MaintainlySeasonal
How often should you service a lawn mower?
Service the lawn mower once a year. The commonly recommended range is yearly, before the first cut of spring. A blunt blade tears grass and invites disease, and old fuel is the usual reason a mower will not start in spring. It is seasonal work, best done in spring.
A mower that sat all winter usually fails for the same few reasons: old fuel, a dirty air filter or plug, or a blunt blade. A spring service takes under an hour and avoids a repair shop queue in May.
Why does servicing your lawn mower matter?
A blunt blade tears grass and invites disease, and old fuel is the usual reason a mower will not start in spring.
What happens if you skip servicing your lawn mower?
A blunt blade tears grass tips, which brown and invite disease. Stale fuel gums the carburettor, the most common reason a petrol mower will not start.
How do you do it?
- Disconnect the power. Remove the spark plug lead on a petrol mower, or the battery or plug on an electric one, before touching the blade.
- Clean the deck. Scrape dried grass from under the deck so air and clippings flow properly.
- Sharpen or replace the blade. A sharp blade cuts cleanly. Balance it after sharpening, or fit a new one.
- Change the oil and filters (petrol). Change the oil, clean or replace the air filter, and fit a new spark plug if the old one is fouled.
- Use fresh fuel (petrol). Drain fuel left over winter and refill with fresh fuel.
- Check the battery (electric). Charge it fully and check cables and the charger for damage.
What does it take?
How do you know servicing your lawn mower is overdue?
- The mower is hard to start
- Ragged, brown grass tips after mowing
- Blue or black smoke
What do people get wrong?
- Working on the blade without disconnecting the spark plug or battery
- Tipping a petrol mower carburettor side down
When should you stop and call someone?
For a bent crankshaft after hitting something, a mower that still will not start after fresh fuel and a plug, or robot mower faults.
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Get the free appDoes this differ in the US, UK, Australia or Canada?
United States
Service in March or April. California and some cities restrict new gas-powered mowers, which is pushing a switch to battery models.
United Kingdom
Service in March before the first cut. Store petrol in approved containers.
Australia
Service in August or September, before spring growth.
Canada
Service in April or May, once the snow has gone.
Common questions
Why does servicing your lawn mower matter?
A blunt blade tears grass and invites disease, and old fuel is the usual reason a mower will not start in spring.
What happens if you skip servicing your lawn mower?
A blunt blade tears grass and invites disease, and old fuel is the usual reason a mower will not start in spring. Skipping it does not usually fail immediately, which is exactly why it gets forgotten: the consequence arrives months later as a repair bill rather than as an obvious fault.
Does servicing your lawn mower differ by country?
Universal. Southern hemisphere: August to September. Robot and battery mowers need blade and battery care rather than oil.
When in the year is servicing your lawn mower best done?
This is seasonal work. Plan it for spring, before the weather it protects against arrives.
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