How to Give Your Lawn Mower a Tune-Up

A gas-powered lawn mower has an expected life span of about 7-10 years. Much longer if you take good care of it and give it regular tune-ups, and much less if the only thing you do is add gas before each mow. Just because a lawn mower is quite affordable these days doesn’t mean you shouldn’t maintain it to last a long time. Hey, every penny counts, right?!

For some, it’s easier to just run a mower to the ground and buy a new one every few years. But I’d like to think that we’re becoming a more environmentally-conscious society that looks down upon waste, especially when it’s something like a lawn mower. Just like a car, giving your lawn mower regular tune-ups helps to reduce its fuel consumption and harmful emissions. Besides, doing a lawn mower tune-up is quite simple and doesn’t take much time. Do it once a year before the start of the mowing season. And in return, you’ll have a piece of lawn equipment that may last for 15, 20 years.

Below you’ll find the checklist of tasks you should perform before the start of the mowing season. However, you should keep in mind that at the end of each mowing season, you should drain all the fuel out of the gas tank before putting the lawn mower in storage for the off-season. You don’t want old fuel sitting there getting stale and turning into a gel during the winter months. It’ll clog up the carburetor.

1 – Replace the gas filter
2 – Replace the air filter
3 – Drain and replace the engine oil (see: How to Change the Oil in Your Lawn Mower)
4 – Change the spark plug
5 – Thoroughly clean the outside and underside of the mower
6 – Sharpen or replace the mower blade (see: How Do I Sharpen or Replace the Blade on a Lawn Mower)
7 – Add fresh gasoline

That’s it! Not much to it. Also, you can also find many lawn mower tune-up kits available for purchase online and in your local hardware store. Just make sure to follow your owner’s manual for instructions on what type of oil to use and the location of the filters and spark plugs. Just remember, performing regular tune-ups on your lawn mower will not only increase its fuel economy but also its life expectancy.

Happy mowing season!

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