Great Looking Yards Start With Good Lawn Mower Servicing

A freshly cut lawn can be magnificent. The gleaming grass, all lined up neatly and evenly can look amazing. But the lawn mower you use to get your lawn so pristine needs some care and attention too.

Lawn mower servicing may be needed to get your lawn mower ready to move and cut your grass. Like any machine, a lawn mower may break down or lose a piece. But that is fixable.

DIY lawn mower servicing

You can do many basic repairs to keep your lawn mower up and running. And you can get a lot of the knowledge needed by reading the owner’s manual, in which you’ll find a guide to preventive maintenance, safety and even general tips on how to get the most out of your yard appliance.

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When it comes to working on your lawn, there are a few simple tricks to keep your lawn mower in working condition. The first tip is to drain the gasoline out of your lawn mower after every session, or run out the remaining gas. Left over gasoline evaporates and is no longer able to start your lawn mower, especially if it is left inside the engine in the winter months. Always use fresh gas, especially in the spring, and change the gas every 30 days.

In addition, check the oil in your lawn mower and monitor the oil level. Look for floating debris or oil that has a dark black color. Old or contaminated oil should be drained and replaced. Drain the oil through the drain plug. If your lawn mower does not have a drain plug, you will need to drain the oil through the fill hole, but double check with your owner’s manual.

Another important component of lawn mower servicing is to clean out the undercarriage after each use. Grass can get stuck in there and cause problems. When you are done mowing your lawn, turn the lawn mower off and remove the spark plug for safety. Then use a wire brush to remove grass clippings and dirt from the undercarriage. Spray any remaining dirt with a hose.

Lawn mower service rundown

When it comes to lawn mower servicing, your lawnmower is more than a set of blades. It also has an air filter, which should be replaced annually. A dirty or clogged air filter can bring down an entire lawn mower, and replacement filters are inexpensive.

Similarly, the spark plug is a small part of your lawn mower that has a big impact on the whole machine. Change the spark plug on your lawn mower every year. Spark plugs are cheap and easy to replace. Take out the spark plug wire and remove the old plug with a spark plug wrench. Install the new plug but be careful not to put it in too tightly or your lawn mower may not be able to start.

Keep in mind that a spark plug will likely come pre-gapped to match the specific engine on your lawn mower. You can use a spark plug gauge to check that it matches the manufacturer’s specifications for your lawn mower model.

Furthermore, sharpen the blades of your lawn mower. Blades get stressed and damaged easily thanks to rocks, branches and other various objects on the ground. A damaged or dull blade will not cut grass as evenly, and will rip and tear grass instead.

And if you want to double check that your lawn mower is good and ready to go, bring it to a professional lawn mower repair shop. Not only will they perform basic maintenance – such as sharpening blades and draining old gas – but a repair shop will also run diagnostic tests for your lawn mower. To get your lawn mower back from the shop in a short amount of time, bring it at the end of the mowing season or before the grass starts to grow again in the spring.

Do you practice routine lawn mower servicing and maintenance? Tell us in the comments. 

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