How to Use a Chipper or Shredder Vac for Easy Fall Lawn Care

Keeping your yard well-manicured during the fall can be a difficult task. Raking, blowing, burning or bagging leaves can be an ongoing (and exhausting) chore. If you hate the season-long job of fall lawn care, you'll be thrilled to know there's an easier way to get rid of those leaves. Chipper or shredder vacs are a great solution to this common homeowner's problem.

A chipper or shredder vac is a handy piece of lawn equipment that works by vacuuming leaves and debris out of your yard, then chipping or shredding them. The chipped or shredded leaves not only take up less room, they also do double duty as a great mulch. So, fallen leaves go from nuisance to nature's little helper.

Choosing a chipper or shredder vac is the first step to easy fall maintenance. Most of the major lawn care companies - such as Troy-Bilt - make one. The cost varies widely, anywhere from $300.00 to $1000.00, depending upon the features. Some shredder vacs are just intended for leaves and small debris, while others are capable of chipping larger wood, such as an old Christmas tree. If you are relatively new to your home, make sure you take into account what your needs will be before purchasing a chipper or shredder vac. For instance, does your home have large trees, or several smaller ones?

When using a chipper or shredder vac on your lawn, you'll want to wear gloves to protect your hands from blistering, and sturdy shoes. A chipper or shredder vac works is very similar in style to a leaf blower, and will be a hand-held device (albeit two hands). Plan on taking several breaks if the debris on your lawn is medium to heavy, both for rest and to empty the bag. As you cover the surface of your lawn with the chipper or shredder vac, it will process the debris and fill the attached vacuum bag with it. Choose beforehand where you want the resulting mulch to go. Just like mowing, you'll need to make sure you don't pick up any stones, as they can cause expensive damage to your vacuum and possible injury to you.

Many individuals find that a chipper or shredder vacuum allows them to complete their fall lawn maintenance in an easier and less tiresome manner. With all of the maintenance that a home and it's yard require, it's great to have an easy lawn care solution for a common problem.