It never starts electrically and I follow a ritual to start it manually:

1. Disengage the transmission (making it easy to pull out of the garage).
2. Turn the fuel tap to on. (It is always turned off after each use.
3. Wait 15-20 seconds (for fuel to fill the float bowl).
4. Push the throttle lever beyond "fast" to "choke".
5. Turn the key to on.
6. Pull start the engine. Pull again. Pull again. (Doesn't start ).
7. Turn fuel tap off.
8. Lift and block the right track about 1ft.high. (so gasoline doesn't
Drain onto rubber track).
9. Drain the fuel from the float bowl (always getting one hand wet in gasoline).
10. Unblock the track so it sits level again.
11. Turn the fuel on, wait 15-20 seconds & pull to start. It starts first pull every time.

I owned an HS828E for over 10 years. It always started with the electric start and I always
Left the fuel tap on for the whole winter. What is wrong with this one?

Blame Ethahnol based fuels a bit. Try to run the gas out of the snowblower before storage by turning off the fuel tap to stop the engine. Use high octane fuel. Use a fuel stabilizer like Stabil in fresh gas only. It doesn't preserve old gas.

Probably the fuel vale is sticking at this point. Try some Seafoam in the gas to dislodge the muck.

For an easy way to start a hard to start engine. Remove the plug and squirt a small amount of carb cleaner in the spark plug hole. Replace the plug. It will likely start the first time.

It's also possible that the engine is flooding since it doesn't start electrically, but I still strogy suspsce gunk in the fuel valve (The thing the float operates).

After the engine has sit for a while. Try to start it and examine the plug. See if it's wet. If it's wet, move the throttle away from the choke position to try to start.

You finaggleing with the fill and empty the float bowl and tipping strongly suggests the fuel valve sticking.

Hi,
Have to agree with that already mentioned, reiterate the "best way to shut it off is to cut off fuel and let it burn dry" and add my "two cents worth."
Snowthrowers are rarely used in my area because it snows little. The most common use here is to clean chicken coops and stables. That said they are designed to start in cold weather and are therefore extremely sensitive to flooding in moderate temperatures. I only know three people who have them for snow and those see use only every few years. They have landscaping contracts that require them to clean sidewalks of snow. One of them almost always floods his even then.
Another thought beyond those stated is to do something some friends do (some at my recommendation) who have equipment that is infrequently used, i.e. snowthrowers, generators, chipper/shredders, etc. and that is use good quality fuel (bought where you know they sell a lot), stablize it, shut off with fuel shutoff valve and after running fill the tank full. That final one is because it reduces the amount of air in the tank, and air is part oxygen which is what makes the fuel go bad. The less there is, the better off things are.
Peace,
Clarke