With warmer spring weather right around the corner, lawns are already greening up in many parts of the country. And with National Lawnmower Maintenance Week underway, now is a great time to prepare for the spring green up with basic mower maintenance.
According to Exmark marketing manager, Lenny Mangnall, skipping mower maintenance can significantly reduce the cut quality, performance, and overall durability of any mower.
“Exmark designs its mowers with maximum durability and minimal maintenance in mind,” Mangnall says. “But annual maintenance is still essential to protecting your investment for years to come. A bit of time spent on maintenance at the start of the season can keep virtually any mower running strong, cutting cleanly and reliably getting it done week after week.”
Mangnall says the first thing to do is consult the mower owner’s manual to determine what specific maintenance is recommended. That said, there are a number of maintenance tasks that are relatively universal.
“Sharp mower blades are essential to cutting grass blades cleanly, preventing jagged edges that can turn unsightly brown and invite turf diseases,” Mangnall says. “Regardless of mower type, it pays to start the season with sharp blades.”
On gas-powered mowers, a basic tune-up is a great way to keep the engine performing at its best. This involves checking the oil, air filter and spark plugs and replacing anything that’s at or beyond the service interval recommended in the owner’s manual. If an oil change is performed, be sure to also replace the oil filter.
It’s also important to start the season with new fuel in the tank. Attempting to run a mower with old fuel can make it hard to start and cause issues with the fuel delivery system, so it’s best just to start fresh.
While battery-powered mowers don’t require oil changes or engine tune-ups, it’s still important to start the season with sharp cutting blades, a clean cutting deck and a fully charged battery.
Exmark is offering a 10-percent discount on OEM parts through its Shop.Exmark.com parts site on orders placed March 1-7 with the discount code “LAWN10."
In addition, a free “Lawnmower Maintenance Checklist” video is available on the Exmark Backyard Life site, which outlines the basic steps to maintaining virtually any mower. View the video and learn more about how to maintain your mower at Exmark.com/Backyard.
