LAWN MOWER REPAIR

A familiar story: the lawn mower’s been sat in the garage or shed all winter, it’s spring, the sun is shining, the lawn’s ready for its first cut of the season and: SILENCE - THE LAWN MOWER WON’T START.

This is the point at which you wish you’d done what you intended and serviced the mower when it went into hibernation. Looking after your lawn mower should avoid costly repairs and frustration. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a simple push along, an electric or petrol mower; they all need maintaining.

When Purchasing
When you purchase your mower buy the best you can afford that suits the size of your site. Find out if it has a guarantee and make sure you’re given a copy of the manual. Ask if servicing is included in the deal – if not try and negotiate this.

Fault Diagnosis
Before attempting to dissect your machine read the manual and refer to the fault finding section. If you’ve mislaid the manual you might find a version on the manufacturer’s website or they may send you a copy.

The most common faults are linked to: fuel, spark plugs, blades, dirty filters, the starting cord, faulty wiring or blockages.

Repairs
If you’re feeling confident you could attempt the repair yourself. Unless you are a technical expert follow the manual instructions or you may invalidate your guarantee.

HEALTH AND SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. Ensure the machine is switched off and not connected to the mains, even if the repair is only going to take a couple of minutes.

If you’re a bit of a novice where garden machinery is concerned then take your mower to a recognised repair shop. It’s usually best to take it to a dealer, who will have the necessary expertise to carry out the repair.

A useful tip if you live near an agricultural college is to ask if the students would like your mower to practise their servicing and repair skills on. Obviously handing your pride and joy over to a group of learners might not be something you relish, but this could be a cheap option. It’s likely they’ll do it for nothing as students always need hands on experience. If you decide to follow this option ensure you have an agreement with the college regarding any potential damage to your machine (their insurance should cover this).

Aftercare
To avoid further unnecessary repairs ensure your lawn mower is serviced regularly; at least once a year. Either take it to a specialist or do it yourself, depending on your capability or desire to fiddle with things technical.

Devote half an hour a month to checking your lawn mower for potential faults to prevent them occurring. Keep it clean, particularly around the blades and store it in a dry place.

Care for your machine and it should serve you well for many years.

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