Do I Need a Snow Blower in Missouri?
Missouri does not receive Minneapolis or Buffalo snowfall. Yet every winter, thousands of homeowners end up bedridden with back spasms or facing cardiologists after shoveling wet Missouri slush. Here is the realistic checklist to know if buying a machine makes sense for your property.
The 5 Missouri Snow Blower Decision Factors
1Your Geography & County
If you live along or north of Interstate 70 (Kansas City, Columbia, St. Joseph, Kirksville, Hannibal), seasonal snowfall averages 17 to 24 inches with recurring heavy snow events. You have a legitimate equipment need. In Springfield, Branson, or Cape Girardeau (under 12 inches), a shovel or battery power shovel is usually sufficient.
2Driveway Size and Incline
A 1-car flat driveway takes 15 minutes to shovel. A 2-car, 60-foot suburban driveway holds over 1,200 square feet of snow—which equates to lifting over 3,000 pounds of wet snow by hand during a 6-inch storm. If your driveway is sloped, cars will slide on un-cleared snow and get stuck.
3The Municipal Plow Berm at 6:30 AM
Do street plows pass your house and leave a 16-inch frozen barrier at the end of your driveway? If you have to commute to work by 7:30 AM, chipping through that frozen ice wall with a hand shovel will take 30 exhausting minutes. A snow blower slices through it in 90 seconds.
4Driveway Orientation & Sun Exposure
South-facing driveways in Missouri often melt clean within 24 hours under the sun. North-facing driveways remain shaded and freeze into dangerous solid black ice sheets that last for weeks if not cleared down to pavement immediately after the storm.
Health & Physical Ergonomics
Lifting heavy, wet Missouri slush in freezing wind is one of the most hazardous physical activities homeowners undertake. A walk-behind snow blower does 98% of the mechanical work, keeping heart rates in a safe aerobic zone.
Decided you need a snow blower?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Get Storm-Prep Reminders Before Missouri Winter Weather Strikes
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