Most of us will own a lawn mower so we can cut our lawns on a regular basis but all too often, many of us take the mower out to find that it will not start, does not cut the grass well anymore or some other problem. The outcome of this is that many people will blame it on the lawn mower and needlessly spend money on buying a new one. What they should do is see if the mower can be fixed but as prevention is always better than a cure, they should have taken certain precautions in order to minimize the problem from occurring in the first place.
Apart from hand pushed mowers, mowers are machines just as a car is and any car owner will know that if they want to depend on their car, they need to have it serviced regularly. Unfortunately though, lawn mower owners do not apply this same reasoning to their mowers but if they did, they could often save themselves the cost of a new mower.
Here are some tips on how to hopefully keep your lawn mower in working condition so it will always be ready to cut your grass effectively when needed.
Push Mowers
These of course do not have engines as it is the user that provides the power and so need the least maintenance but even the blades of a push mower need to be sharpened and oiled in order for it to continually cut grass effectively.
Self-Propelled Mowers
Regardless of whether your self-propelled mower is electric or gas powered, it will have an engine and so means there is more than just its blades that need to be maintained in order for it to start and do its job effectively.
Electric mowers are relatively easy to maintain as they, like push mowers need little more than the blades to be cleaned but with these mowers the decks need to also be cleaned and kept from grass build ups affecting its smooth running. As with any electrical device, the cables must also be checked regularly for any damage which could create a short.
Gas mowers need more care an attention as, although much smaller than car engines, they are still gas fuelled with all the potential problems that brings. Obviously the blades need to be sharpened and the deck kept clean but apart from that spark plugs need to be cleaned and oil needs to be added occasionally. If a gas mower is to sit unused for an extended period of time, as gas can age and deteriorate, the fuel tank should be emptied and new fuel added before being next used.
Often when gas mowers give problems, it is the air filter which is blocked and this can easily be changed by any owner. Before attempting even the easiest of maintenance or repairs to your mower though, you should first consult the manual which should have come with the mower and always ensure you take the prescribed safety measures.
