HOW TO GET YOUR OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT READY FOR SPRING AND SUMMER
After your outdoor power equipment has been stored all winter, it may need a bit of maintenance to get everything back in top shape for spring. Follow these care basics to maximize efficiency, avoid expensive repairs, and extend the life of your outdoor power equipment. Since procedures can vary, always refer, and defer, to your owner’s manual for maintenance instructions customized to your specific models.
Here are some general instructions for how to care for your lawnmower, tiller, string trimmer, chainsaw, and power washer. Check out the Repair Clinic.com website’s Repair Help for additional maintenance tips.
Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips
- Tune up the engine before every mowing season. A tune-up kit, packed with the essentials as recommended by the lawn mower manufacturer, makes this easy.
- Check for blade damage after every use. Replace if you find any dents or bends.
- Sharpen or replace dull blades. Dull blades tear rather than cut grass.
- Always have clean air filters and fuel filters in place.
- Change the oil every 50 hours of use. Always use the oil recommended by the model manufacturer.
- Always use fresh fuel to fill the tank.
- Add fuel stabilizer to the tank or the fuel storage container to prevent carburetor damage. Refer to manufacturer’s instructions to determine the proper amount for equipment’s fuel tank or the container.
- Never adjust the trail shield or other parts set by the manufacturer.
- Degrease periodically.
- Prepare for winter storage.
Lawn mower maintenance tips
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Tiller Maintenance Tips
- Change the air filter.
- Change the fuel filter.
- Perform a “deep” degrease, allowing the degreaser to sit for 15 minutes before wiping, rinsing, and drying.
- Clean and lubricate the tines.
- Check the tiller tires for cracks and pressure; fill, repair, or replace if needed.
- Use a fuel stabilizer to winterize your tiller annually.
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String Trimmer Maintenance Tips
- Tune up the engine before the start of the season. A tune-up kit makes this easy.
- Replace the string with manufacturer-recommended string (a.k.a. trimmer line). Non-round-shaped string (such as star, cross and square-shaped) provides a much better cut.
- Change the fuel filter once per season.
- Clean or replace the spark arrestor at least once per season.
Detailed string trimmer maintenance tips
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String trimmer parts and maintenance products
Chainsaw Maintenance Tips
- Check the chainsaw for loose bolts and screws before and after every use.
- Replace the air filter every 100 hours of use or every three months.
- Use the proper gas and oil mixture, following the owner’s manual instructions.
- Replace the fuel filter if it’s damaged.
- Lubricate the bar and chain.
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Chainsaw 101
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Pressure Washer Maintenance Tips
- Replace the engine oil with new oil.
- Change the air filter.
- Change the fuel filter.
- Clean the water inlet screen.
- Inspect the hose, trigger handle, and hose connections for wear or damage.
- Use a fuel stabilizer to winterize your pressure washer annually.
Detailed pressure washer maintenance tips
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Pressure washer parts and maintenance products
Repair Clinic has the parts to fix and maintain your outdoor power equipment
Regardless of which piece of outdoor power equipment you need to tune-up or repair, Repair Clinic.com has the genuine manufacturer replacement parts and DIY know-how to keep that equipment running through all four seasons. To get started, you’ll want to enter the full model number of the equipment, or the equipment’s engine, in our website’s search bar. This will ensure you can easily locate the exact replacement part, or tune-up kit, that matches your model. The Repair Clinic “Repair Help” section will reveal the most likely causes for common problems affecting your equipment; the “Shop-For-Parts” section will provide you with a complete list of parts compatible with your specific model so you can be assured the equipment will be fixed the first time.
In addition to outdoor power equipment, Repair Clinic also supports all major home appliances and heating & cooling products. Do a little exploring and discover the thousands of “how-to” videos, articles, diagrams, and schematics that can turn every homeowner into a do-it-yourselfer.