How Often Should You Replace Your Lawn Mower
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- 07-09-2021
How often should you replace your lawn mower? Do you want to find out when its time to replace a lawn mower? Find out more about the signs you need to buy a new lawn mower.
When Is It Time To Replace Your Lawn Mower?
It can sometimes be difficult to know whether your lawnmower needs replacing or not. The handy gardening companion serves you year-round, providing perfectly mown gardens. But when your law mower suddenly stops working, you may be wondering whether all it needs is a simple repair or whether you need to replace it entirely.
Signs You Need to Buy a New Lawn Mower
The main way to determine if you need to buy a new lawnmower is by assessing the state of your garden. If your grass is looking a little rough and uneven, or your lawn mower isn't cutting it, then you might want to consider investing in a new one.
Typically, a brand new lawnmower will last at least ten years. However, this timescale can differ depending on how often you use your mower, how large your garden is and the climate. Here is a list of some more signs that it may be time to buy a new lawnmower.
Transmission Issues
Engine Problems
Repairing the transmission on a lawnmower can be a costly endeavour. Therefore, if you have an older mower with transmission issues, it may be better to replace it than attempt a repair.
Buying yourself a brand new mower is far better than throwing money at an old one that will only need further repairs in the future.
The engine is the most crucial part of your lawnmower, so it's pretty much the end if there is an issue with it.
Replacing the entire lawnmower is the most cost-effective remedy. Much like the transmission, if your mower has engine issues, repairing it will only solve the issue for a time until it breaks again. It is far better just to buy a new lawnmower.
Crankshaft Damage
If your mower strikes a hard object, such as a rock or tree root, it could damage the crankshaft. This damage can cause issues that prevent your lawnmower from restarting.
Given the complexity of the component, and the level of damage done to it, it is often cheaper to replace your mower entirely rather than repair it.
It's Not Under Warranty
It Keeps Breaking Down
Most modern lawnmowers come with at least a few years worth of warranty when bought new. However, when this warranty ends, any repairs you need to make will be very expensive.
Again, the typical lawn mower will last up to ten years, and while belts, cables or air filters are easy to replace, any mechanical issues will undoubtedly be costly.
If your lawnmower is constantly breaking down or requires replacement parts several times, it is not worth the money to keep on repairing it.
Even if the repairs you need to get it working again are only small, they can quickly add up over time to the point where your mower is not worth it anymore.
You Want An Upgrade
There are many options out there for those looking for a new lawnmower.
Many luxury brands and models can make mowing your lawn an absolute breeze, with upgrading to a ride-on mower being an excellent choice for those with large gardens. Modern mowers are also far more efficient, ultimately saving you money.
How often should you replace your lawnmower blades?
Every time you use your lawnmower, you should check that the blades remain in good condition and are not dull. Ensuring that they are still sharp and free of damage is the best way to maintain them and keep them cutting your grass properly. Alongside the blades themselves, checking your grass for clean cuts is another way to test their condition.
On a typical lawnmower, you can sharpen the blades a few times before they need to be replaced. It would be best to do this sharpening, usually at the beginning of summer or late spring. However, depending on the size of your garden and frequency of use, some mowers will need their blades sharpened more often.
If your lawnmower blades have been sharpened multiple times, or are too badly damaged, then you will need to purchase a new set. No matter how durable the blades are or how often you use your mower, they will inevitably notice damage through striking rocks, roots or stray pieces of metal.
How Often Should You Service Your Lawn Mower?
This is a very subjective question, with different people needing to service their mowers after different lengths of time. Those with only a small garden, with a small patch of grass to mow, will not need to service their lawnmower as often as those with big acres of grass.
Once a year is about the typical timeframe for servicing your lawnmower. Of course, if you are a contractor or professional landscaper, you will need to service your equipment more often. Usually, you should conduct these services at the end of the season, around October-November time, where you can thoroughly inspect and clean your lawnmower.
As you might expect, petrol lawnmowers require more maintenance than electric ones. However, you should sharpen the blades of either type of mower after roughly 20-30 hours of cutting. It is best if you grease any moving components of your lawnmower roughly every 50 hours of mowing. Additionally, if you have a petrol lawnmower, you should change the oil in the motor after every 30 hours.
However, you shouldn't use standard motor oil in your petrol lawnmower. Smaller engines operate at higher temperatures, so they need an oil that can handle this. You also need to clean the spark plugs inside the petrol motor after every 25 hours of mowing.
If you have an electric or cordless mower, these will still require regular maintenance each year. Ensuring that the blades are clean and that any vents are unobstructed will help to stop your lawnmower from overheating.
If you take your mower to a professional service, they will also take the electric motor or drive assembly apart to clean it thoroughly.
The various moving components of your lawn mower will also need to be tightened during a service to help keep everything in working order. Just as you need to service the motor of a petrol mower, you will also need to ensure that the cord of an electric mower needs to be kept in a safe and useable condition.
Annually servicing your mower will also help you to maintain your manufacturer's warranty. Most warranties will require you to service your mower annually to keep them valid. Even if your warranty has expired, it is still best to regularly service your lawnmower.
Repair or Replace?
Besides any technical issues or damage through wear and tear, there are other reasons why you might need to replace your lawnmower. For example, if the size of your garden changes and you need a more robust or powerful mower to cut your grass. Additionally, if your physical mobility changes, you may need to upgrade to a mower that is easier to use.
Different gardens require different lawnmowers. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the right one for you. Things to consider include:
The size of your garden
If there are any slopes and inclines.
If petrol or an electric mower might be more appropriate.
If you want to collect your clippings for composting.
If you even want to mow your garden yourself, given that robotic mowers are also an option.
If you do not think your mower needs replacing, only repairing, then checking your operating manual is the best place to start. Here you will find handy tips and quick troubleshooting procedures to find out exactly what is wrong with your mower and how you can fix them. Ultimately, you may be able to save yourself some money with simple repairs.
Searching on professional mower provider's websites is the best place to go to find new or used replacement machine parts for your lawnmower. There are plenty of options from blades to drive to belts and motors if you decide that all your mower needs are a quick repair.
Are you looking for garden machinery suppliers in Northampton? Get in touch today! We are the premium provider of lawnmowers and ride on mowers in Northamptonshire.