Autumn is here. Football games, cooler temperatures, and plenty of festivities are around the corner, but it’s also time for leaf season.

For many municipalities, leaf season is a headache. The streets are covered with leaves, which then clog drains and backup systems and cause flooding. Properly sweeping up leaves is essential to a stress-free season. That’s why we’re giving some ways to help you stay efficient this leaf season.

1. Beware of the unknown. Large piles of leaves can hide debris. This includes large branches, rocks and other materials. That’s why it’s important to sweep often during the fall and ensure the enhancer is open. Daily inspection is important too.
2. Adjust schedules. You simply cannot sweep the way you did in the summer. Routes with more established trees — especially those that aren’t evergreens — will require more frequent sweeping. This will help keep loads more manageable for your sweeper.
3. Use the right street sweeper. As with any application, there are street sweepers better suited than others for leaf applications. The Elgin Whirlwind1, for example, is specially suited for sweeping leaves. Its extra-wide sweeping path and short wheelbase make it ideal in the fall.
4. Modify settings. The sweeper manual should have optimized settings for leaf pickup for your particular Elgin sweeper. For example, the pickup head should be parallel to the ground and skirts should make a good seal with the ground.
5. Clean as you go. Proper maintenance should be conducted daily at all times of the year for your sweeper, which will help extend the life of your sweeper. This is especially important in leaf season. When handling heavy loads of fall leaves and debris, the pickup head can become caked with dirt, which adds weight and then throws off the suspensions and balance. On occasion, the pickup head should be removed, thoroughly inspected, and cleaned.
6. Steady wins the race. For leaf sweeping in particular, the key is to go slow to pick up the leaves and allow time for proper pickup. You’ll also want to empty the hopper regularly and ensure that things are cleaned and maintained before setting out each day.

By taking the time to maintain your sweeper and optimize sweeper settings for leaf pickup, you’ll be ready to tackle fall cleanup.