If you are an owner of a nice, attached lawn, you know the importance of a Lawn Mower. Because one of the most problematic tasks of owning a yard is its maintenance and nothing does a better job of maintaining it than a lawn Mower.
As the spring approaches, it is about time to take out your lawn Mowers and fix them so that they work perfectly and keep your lawn beautiful. A Lawn Mower can be a convenient tool if you own one and know how to use it properly, but they are not cheap.
The price of a Lawn Mower can be anywhere from a few hundred to few thousand. It is not easy to buy a new lawn Mower each spring. The only logical thing to do is repair it.
As we said earlier, lawn Mowers could be expensive, but their body parts are different. Compared to the Mower’s price, there are cheap, not to mention easy to attain and replace.
You can easily get these parts from local shops and attach them by yourself. You do not need to hire an expert to do the job.
How to Ready your Lawnmower for This Spring
The best season for repairing your lawn Mower is in the winter. Since you do not need to use the Mower next week, you can take your time to get the Mower in top shape. It would be best if you had either drain the tank or add fuel stabilizers in the Mower before putting it away for winters. What this does is that when you start the Mower after a long time, it will start right away.
A lawnmower that has been used once a week for an hour or two will not require a lot of tunning once a season is good enough. This is for the ideal case, but if you are living in a scorching area or mow really tall grass, then a thorough check-up once a month is really beneficial.
You should check it for grass pieces and dust or if anything melted or damaged due to extensive heat. La life of a lawnmower can be improved by making occasional maintenance and careful usage.
Life of a Lawn Mower
A lawnmower is an expensive tool; well, some types and models are! Knowing the average service life can be really helpful if you want to make your lawn Mower last. On average, a lawnmower has a service life of somewhere between eight to ten years, depending on how it has been used and if given adequately maintained.
The same can not be said for lawn Mowers that have not been given proper care and use. They might not even last one season of mowing. For estimating the average life expectancy of a mower, different things go into account, like their parts hoe they are used, and for what type of use they are made for.
Let us try to understand it with an example; let’s say a lower has a life expectancy of 200 or so hours; let this be a cheap lawn Mower; on the other hand, an expensive lawn Mower can have upwards of 500 or so hours. The difference in life expectancy is clear, the reason being the material and body parts used in those mowers.
This life expectancy is not the actual number of hours it will run, but just an estimate by taking care of the Mower and using it properly is the fundamental factor that determines the life of a mower. The cheap Mower can live for 600 hours and still work just fine with a bit of care and maintenance.
To help you in making your Mower last, we have prepared a guide that will tell you how to repair your lawnmower for the next season.
- Use the correct fuel.
- Check the air filters.
- Check the plugs.
- Clean the deck.
- Sharpen the blade.
- Clean the flywheel.
By Using the Correct Fuel
If you are using a gas-powered lawn Mower, then it is recommended to use fresh fuel. Now not just any fuel can make the cut. You should pick a fuel with an octane content of no lower than 87 and alcohol content no higher than 10 percent.
The current fuels have alcohol that oxidizes the tank and attracts moisture. This leads to all types of engine problems; as time goes on, it also eats at the plastic components and hoses. If you want to avoid having this problem and saving your lawn Mower from an untimely demise, then we recommend you use TRUFUEL, which is known to have a higher octane rating and no alcohol content.
On the other hand, if you are using an electric lawnmower, you might not have to worry about the fuel type. It does not mean that you can neglect the battery; having the battery that gives the proper amount of voltage is a must for a mower to work properly.
Having the proper voltage is not the end of things; make sure when you are charging the batteries, you have a stable source. Having an unstable source might burn the batteries and possibly the whole Mower.
By Checking the Air Filter
It might be a good idea to put stabilizers or empty the tank before you leave the Mower in the garage for the winter. When it is time to start mowing, it might not start again due to damaged caused over the long non-used time.
Well, the tank might not be the real cause of the problem; checking the air filters might be a good idea. A blocked air filter will make the mower chock on the small amount of air in the tank.
According to experts, paper or foam air filters should be replaced after using the Mower for 25 hours of cutting. There are filter line paper filters with a foam filter precleaned that last for about 100 hours of use.
If you are thinking of reusing the same filter by washing it with compressed air, then stop. The air pressure might cause damage to the filter, and it only takes a spec of dust to ruin the Mower.
Check the Plugs
A lawnmower that runs roughly could have its plugs damages especially speak plug. Installing a new spark plug in the Mower can help you avoid this problem. It is recommended to change a plug after 100 hours of use or once a season, whichever comes first.
Spark plugs are easy to attain and as easy to replace as eating candy. It is something minor but can have a big effect on your Mower’s overall condition.
By Cleaning the Deck
A build-up of dust and debris on the deck of the lawn Mowers can harm the Mower, not to mention hinder its mulching or bagging. If your lawnmower comes with a hose attachment or you have one laying around, then use it and run it on water. Turn it on the lawnmower helps in cleaning the deck even faster.
This method is helpful when it comes to minor build-up, but if you are facing a serious build-up, this action might not be enough. In case of serious build-up, you should scrape the deck to do so you can follow these steps.
First, disconnect the spark plug and drain out the fuel from the tank or remove the tank. Then tip the Mower backward and give the deck a thorough scraping. For scraping, you can use a putty knife or a wire brush.
By Sharpening the Blade
Having a dull mower blade can be really irritating as it does not cut properly and damage the lawn. Keeping your mower blade nice and sharp is important if you want to have healthy grass.
For sharpening a blade, first, remove the blade from the Mower. Then by using a mill bastard file, sharpen the edges of the blade to your liking. Remember to take an equal amount from both sides of the blade to ensure its balance.
You can check the balance of the blade on a bolt clamped in a bench, or you can also use a blade balancer that you can easily get at a store. After you have sharpened the blade, use a torque wrench to reinstall the blade and tighten it to ensure your and the Mower’s safety.
By Cleaning the FlyWheel
If you are using your Mower more than four hours a day or it is a dusty place where you live, then uncovering and brushing off the dust and dirt is a good choice for mowers maintenance.
Conclusion
A lawnmower is an essential piece of equipment for people who own a lawn, no matter the size of it. A Lawn Mower is an expensive tool, so buying a new one every spring is playing foolishly.
Lawnmowers are easy to maintain and repair; their parts are not that expensive, and you can get them easily. So rather than buying a new one or calling a repair person for repairing a lawnmower Is not a wise choice you can do it yourself follow our guide.
