How Do Leaf Blowers Work?
In early fall, a leaf blower becomes a gardener's best friend, providing an easy and effective way to move and pick up fallen leaves and garden debris.
It's important to understand how they work to make sure you choose the right one for your garden. That's why we've put together the best information to help you understand how do leaf blowers work and how to choose the right one for you.
This is how leaf blowers work
Leaf blowers use a motor and a multi-blade fan called an impeller to spin the outside air.
As the air spins, it creates centrifugal force that pushes it through the smaller blowpipe. Centrifugal force refers to the outward force in a rotating frame of reference.
The inner casing contains the motor and bladed fan (often called the impeller). Leaf blowers take in outside air and rotate with the fan blades. The air is ejected from the blowpipe at high speed due to the centrifugal force creating pressure inside the housing.
The total airspeed ultimately depends on the power output of the engine. Total airspeed is usually measured in one of two ways;
Miles per hour is the most widely known because it simply measures how many miles the air would travel in an hour if the speed remained constant.
Manufacturers can also use meters per second (M/S) as a similar distance-time measurement. Generally speaking, 1 M/S equals 2.24 mph, so if a blower like the Flymo Scirocco 3000 is rated at 55 m/s, that's about 123 mph.
When looking how do leaf blowers work, a higher CFM value means a greater amount of air leaving the blower. Then when it's combined with high MPH or M/S, you know the power is powerful enough to remove the most stubborn leaves.
Choosing the Right Leaf Blower
There are many different factors to consider when choosing the right leaf blower, from performance to coverage to storage. It's really important to consider everyone.
We've compiled for you what to look out for when buying a leaf blower and which models to look out for.
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Electric, battery or gasoline powered
While gasoline-powered blowers are generally more powerful, they are also significantly louder and less environmentally friendly. Gasoline-powered leaf blowers also require gasoline or oil storage, which can get expensive and a little cumbersome to maintain.
On the other hand, electric and battery powered leaf blowers are lighter and quieter than gasoline powered leaf blowers. They are very sustainable and easy to store. If performance is your deciding factor, the Flymo PowerVac 3000V Wired Electric Blower has a blowing speed of 3010 km/h and is a great alternative to a petrol blower.
Blower vacuum
Some leaf blowers have a built-in vacuum setting. Most vacuums work the same way as a fan setup because the airflow still spins the same way; the difference is that it's directed to the collection bag.
Another consideration is the weight of the blower vacuum. Of course, when the bag is full, it gets heavier. The Scirocco 3000 has a wheel that makes it easier to move around the garden when the vacuum is filled at the optimum height.
Cover
Several types of garden vacuums have a built-in leaf shredding function, and the machine can chop/shred leaves as they are collected. Both collecting and shredding/mulching have their pros and cons, so it's up to the individual and the garden to decide what's best.
Electric vacuums like the Flymo PowerVac 3000 can shred leaves to such a small size (16:1 ratio) that you can collect more leaves before you need to empty the bag. The leaves are then pre-cut and ready for composting!
Storage
Some larger leaf blowers can be bulky and difficult to store. Heavier models can sometimes be inconvenient if you don't have to use the leaf blower very often.
If you're short on storage space, the SimpliVac Li battery-powered leaf blower weighs only 1.3kg and is so light that it can even be wall mounted to optimise storage. The ergonomic and lightweight design is perfect for those who don't need a leaf blower for long periods of time.
Whatever your needs, there is a range of leaf blowers that offer many different and effective features to help you work in your garden.
