When it comes to lawn care, using a lawnmower is the best way to keep your landscape always beautiful. An ugly lawn is a nightmare for many people. Buying a lawnmower is a worthwhile decision, but how can you keep it last as long as possible?
Now, here we are with 11 lawn mower maintenance checklists & tips for you! We will help you save time, you do not have to go to the mechanic’s shop.
Now let’s read the article to keep your device great!
How to maintain your lawn mower like a pro?
This will mostly depend on the sort of equipment you have. The most difficult type of mower to deal with are gas-operated mowers. Whether or not it is self-propelled, a gas mower has an engine that has vulnerable parts. There is a need to change the oil, replace your spark plugs, and change or clean air filters on a regular basis.
Though a very powerful machine, a gas mower demands constant attention from the owner. The manual reel mowers are the easiest to maintain. It barely needs any care, perhaps removing stuck grass clippings from the cutting deck, but the downside is that it is driven physically by you.
Another thing is that the reel mower is the safest to use around children and pets and it is the slowest. Electric mowers have motors and other parts that could require replacement if the equipment is replaced. Each lawn mower is different and so if you will maintain it yourself you should use a guidebook from the manufacturer. If there are special problems you have noted, go online and search for solutions.
If your mower is made by a popular brand, there will be so many people who will write about it on blogs and forums. You can also ask technical questions and the experts who participate in forums and other internet sites will be glad to help. If you are looking to replace your mower, do not just pick the most difficult to maintain.
Get equipment that you could maintain by yourself at home. Regarding maintenance as well, you could let someone else repair your mower in exchange for money. But you can save money just by learning to do simple things that make mowers last longer. Mostly, you will want to keep the blades sharp.
11 Lawn mower maintenance checklist & tips for you
1. Read the owner’s manual before you key start up the mower
Even if you’ve owned self-propelled mowers in the past this is a critical step to take like reading a buying guide. If you use and maintain the unit properly it’s likely that the mower will last for several years. On the other hand, if you don’t take that step you could end up using/maintaining the mower improperly, which could cause a ton of expenses and problems that you probably want to avoid.
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2. Make sure all moving parts have stopped before routine maintenance
That includes tasks such as inspecting, cleaning, and fixing. You should also unplug the spark plug ignition wire. Ground it against the mower’s engine to prevent the unit from starting unintentionally. While it’s important to maintain your self-propelled mower, it should be done as safely as possible in order to avoid problems.
3. Get major repairs from an official dealer
This is important instead of taking the unit to a third-party repair shop. Performing regular maintenance will help to prevent many types of issues that you might have to deal with in terms of your mower.
However, in the case that you’re unable to repair the unit, you should certainly contact an official dealer. This will help to ensure that it’s done properly. Usually, there are web tools to help you find an official dealer in your area. They’ll have experienced technicians and expertise in different products. That will help to ensure that you can get all the parts and service from one location, instead of multiple ones.
4. Change the oil regularly
The first thing we need to make sure of is to remove the old oil from the gas tank. Make sure the old oil is completely drained and the fuel tank is clean. We will check if the oil filter is still usable. The shelf life of the oil filter is about 1 year. And finally, we will put new oil in the engine. Be careful not to overfill the tank to avoid spillage.
This is a given, but it’s definitely worth mentioning. It’s important to use high-end oil to prevent the engine from seizing up. First, verify that the engine is warm. This will provide complete drainage and allow any impurities to drain out with the oil. The next step is to let the oil release into a bucket/recycled milk jug.
There are 3 ways to remove the oil. You can use a dipstick after tilting the mower, via the drain plug, and an oil-extraction gadget. There’s no right or wrong method, but you should use whichever one is most convenient for you. Replace the plug then add new oil to the engine. Finally, it’s critical to dispose of the used engine oil properly. Do that by placing it in a clean plastic container that’s covered with a tight-fighting lid. It’s important not to mix the oil with any other substances including paint and gas. Then take the container to a service station, recycling center, or other location that accepts used oil.
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5. Change the air filter
Like a furnace, a lawnmower works better when clean air is flowing through it. It’s important to replace the air filter periodically due to the mowing you’ve been doing. Just remove the filter. Then clean the area around it, and install a new air filter. This is one of the easiest yet most effective steps for optimizing the operation of your mower.
6. Replace spark plugs each season
It’s important to change the spark plug each mowing season. On average you should put in a fresh one every season. This will result in faster starts and improved fuel economy. However, it’s important to correctly gap the spark plug before you start the installation. This is an easy maintenance step you can take to ensure that your mower is working as effectively as possible. It proves that you don’t have to spend a small fortune to keep your mower working as effectively as it can.
7. Regularly clean the mower
Any machine with moving parts requires maintenance. Since the mower has had long-term grass exposure, this can cause wear and tear on the unit. That’s due to exposure to grass, leaves, dirt, twigs, and other items.
It starts with removing surface debris from the unit, which is easy to do. It can be blown or brushed off. Sometimes there’s a deck wash-out port that can be connected to a hose in order to flush out all the pieces of grass and other debris below the mower’s deck. If your unit doesn’t have that feature you can tilt the mower onto its side and then use water to rinse the deck. If you see any bits of pieces stuck in the mower blade always use a stick to get it out. Never use your hands as they could become dangerous.
8. Inspect the unit after hitting a foreign object
It’s important to take this step even if the mower keeps operating. The reason is that it could result in damage to the mower, which is certainly a situation you want to avoid. In this case, you should first turn off the engine. Then disconnect the spark plug ignition wire. Next, ground it against the engine. Afterward, inspect the mower carefully for any damage that might have occurred. If you find any damage, repair the damage. Then start up the mower and operate it again. However, it’s critical to take all these steps to ensure the operation of your self-propelled mower is optimized. Operating the mower when a foreign object is lodged underneath can cause a lot of damage to the unit.
9. Sharpen blades twice per season
This will help to ensure the blades work properly and your lawn looks healthy. On the other hand, mowing with dull blades tears up the grass blades, which results in the grass being ragged, a weakened plant, and promoting disease. On the other hand, a sharp blade provides a clean cut. This helps the plant to heal over time and allows it to recover faster. The process of sharpening the blade is a relatively simple process. In addition, a do-it-yourself fan can handle the task after doing a little research, or with the help of a lawn mower dealer in your neighborhood. Regardless of how it’s done, it’s important that the blades get sharpened on a regular basis to provide maximum efficiency.
10. Check the blade/engine mounting balls
Examine them from time to time to ensure that the tightness is proper. You should also visually check the mower’s blade for damage. For example, check if it’s bent, cracked, or worn out. Make sure to only use the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) blade when changing the blade. If you use parts that aren’t OEM parts it could result in bad performance and even cause safety issues. Such parts have a lower price tag, but it’s not worthwhile if it compromises their function or safety.
11. Handle mower blades properly
Because this is a rather dangerous problem, we need to strictly follow the proposed replacement rule. First, we have to remove the blade from the machine slowly. Check the blade if it is still usable, then sharpen it, if it is no longer usable, immediately replace it with a new blade. Then reinstall the saw blade carefully and carefully check the balance of the machine to avoid endangering the user during operation.
Mower blades are quite sharp and can cut your hands. Thus, it’s important to always wear gloves when handling blades and wrap them. You should use extra care when servicing the blades as they’re particularly dangerous in that situation because you’re twisting and turning the item to perform maintenance.
FAQs
1. What points should we pay attention to when reading the manual of the lawn mower?
For those who are using the lawn mower for the first time, reading the user manual is essential. We can better understand and grasp the use of our machine better. When reading, we need to pay attention to the structure of the machine, its functions, the accompanying supporting devices and finally the instructions for product preservation and cleaning.
2. How often should you maintain your lawn mower?
We highly recommend that you should maintain your lawn mower at least every 12 months. You also can do it more if you have time and it’s necessary. At the end of the grass growing season (late November) – it is the perfect time for lawn mower maintenance.
3. Should I take the lawn mower to a non-genuine private repair shop?
From our point of view, in private shops we can’t tell who are good craftsmen or if they really do a good job. So for the safest as well as maximum protection for the device, we should bring it to a genuine repair shop. There they will have trained professionals and will follow predetermined procedures. If anything happens to your product, the brand will be responsible for it.
4. For oil-powered lawn mowers, what is the most suitable way to remove the oil?
With oil-powered lawn mowers, regular oil changes are essential. But the job of removing old oil when changing new oil is quite a big problem for users. There will be some customers using the dipstick, through the drain plug or using the oil suction device. These three methods all have certain effects, so there is no way that is better than the other. Use the method that best suits your current situation.
5. Why should we replace new spark plugs after a season of use?
Spark plugs are one of the most important parts of a lawn mower. Therefore, spark plugs must always be in the best condition when the machine is operating. Changing spark plugs regularly will help the engine start faster and potentially save more fuel. When the spark plug is stable, the machine will work more strongly and do not emit too much noise.
6. Should we handle the cutter blade by ourselves?
If you are a person who has never used a lawn mower or is not a longtime machine user, you should not handle the blade of the lawn mower yourself. The blade of the machine is very sharp and sharp. Take it to the repair shop because the staff here are all trained in both processes and handling skills. This is also a way for you to protect yourself as well as those around the area you intend to repair.
Final thoughts on lawn mower maintenance
Lawnmower maintenance is a hard issue. Whenever you start using a lawnmower, you have to face problems with the machine. Remember to take care of your machine regularly and always pay attention to the smallest problems.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. We will try to give you the most convincing answer. Thanks for visiting our article.