Time to tune up your lawn and garden equipment
S
pring is on its way and winter- weary home owners are eager to spend time outside in their yards.
The Outdoor Power Equipment Insti- tute (OPEI), an international trade association representing more than 100 power equipment, engine and utility vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, would like to remind home owners to keep safety in mind. You want your outdoor power equip-
ment to be ready when you need it. Doing some basic maintenance now will ensure that your equipment oper- ates safely and gets the job done. Before you use a mower, trim-
mer, blower, chain saw or pruner this season, inspect your equipment, review the equipment manuals and look over the unit's safety procedures. Here are tips to help: • Start with the owner’s manual.
Review the manufacturer’s guidelines on equipment operation and require- ments. Re-familiarize yourself with the equipment’s operation and safe handling. • Inspect equipment. Check for
loose belts and missing or damaged parts. Examine all cables, brakes and wheels for signs of wear and damage. Make sure no safety features or guards have been disabled or removed. If you find anything concerning, replace the parts or take your equipment to a qual- ified service representative. • Replace old oil. Run the engine
for a few minutes to warm up existing oil so it will drain more easily. Stop the engine, remove the drain plug and empty the old oil (tilt the mower back to get it all out, if necessary). Replace the plug and refill the engine with fresh oil recommended by the product manufacturer. Properly dispose of the drained oil. • Check the fuel tank. Fuel left in the tank over the winter months should
With warmer weather urging people to bring out lawn mowers, string trimmers, and other lawn and garden equipment, it’s important to remember that equipment care, maintenance and safety is a year round activity. Get safety tips at
opei.org.
be drained or it could damage your equipment. Most fuel contains some level of ethanol, which contains corro- sive alcohol and can phase separate. Drain the tank responsibly and put in fresh fuel that contains 10 per cent or less ethanol (E10 or less). Dispose of old fuel properly. Some gas stations may offer E15 or other fuel blends, but this higher-ethanol fuel is danger- ous—and is in fact illegal—to use in any small-engine equipment, such as lawn mowers, chain saws, generators and other lawn and garden equipment. • Store fuel properly. Label fuel
storage cans with the purchase date of fuel. Never leave fuel that is more than 30 days old in outdoor power equip- ment. • Check the undercarriage. Always
disconnect the spark plug before work- ing around the underside of a mower. Use a wire brush to scrape any old grass clippings or dirt away.
• Clean the equipment. Dirt, oil
and grass can stick. Give everything a good cleaning so machines can run more efficiently and last longer. • Install clean air filters. Engines
and equipment run much better with clean filters. Paper filters need to be replaced. Some foam filters can be cleaned and used again. • Change the spark plug if needed.
See your owners manual. • Sharpen your cutting blade.
Have lawn mower cutting blades sharp- ened to get a clean cut on your lawn and not tear the grass. Sharper blades mean lawns will be healthier and lawn mowers will operate more efficiently. Nicked or broken blades, which can come from hitting rocks or other debris, should be replaced. To learn more helpful safety tips visit
opei.org. For further information on proper fueling of power tools, go to
LookBeforeYouPump.com.
22 • Early Spring 2016
localgardener.net
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