How To Use Your Riding Lawn Mower For Snow Removal

There are several reasons why you might need to remove snow from your yard, and the first is safety. When you mash down snow with your feet, it often hardens to become ice, which can make the pathway between your car and house slippery. You might also want to remove snow to protect your home's foundation. Melting snow often causes water to seep into foundations, refreeze, and expand. The last reason you'd want to remove snow is to protect your lawn from diseases, such as snow mold, a fungal disease that causes discolored patches. This final issue occurs in areas of excessive accumulation, making removal difficult and time consuming.

Most people remove snow by grabbing a shovel and getting to work. But that's a labor-intensive activity, and it isn't necessarily feasible for people who live in areas with frequent and heavy precipitation or large yards. That's why some mechanical assistance is necessary. Before you invest in stand-alone snow equipment, consider that winterized lawn mower in the garage. Your riding lawn mower might just be the right tool for the snow.

Remember, not all lawn mowers are built the same, and you should do some research before trying to clean up snow with yours. If you have a zero-turn mower, you probably want to stick to the shovel. These machines don't have a ton of traction and they tend to be too low to the ground to function well in deep snow. So while you can find snow-removal attachments for zero-turn mowers, it's generally not recommended. Garden tractors, or riding mowers, work a lot better for clearing snow. You should check out the manual for your specific model to determine whether you can attach a blower or a plow.

You can purchase a plow attachment for between $300 and $800, but before you spend that kind of money, do some research into your lawn mower. Most consumer-grade residential mowers cannot handle the stress of pushing a plow along with hundreds of pounds of snow. To handle the job, your garden tractor will require at least a 20-horsepower engine and a sturdy frame. And remember you'll be removing your mower deck, since you don't need it and for added clearance.

One mandatory component that your mower needs to plow snow is a strong transaxle, which is a drivetrain component that transfers power from your engine to the tires.If you have a residential transaxle, such as a Tuff Torq K46, do not attempt to plow snow with it. When the transaxle can't handle the stress being put on it, problems will manifest in the engine. One of the most popular medium duty transaxles is the Tuff Torq K66, and it should work for plowing, but the professional grade Tuff Torq K72 and K92 are best.

You might also need some extra weight on the rear of your mower, because the plow and the lack of a deck will definitely throw off the weight distribution. Add wheel weights or attach a weight bracket to the back hitch of your mower. One common issue people experience when they use mowers to plow snow is a loss of traction. Mower tires are not meant to handle slick conditions, which is why you should put snow chains on them. Plowing might scrape the rocks off gravel driveways, so instead use a rake to easily remove snow and ice from your gravel driveway.

Snow-blower attachments for rider mowers range from about $1,500to $3,500. The process of attaching a blower can be labor intensive: You'll have to remove the mower deck and bumpers, install the mounting hardware, then attach the blower and belt drive to the tractor's hitch. Your tractor's owner's manual should provide more specific directions. Many of the same rules for using a plow on a lawn tractor also apply to using a snow blower attachment. Definitely use a counterweight and chains to gain better traction. You'll also need a strong transmission, a sturdy frame, and at least a 15-horsepower engine. If your machine isn't up to the task and you find yourself in the market for something a little more robust, there are several reliable mower brands you should consider.

If you're not certain whether your mower is up to the task, call your local dealer and consult them. Your manufacturer will likely provide an online chart that will tell you which attachments are best for your specific mower. If you find out that your mower can't support this hardware, there are various clever hacks that make snow removal easier than ever, or consider investing in a standalone snow blower for around $1,000.