Winter is typically a slow season for lawn work. A landscaping company might put up holiday lights for customers, arborists can come out for winter pruning or cleaning up storm damage, and homeowners might break out the blower for snow removal or use a chainsaw to cut some firewood. Overall, though, winter is a time when lawn equipment stays in storage. Since you’re not using most lawn equipment in the winter, that’s the perfect time to get caught up on maintenance.
1) Clean
If you haven’t already, clean the equipment you’re storing and make sure it’s ready for winter. A wire brush is a good tool to help get dirt off metal parts like tiller tines. After removing dirt, wipe metal down with an oily rag to help prevent rust. For plastic parts, use a softer brush or a cloth to remove dirt.
2) Winterize
For equipment with a gasoline engine, either drain the fuel or fill the fuel tank with fuel that has been treated with a fuel stabilizer. Fuel containing ethanol (even just the 10% ethanol fuel that you’ll find in most gas stations) can gum up an engine if left sitting in the equipment for more than 30 days.
Battery-powered tools don’t need special winterization. Just make sure you’re storing the batteries in a place that falls within the recommended temperature range for that brand. For example, store STIHL batteries between 14°F to 122°F and Echo batteries at temperatures lower than 80°F.
3) Check for Damage
Normal wear-and-tear as well as running into things can cause damage to lawn equipment. While it’s in storage, take some time to look over your equipment and check for things like cracked or warped parts, missing connectors, or fraying cords. If you’re looking for parts to fix something yourself, Richardson Saw carries a wide range of parts for the brands we sell. We often have parts in stock or could order them for you. Just ask for more details.
4) Sharpen, Replace, and Clean
Winter is also a good time to catch up on routine maintenance like sharpening mower blades, replacing spark plugs, and cleaning air filters. Check your owners’ manual for suggested routine maintenance schedules.
5) Get Some Help
If you don’t have time for important maintenance or come across damage that you can’t or don’t want to try fixing on your own, bring it to Richardson Saw & Lawnmower. Our certified technicians will take a look at it and let you know what solutions we can offer. We’re not as busy in the winter as during the warmer months of the year, so you’re likely to get a faster turn-around time for winter lawn equipment maintenance and repairs.
