money, leaf blower, red as a beet, nun of your business and loan shark. But the best (and won best costume) was I’m a Cowboy, Baby. Yup, a neighbor is a police officer (and a big guy!) and he had on cowboy boots, a western shirt, cowboy hat and a diaper! You see where the fun comes in?
Props
We also have a ton of props. One that is a big hit is our beverage cooler. A couple years ago I was trying to figure out how to make a cooler to hold all of the BYOB that was arriving so we didn’t have a ton of coolers lying around. So I hit upon the idea of making a coffin. Now this coffin is full sized, and lined with Styrofoam. It’s black with a red cross on the lid. What a hit! We put a full sized skeleton in it and pack him in ice. When we start cleaning up the next day there is still ice in it, so it works great!
We also have smaller props that we use. We have tea light candle holders with witches, and black cats. We have jars with yucky liquids that I labeled to look like witches ingredients. We have a 3 foot spider and web that we string in the corner (on trick-or-treat night there is usually at least one person who gets freaked out by this). I am also the DJ and we have music for dancing, but I also include Halloween favorites like Werewolves of London, Purple People Eater and Monster Mash to name a few. After the games, dancing is usually the next round of fun. The kids are pumped up on sugar and having fun in the yard , and us adults start the REAL party!
Games
We have games for both adults and kids, although the kids games are usually more fun! We have done the traditional such as guess the body part, but also some unique such as the spider races. We play roll the peanut and of course bobbing for apples. We have prizes for both the kids and adults.
On my Blog I will be publishing further articles. I will also include pictures on the topics I will talk about. If you see or read something of particular interest to you, just pop a comment and I will try and answer it for you. So get your Halloween face on and get the gears rolling. Have a great time this year!
Tom Johnson
http://www.pixelbliss.com
Life Unscripted