Do the rollers get covered with snow and ice? Do you need to clean them off before pushing cover? How do the rollers keep from ripping the cover?
1390910
The rollers are hard plastic. ..I live in Florida. ..no experience with spa cover with snow or ice. Ice may not bond to plastic because the rollers hang vertically until you lift & setup.
1390911
No, they fold down and are enclosed so no snow or ice. The cover will roll onto the rollers if you install it properly.
91742
It should sweep up quickly, I remember doing that to prevent it from being spread all over the house. Use something like a paint drop cloth under the area, then just pick that up afterwards for faster cleanup. It does get messy! Maybe more fun are the fake snow balls sold in containers of 20, they look and feel like real snowballs, kids and adults have a great time with them. I bought them on QVC
2051829
Josh,The paddles throw the snow and also provide the "self-propelled forward motion. So the simplest answer is when you lose the self-propel feature. The machine will still throw snow but it will take effort. This self propel feature requires you to lift up on the handle slightly (or more if you want to go faster), all other components being in good working order (for instance the scraper bar), to get the machine to move forward on its own power. If you have to keep lifting the handle higher and higher until it doesn't self propel, it's probably time for a new paddle set.Ron
1866761
We had alot of snow and dirt last winter. Often I had to use wet/dry vacuum. But it contained most of it and was nicer than not having anything to catch it.
135392
Yes, I tried them outside and the roll better on smooth pavement. Sucks for indoor rinks thou!
508543
I have not had an issue with ice or snow. Last winter was very bad and they held up fine. The black foam actually helps with melting. Only issue I have had is will small leaves accumulating on top of the foam. Just keep them clean and you should be OK.
637700
John: V-belt ... checked manual before rolling to work ... only issue so far was chute collar which cracked during first use ... Since brand new product at that time, there were no replacement parts. They tried to give me a hard time but failed. It was replaced. LOL wishing you no snow ... ; )
1142474
I would not run a snow blower over them. I only had one night when the wind was blowing really bad and it was snowing, it iced up a little on the steps, but not the porch. They keep it warm enough to keep the snow off, that is the purpose of having them. I am glad I got them. I screwed them down on my wooden patio, if you are putting them on cement, you would have to connect them to wire or something and anchor them to the ground so they won't blow off. Hope I've helped?
2212926
That's a two part answer! It is heavy duty, not really. However if you are talking about being able to get the snow off, then it works perfectly. Snow is not the problem. The issue is if there is wet snow, sleet or rain. When water gets between the material and the car or wind shield, it will freeze there. At that point you have a greater chance for the material to rip. I have found that if you take a warm cup of water and pour it over the spots that have frozen, then you are in good shape and it will come off easier. Simply, if you know that it will just snow, then use it! You'll have no issues. If it is any other type of precipitation, then use with caution or use the warm water trick. Overall, it works for me and I am happy with it.
1647505
It is push but piece of cake. It's ok for powdery snow, the heavy wet stuff is a challenge for the machine, but if you're a patient person, you shouldn't have any problems! It works for me, as it is a light weight machine. I have no shed, garage, etc to store it so when I'm done, I pick it up and bring it in the house. I put a towel on the floor of my tub and place the snow joe there so the snow can melt off and then it goes downstairs to the basement!
915464
Left mine out from August to December last year. Had to take it down after the snow and ice started setting on it. It's back up now for this year. This is in western PA weather. I don't think they can handle harsh weather. Would rip and tear.
1740450
I do run the pump while the cover is on. I do not have my cover attached to the roller so it is easier to have someone help me. This summer I will have it attached and I do not anticipate any problems rolling it up by myself.
825014
I live in Maryland and it freezes here. I spoke to the manufacturer who said you must remove them for winter, or a prolonged deep freeze could cause ice build-up on and inside the plastic parts to split the seams of the parts. It will also create uneven ice formation possibly damage the structure of the pool itself, potentially to the point of failure. I'm taking mine out, even if I need to hire Hercules. They were too expensive to find them damaged next spring!
1392929
You can lay it on the ice and it will melt it's way through. I have one cord that is attached to the roof that stays put. It also runs the length of the gutter. And, I have another one that I move around as ice builds up. I just drape it over the ice and it melts to the roof. Several times and it starts to break up. The thing I noticed is these cords don't seem to be very durable. I had one that didn't last very long as I must have been a bit too rough on it moving it around.
1199994
I haven't used them in cold weather yet, but here is a tip for you. Place fresh "Bounce" dryer sheets where the mice come in to keep them out. Mice are repelled by them. We had an issue with mice chewing the wires on our riding lawnmower. No more problems since we used the "Bounce". The mouse traps have pretty much got rid of our mouse problems in our home. They tend to work better if you put a little something in the middle for bait.
1754407
Likely dust from cheap paper has coated the roller. take a moist cloth (not wet - no drips!) and wipe down all paper pickup pads and rollers.
1667454
Use a soft, damp (not wet) cloth and either a toothpick(wooden) or something like a pastry or basting brush for the rollers. Mineral water is helpful since it has no smell or texture but will also help in keeping the rollers lubricated.