Leaf blowers are essential equipment for every household. These easily maneuverable devices make removing dry and wet leaves from your yard a breeze, not to mention that you can also use them to remove snow, clean cars, and execute various other cleaning chores.
That said, the efficiency with which you can do all these tasks ultimately depends on the power of your leaf blower. With time and use, leaf blowers are bound to lose the efficiency they once had. But a few tweaks and maintenance hacks can help you get them to generate ample power and work as if they’re brand new. If you are wondering how to make a leaf blower more powerful, this guide is for you.
7 Ways to Make Your Leaf Blower Powerful
Here are seven tricks to make your leaf blower more powerful, irrespective of the type of leaf blower you have.
1. Clean After Each Use
Leaf blowers are constantly battling dust and harsh conditions, so the cleaning process of these devices needs to be thorough. In particular, the air filters and blower tube get easily damaged. After every use, remember to unclog the filters and wipe them clean.
Try to get a leaf blower that can be disassembled and assembled quickly, as it will allow you to deep clean the appliance and reach its barrel and propeller as well.
2. Change the Rotating Blades
Whether it’s a handheld or a gas-powered blower, the cleaning efficiency of your leaf blower largely depends on its rotating blades, especially since they are the things responsible for propelling the dry leaves or dust in a particular direction. If you see the rotating blades losing strength over time, get them replaced as soon as possible.
If you cannot afford to replace the blades at the moment, consider modifying the current blades by bending them a little and increasing the fan angle. This will increase the device’s overall CFM and allow you to clean better.
PRO TIP: Make sure you check whether your device is compatible with these modifications before making any major change.
3. Check the Battery Efficiency
Electric blowers are battery-driven, meaning their suction power will depend on the battery life and efficiency. That said, batteries aren’t designed to last forever — they have a shelf life of 2-5 years (including the rechargeable ones), after which you must replace them.
If your battery-powered leaf blower is older than 2-5 years, go ahead and replace the batteries, and you will see a steep improvement in the functionality. For the same reason, we recommend buying leaf blowers that can be quickly disassembled.
PRO TIP: Opt for corded blowers to avoid the hassle of battery damage.
4. Buy Extensions & Add-ons
Say you buy a leaf blower that is outright incapable of meeting your power expectations. Does that mean you need to throw away a brand new leaf blower? Absolutely not! All that you need is a nozzle extension.
Make sure whatever add-ons you buy are compatible with your device. If you shop online, you will find plenty of leaf blower extensions labeled “universal” when it comes to compatibility. Still, it’s best to run a quick compatibility check before finalizing your purchase.
5. Minimize Energy Loss
The more energy your leaf blower gets to operate on, the more powerful it will be. So if you can minimize its energy loss, you can positively influence its strength.
Apart from buying energy-efficient devices, you can also use DIY hacks to reduce constant vibrations. For example, you can add a little weight to the leaf blower. When it’s weighed down, the device will be less likely to lose energy via unnecessary vibrations.
6. Check the Carburetor
The carburetor plays a major role in getting the engine started as far as gas-powered leaf blowers are concerned. It’s responsible for accurately mixing the fuel with air to help the spark plug ignite the mixture and power the engine.
However, if you leave old fuel sitting in the device for too long, you run the risk of clogging it, so make sure you drain the fuel if you plan to store your leaf blower for a few weeks and use a fresh batch of oil whenever you use it next.
If the carburetor is already blocked, disassemble the unit and get a carb cleaner to remove the debris. Also, check the fuel lines to remove any possible blockage before putting the units back together.
7. Investigate the Spark Plug
This applies to fuel-powered leaf blowers. The spark plug is responsible for igniting the fuel-air mixture and running the engine. Leaf blowers usually have a two-stroke engine, which has a bad reputation for wearing down spark plugs quickly.
All you have to do is disconnect the spark plug boot to reach the spark plug below it. Once the spark plug is removed, closely examine the insulator tip and firing tip around the central electrode. If these tips seem to be coated with oil, it’s a sign of a damaged spark plug.
Next, you must also check the electrodes of the spark plug. Damaged electrodes are infamous for bringing down a leaf blower’s efficiency. Luckily for you, spark plug replacements are usually not expensive.
How Do the CFM & MPH Affect the Power & Performance of a Leaf Blower?
The power of a leaf blower depends on the CFM & MPH at its nozzle. By simply adjusting their values and ratio, you can manipulate not only the device’s power settings but also its air volume.
CFM stands for cubic feet per minute, which measures the volume of air passing through the nozzle per minute. Simply put, a larger CFM allows you to clean more extensive areas quickly.
MPH stands for miles per hour, which indicates the speed at which the air is propelled out of the nozzle. A higher MPH allows you to drive away the leaves quickly.
Ideally, a powerful leaf blower should have comparable MPH and CFM values to clean up larger areas quickly.
Bottom Line
You know now how to make a leaf blower more powerful! Every household appliance requires periodic maintenance and repairs to stand the test of time, and the same is true for gas and handheld blowers.
Luckily, maintaining a leaf blower and increasing its power is super easy! All it needs is a quick deep-cleaning and a new nozzle to be as good as new in no time.
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