Spring is right around the corner, and that means it’s almost time to get your lawnmower out! We all love the feeling of looking at a fresh-cut lawn. It gives us a sense of pride and joy. With a zero turn mower will need a small tune up before you get out there. Luckily, maintenance at home is very easy and we can tell you just how to get it done.
-
Disconnect the spark plug
Always start by disconnecting the spark plug. It’s super easy to disconnect and reconnect, and it will prevent the lawnmower from accidentally starting on you. All you have to do is find it and detach the rubber to block it from starting.
-
Drain the oil
You’ll want to start by draining the used oil out of the lawnmower. You should check the manual on how to do this for your specific lawnmower, but if you don’t have it Google is a great resource. You can drain the oil into a container and take it into your local auto shop for disposal.
-
Replace air filter
Air filters need to be changed annually. To make sure your lawnmower is running the best it can, you can change it at home for very cheap. All you have to do is unscrew the cover, replace the air filter with a new one, and then screw the cover back in. Super quick and easy, and it should cost less than ten bucks!
-
Sharpen and balance the blade
If you choose to, you can sharper the blade pretty easily. You just need to use a wrench to take the blade off and then use a metal filer to sharpen the blade. If the blade appears to be damaged, then you should replace it for optimal performance. If you don’t trust yourself handling a sharp blade, you can take it into a shop that will sharpen it. Either way, be super careful handling the blade!
-
Clean under the mower deck
Before you put the blade back on, give the underneath of the mower deck a good cleaning. A great tip is to spray nonstick cooking spray on here annually. Ideally, you should probably rinse off the mower deck after use to prevent buildup, but that doesn’t always happen on hot summer days.
-
Replace oil and gas
Once you’re done with all the above maintenance, you just have to replace the oil and fill it up with some gas. Make sure you get the right oil and have the drain plug reattached.
-
Reconnect the spark plug
You’re done! You can reconnect your spark plug, start up your lawnmower, and get that lawn looking great!
If you haven’t been doing this, here are some great tips for next winter:
- Old gas can stop your lawn mower from starting, so when winter comes around and you are no longer consistently using your lawnmower, you should drain the gasoline out.
- During winter, the engine’s lubricants can drain away. Water can then cause issues and damage to your lawnmower. To prevent this, you should fog the engine. This is something you should check your manual (or Google) about.
If you follow these steps, your lawn is going to be looking extraordinarily fantastic from now on. The best part is you will save so much money! Taking your lawnmower in for maintenance and repairs would cost you so much more than these simple DIY tasks. Good maintenance makes things last so much longer, and new lawnmowers can be expensive so why wouldn’t you keep it running like it’s brand new? These steps really aren’t too hard and can be done within a few hours. Your neighbors are going to be so jealous of your lawn this year!
