When you buy a new lawn mower, trimmer or any other piece of lawn equipment, you want something that will last. Starting with good-quality equipment is a great first step, and with routine maintenance to keep your equipment in top condition, you can make sure you’re getting the best value for your money. If you come up against a problem you can’t fix on your own, our service department is more than qualified to help get your equipment back in working order.
Start With Quality
One of the best ways to ensure that your lawn equipment will last for years is to start with a good-quality brand. Cheap, off-brand items are often just that – cheap. Purchasing a quality piece of equipment might cost more initially, but it can save money in the long-run because they last longer with fewer repairs.
Richardson Saw and Lawnmower carries a variety of high-quality brands, including Stihl, Scag, Echo, Honda, Toro and Shindaiwa. These brands often use professional-quality parts even in the equipment designed for homeowners.
Keep Them Clean
Cleaning your lawn equipment is one of the easiest ways to keep it running smoothly. Removing dirt and debris helps prevent rust on metal parts, especially if the debris is damp like grass clippings typically are. That’s one reason it’s so important to clean trimmers, brush cutters, and mower decks regularly. Some mowers, including Toro’s walk-behind Recycler and Super Recycler and riding mowers in the eXmark Quest S-Series, make this task simple by including wash-out ports for attaching a garden hose to clean the deck.
You’ll also want to keep filters and screens clean. If they become clogged with dust, dirt, dried grass or other debris, it can affect the engine life. When air filters become clogged, the engine can overheat and will consume more fuel. If the filter develops holes, that will let dirt in to clog the engine. Cleaning screens and filters, and replacing those that are too worn, helps prevent these problems.
Regular Maintenance
There are a few other routine maintenance tasks that can help extend the life of your lawn equipment. Every year before storing gasoline-powered equipment, make sure to drain the fuel tank and run the engine dry. Alternately, you can use fuel that contains a fuel stabilizer. This helps prevent damage to the engine from fuel going bad and gumming up the carburetor. Throughout the year for two-cycle engines, including trimmers and certain mowers and tillers, make sure you’re using the correct oil-to-gasoline ratio. For four-cycle engines, such as lawn tractors and larger tillers, keep the oil-dipstick level near the full mark.
Lawnmower blades should be sharpened at least once a year. It’s also important to keep hedge trimmer blades sharp, and replace the cutting line on string-line trimmers when it becomes brittle. For equipment with an engine instead of electric power, check the spark plug at least once a year, and replace if it is damaged. Remember to check belts regularly and replace them when they show signs of wear. You can also check the owners manual for specific models to find any other maintenance suggestions.
