Spring is officially here, which means lawn and garden power tools will soon be in use as the days grow warmer and the plants become greener. However, these power tools have been out of commission all winter long, and will need some tuning up before first-time use. eReplacementParts.com has put together a lawn and garden power tool maintenance spring checklist to help homeowners prepare for upcoming yard maintenance.
“Inspecting and maintaining your power tools isn’t just important for the tool’s performance,” said David Fairbanks, CEO of eReplacementParts.com. “It’s important for safety as well.” eReplacementParts.com recommends performing the following inspections to ensure tools are in proper working condition.
Check for broken parts and loose screws.
It’s important to check equipment such as lawn mowers, chainsaws and trimmers for loose screws and damage from last season and fix it accordingly. “Sometimes things break and you forget about it when you haven’t used the tool for a few months,” said Mark Sodja, eReplacementParts.com’s outdoor equipment specialist. “It’s important to thoroughly inspect your tools before using them. If the tool is broken, you can find parts and repair tutorials on eReplacementParts.com.”
Check spark plugs, air filters and fuel filters.
Checking and replacing spark plugs, air filters and fuel filters will extend the life of the tool and burn gas more efficiently“ "Checking and changing spark plugs, air filters and fuel filters is simple,” Sodja said. “Anybody can do it themselves with the proper instructions. I provide short tutorials on how to perform these tasks and more on the eReplacementParts.com YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/ereplacementparts.”
Change oil
Start the season off with a fresh oil change to ensure your engine will run powerfully and dependably. “Fresh oil will keep the engine’s moving parts lubricated and operating smoothly,” Sodja said.
Sharpen or replace blades
Inspect lawn mower and chainsaw blades to determine whether they should be sharpened or replaced. It’s important to have sharp blades to keep cuts clean and reduce work time. “Replace the blade if you notice it is damaged. Otherwise, a good sharpening will keep it cutting smoothly,” said Sodja. “You can generally sharpen a blade one to three times before you need to replace it.”
Clean
Finally, it’s important to make sure lawn and garden power tools are clean from last season’s debris. “If you didn’t do it before storing it away for winter, you’ll want to clean the lawn mower undercarriage, trimmer motor casings and chainsaw chain to ensure it is in top working condition.” eReplacementParts.com offers replacement parts for a wide variety of lawn and garden equipment brands. Visit http://www.ereplacementparts.com/lawn-equipment-parts.html for a complete list of part brands.
