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How to clear leaves

How to Choose a Leaf Blower Wet Leaves

You can use a leaf blower wet leaves — if you buy a suitable model. Leaf blowers are excellent power tools to help make clearing your yard of autumn leaves easy. The blower works by blowing air through a flexible tube at high speed. The increased airspeed and volume of air shifts heavy leaves into large piles.

Unfortunately, not every leaf blower manages to shift heavy, wet leaves from wet lawns, driveways, and sidewalks.

To create piles of leaves that are wet, you need a blower with powerful CFM (cubic feet per minute) and MPH (miles per hour) ratings. The good news is that a leaf blower that is powerful enough to blow wet leaves will also help clear snow, damp grass clippings, small stones, sticks, and other garden debris.

How to blow wet leaves

The Challenge of Clearing Wet Leaves from a Yard

Most leaf blowers do an adequate job of clearing dry leaves. However, when it comes to making a pile of leaves that are damp or wet, it’s a different matter. The water on leaves makes them stick together, and they can also stick to hard surfaces or lawns. So unless you have a powerful leaf blower, moving wet leaves is almost impossible.

How to Choose a Leaf Blower to Blow Wet Leaves

A leaf blower is an excellent way to get rid of leaves and other debris around your home. However, if you don’t choose a powerful model, your machine won’t do the all-important job of moving damp leaves into piles. The two essential factors in selecting a suitable leaf blower are CFM and MPH.

The Importance of CFM (cubic feet per minute)

CFM is the number of cubic feet of air moved in a minute. The leaf blower’s motor creates a vacuum and draws in air. CFM measures the volume of air in cubic feet that the machine displaces in 60 seconds. However, CFM is only one factor to consider when buying a leaf blower to clear wet leaves.

For example, let’s say you have a leaf blower with an impressive CFM of 600. While that seems reasonable, you also need good airspeed to blow wet leaves. Therefore, avoid types of blowers that have good CFM but airspeed less than 100 MPH.

The Importance of MPH (miles per hour)

Leaf blowers that force air out quickly are necessary for blowing wet leaves. The high-speed air can effectively move heavy garden debris, such as leaves that are soaked with water. However, it is easy to increase MPH by decreasing the size of the nozzle but still have poor CFM.

For example, think about what happens to water flow when you squeeze the end of a hose. The speed increases. However, the volume of water decreases. So in the case of a leaf blower, a narrow nozzle means there is less air volume, and it will take longer to blow wet leaves into piles.

High CFM and High MPH is Vital to Blow Wet Leaves

 leaf blower to blow wet leaves

If you need to purchase a suitable leaf blower for clearing damp leaves from your yard, choose one with a CFM over 600 blowing air at over 100 MPH. If you are on a budget and need a blower to shift wet, heavy leaves, pick a blower with higher MPH than CFM.

Types of Leaf Blowers to Blow Wet Leaves

When choosing a suitable leaf blower for yard clean-up in the fall, picking the right type for your yard is vital.

Most gas blowers have powerful CFM and fast MPH and clear wet leaves quickly. However, the high noise levels and emissions mean they are not usually suitable for residential yards. Additionally, backpack leaf blowers are bulky to store.

For most homeowners, a handheld leaf blower is ideal for clearing a yard. Here are some types of leaf blowers for blowing wet leaves.

Electric leaf blowers

A corded leaf blower is typically the cheapest option to clear your yard from leaves. A high-quality electric blower with powerful CFM and MPH can cost less than $60 from an online retailer.

The advantage of this type of blower is that you have unlimited runtime because you are connected to the power source. However, the length of the extension cord can limit your range. Additionally, the power cord can get tangled in bushes and make it more difficult to create piles of wet leaves.

Cordless leaf blowers

A battery-powered blower with a rechargeable battery is an excellent option for clearing heavy leaves and snow. A cordless blower can be just as powerful as a corded model. And the advantage is that the extension cord length does not limit your range.

There are a few considerations when buying a cordless model, and the primary one is the price. A cordless leaf blower is usually more expensive than an electric model. Good quality battery-powered leaf blowers cost around $100. However, if you require a leaf blower that works on battery power to blow wet leaves, you will have to spend more.

Also, you should check reviews of the leaf blower battery life. Some cheaper cordless models have poor battery life only work 10 to 15 minutes on a full charge. Also, make sure that the battery and charger are included.

Whether you buy a corded model or cordless blower, always ensure that the CFM and MPH are suitable for the type of debris to clear and the size of your yard.

Leaf blowers for mulching wet leaves

Apart from deciding on buying an electric or cordless wet leaf blower, you may consider a yard blower with vacuum and mulching capabilities.

Some models have a metal impeller that shreds wet leaves to create mulch. A leaf blower with vacuum mode also reduces the need to create leaf piles because collected leaves get stored in the bag. All you need to do is empty the chopped leaves on the compost pile.

Safety Precautions When Blowing Wet Leaves

Safety is always paramount when working in the garden, especially working in wet or damp conditions.

When operating a leaf blower in any weather, you should have the proper protective gear. Safety equipment includes protective gloves and goggles and appropriate ear protection. Also, if you are blowing large amounts of dust, then wear a mask.

Garden Tool Safety Gear

It’s good to remember that wet leaves on hard surfaces can become extremely slippery. Therefore, you must wear the proper non-slip footwear to minimize the risk of falling or injuring yourself. It is also advisable never to clear leaves when it’s raining.

Leaf Blower Wet Leaves — In Conclusion

Buying a leaf blower to blow wet leaves is always a good idea. A cordless or corded blower with high CFM and MPH means less manual work in the garden in the fall. In addition, a durable blower will quickly create piles of wet leaves, saving you time and energy to clear your yard in the fall.