Prepping season FOR THE
The grass isn’t going to wait, so make sure your lawn equipment is ready to go now
The grass will soon be growing tall again. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing might depend on what shape your mower is in after hibernating all winter.
Lawn mowers, garden tractors, tillers, trimmers, edgers and the like will soon be growling like hungry, grass-eating bears, assuming, of course, that they are working as they should.
Whether they have a good spring could depend on how they were treated last autumn.
“Getting ready for spring probably should begin when you’re putting (equipment)
away for fall,” said Brandon Thomas, parts manager at Como Mower Service in Columbus.
Many power-equipment specialists recommend running gasoline-powered equipment dry of fuel before long-term storage. (Remember this when you’re putting away your snow blower this spring.)
“The biggest problem we see in the shop is probably old gas, bad gas,” Thomas said.
Over time, gasoline breaks down and can cause small engines to run poorly or even damage them. So don’t use gasoline that’s been stored over the winter when fueling up your equipment this spring.
And if there’s fuel left from the fall, drain it, if you can, into an approved container.
(Franklin County residents can safely dispose of small quantities of old gasoline at the SWACO Household Hazardous Waste Center at 645 E. 8th Ave. in Columbus. Information is available at www.swaco.org. Residents of other places should check with local waste disposal authorities.)
“Go down and get fresh gasoline and you’re good to go,” said Bob Gingrich, owner of Bob’s Better Repair in Plain City.
But, remember, that “fresh” gas won’t stay fresh for long, he said.
“A lot of people don’t use the chain saw and trimmer a lot,” Gingrich said. “So they fill a two-gallon gas can, and that might be more than they use all summer.”
Many professionals recommend using gas no older than 45 days, although some power-equipment manufacturers have other recommendations, so check your owner’s manual.
A fuel-stabilizing additive can extend the life of gasoline. But even with a fuel stabilizer added, the ethanol in gasoline can damage carburetors, gaskets and other parts if left in power equipment for long periods, Thomas warned. So store the gasoline in an approved container, not in the tank of the mower or trimmer, he said.
When servicing your gasoline-powered equipment, always remove the spark plug wire from the spark plug to make sure the engine can’t start unexpectedly.
Air filters are important maintenance items that are sometimes neglected, said Sonny Cantrell, owner of Mower assistance
• The Ohio State University Agricultural/construction Systems Management Clubs are hosting their annual Lawn Mower Clinic this week for walk-behind or push mowers that need a bit of early spring TLC.
The clinic is a fundraiser for the student clubs and includes an oil change, spark-plug replacement, deck cleaning, blade sharpening and air-filter cleaning. The service costs $40 cash or check (credit cards not accepted).
Hilliard Lawn and Garden in Hilliard. Some foam air filters can be cleaned, but a dirty paper filter should be replaced, he said.
“Replacing your air filter is a lot cheaper than a new motor,” Cantrell said.
Changing the engine oil is another chore to be done now, he said, if you put it off in the fall.
Check for loose belts or other loose or missing parts, and lubricate parts, such as throttle cables, that might need it.
But Cantrell warned not to overdo the lubrication.
“People always like to oil the wheels, but don’t oil plastic wheels — that can create abrasion and wear,” he said.
“And if you want your yard to look good, keep your (mower) blades sharp,” Cantrell suggested.
Mower owners who are handy can sharpen and balance blades themselves, or take them in for professional sharpening, an inexpensive service that will keep grass healthy and green, he said.
Mower decks should always be kept clean underneath, Gingrich said. Often, though, owners will forget to clean out wet grass and mulched leaves after the last mowing of the fall. Mowers can be dropped off behind the Agricultural Engineering Building, 590 Woody Hayes Drive, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Mowers must be picked up between 7:30 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. April 1-2. A $5 fee will be charged for any mower picked up late.
Mowers must be in working condition. The clinic is not offered for reel mowers or riding mowers.
For more information, email schroeder.755@osu.edu.
So if you neglected to do it then, he said, be sure to do it now.
“Cleaning under the deck makes a huge difference in the performance of your mower,” he said.
To clean the deck of a walk-behind mower, “It’s OK to flip it on its side, as long as the air filter is up in the air, pointing to sky,” Gingrich said.
“If you flip it the other way, oil and fuel might run into the filter.”
And if you do find a problem that you can’t fix yourself, get your equipment into the repair shop as soon as possible.
As sure as the grass grows in spring, a lot of people will put off maintenance until that grass is already high, Gingrich said.
Even now, there are probably many mowers awaiting service in line ahead of yours — something to keep in mind for next year. Many repair shops offer off-season specials on mower maintenance and tune-ups.
“But I could do (maintenance) for free in the winter,” Gingrich said, “and I’d still get people waiting until April to get it done.”
sstephens@dispatch.com @Stevestephens