Your Highland IL Guide to Lawn Mower Winterization
One thing many of us love about wintertime is that the grass doesn’t grow. Yes, it’s nice to skirt this routine lawn maintenance task for a few months every year, but you shouldn’t just be forgetting about your lawn mower. If you’d like to have a reliable piece of lawn equipment come Spring, there are things you should be doing to winterize your mower and preserve its engine. Proper winterization of your lawn mower will prevent corrosion of its parts and ensure a strong startup when Spring hits. Here are the steps to take to winterize your mower this year!
Drain, Burn or Stabilize the Fuel
The fuel in your mower’s tank won’t stay good all Winter long. In fact, fuels begin to break down relatively quickly, which can cause harm to the mower’s engine and decrease its efficiency when you start it up again in the Spring. You can opt to drain or burn off leftover fuel to make sure it’s not sitting in the tank all Winter. Additionally, you can add a fuel stabilizer to prevent the breakdown of the fuel, so it can sit in the tank all winter and be ready for the mowing season.
Change the Oil
Just like in your vehicle, the oil will go bad after a while and should be changed, regularly, as part of your winterization process. Drain the oil chamber completely and replace it with new oil up to the fill line. Just like draining the gasoline, this helps preserve the engine components and makes the next startup easier.
Clean the Deck & Wheels
Another winterization task is a thorough cleaning of your lawn mower. Be sure to clear all leaves, grass clippings, and other debris that’s stuck to the bottom of your mower and around the wheels.
Sharpen Blades
After an entire summer of cutting through thick grass, sticks, leaves, and other yard debris, your mower blades could be in sorry shape. Remove, clean, and sharpen the blades for optimal performance next time you mow the lawn. This helps increase the life of your mower blade and prevents you from buying a new blade.
Maintain the Battery
Maybe you’re using an electric model and not a gasoline model. It still needs to e winterized. You don’t want the battery sitting in the cold garage or shed all season long. Fully charge the battery and store it at room temperature to preserve the charge for next year.
Store with Care
Finally, be sure to store your mower with care this Winter. While it can be easy to just shove it in the most available spot in your garage, this can cause damage if something falls or is placed on top of it for a long period of time. Be sure to clear ample space and don’t pile other lawn tools and equipment on top of it.