Keeping your lawn mower running smoothly isn’t always as simple as putting gas in the tank and turning the key. For example, many homeowners don’t know that they need to service the carburetor on their mower before they start cutting the grass. Checking the oil, checking the air filter, and checking the blade sharpness of your mower are just some of the other maintenance tasks you need to tackle. If you’re not sure where, to begin with, your lawn mowers, read on for some useful tips and advice from a professional who’s been servicing them all their life.
Check Your Mower’s Height Setting
The height setting of your mower is key to cutting grass at the desired height. If you have a mower with a 21-inch cutting height, for example, but you’ve only cut the grass once at that height, it could take as long as 13 hours to finish. On the other hand, if you have a mower with a 34-inch cutting height and you’ve only cut the grass once at that height, it could take as little as 3 hours to finish. That’s why it’s important to check your mower’s height setting before each use.
Change the Oil and Air Filter
Your lawn mower’s engine is very sensitive to heat, especially when it’s running. That’s why it’s important to change the oil and air filter on your mower at the beginning of each season. If you’d like to know when to change your mower’s oil, check the manufacturer’s recommendations. If not, take a good look at your mower’s oil level every few fills. The air filter on your mower also plays a big role in the performance of your machine. If you don’t change this air filter regularly, it could result in your grass clippings being sucked into the engine and causing damage to its oil.
Check the Blade Sharpness
The blade sharpness on your mower is also something that needs to be checked before each mowing session. If your mower has a blade sharpener, you can use it as often as you like. If you have a gas mower, make sure you do this after you’ve taken the cap off the gas tank but before you start the engine. If your mower has a spark plug, unplug it and store it away before you take the blade sharpener apart and sharpen the blade. If you have a cordless mower, you can sharpen the blade on this machine whenever you’d like. If you have a push mower, wait for a day when the wind is blowing in your direction before you check the blade.
Don’t Forget the Choke Settings
Another thing that you need to check before each use is your mower’s choke settings. If you have a gas-powered mower, make sure the valve on the gas cap is closed before you start it up. If you have a cordless mower, make sure the mower is plugged in before you start it up. If you have a push mower, make sure the blades are stopped before you engage the transmission. Some manufacturers also provide choke cable adjustments to ensure that the blade is set to the desired cutting height.
Bottom Line
The most important thing is to follow the maintenance schedule for your mower.
