The lawn mowing season is now here in full force, and that means it’s time to remind yourself about the best strategies to employ to keep your lawn mower in excellent operating condition all season long. After all, there aren’t many other pieces of equipment you’ll use around your house that take a heavier beating than the lawn mower, so it’s important that you not just neglect to maintain the equipment until something breaks or won’t work properly. As with any type of vehicle or heavy equipment, ongoing preventative maintenance helps you ensure your mower has a long-lasting life with efficient operation.
With this in mind, here are a few tips that can help you get the most out of your lawn mower, from our equipment rental company in Monroe, LA:
- Be familiar with the manual: You don’t necessarily have to read the manual cover to cover, but it can help to have read some of the more important parts about maintenance so you know exactly what steps you need to take to keep the machine in good condition and extend its operating life.
- Always use fresh gasoline: You should never let gasoline sit inside the mower for more than a few weeks. This means you must drain the gas at the end of every season. Otherwise it could jam up the engine and cause some severe issues that could be expensive to resolve.
- Clean the undercarriage: As you use your lawn mower, a whole lot of dirt and grass will build up on the underside, called the undercarriage. You should routinely use a wire brush and/or hose to clean off the undercarriage of the mower. Make sure you remove the spark plugs first so the mower doesn’t accidentally start up during your cleaning.
- Change spark plugs: Speaking of spark plugs, make sure you change them out every year to ensure your vehicle starts up and runs smoothly. Simply unhook the spark plug wire and remove the old plug with a wrench, then install the new plug, being sure not to overtighten it.
- Change the filter: The dirtier your air filter, the more stress you place on the mower, which means less efficient operation. To avoid burning through your gas too quickly and stressing out your mower, change out the filter every now and then and get better performance.
- Sharpen the blades: You can bring your mower in to a professional to have them sharpen the blades for you, or you can take on that job yourself. Blades will dull out over time through regular use, not to mention the sticks and rocks and other unexpected objects they come into contact with. You can use a vice and metal file to sharpen your blades, but if you’re uncomfortable with doing this, professional services are recommended.
For more tips about how you can keep your lawn mower in great shape, contact Ram Rent-All, Inc. or visit our equipment rental company in Monroe, LA today. We look forward to assisting you soon!