Perfect Guide for Storing Your Lawn Mower Away for Winter
The cold season isn't your mower's best friend. Many things can go wrong when you store the mower haphazardly without preparing it for the cold conditions ahead. You will not be able to start the mower is the cold affects some sensitive parts such as the engine and the fuel in the machine. While some of these precautionary steps are quite easy to carry out on a walk behind lawn mower, they, you will need some handy tips when working with a ride-on mower. The following guide is here to help you on what you should do when prepping your ride-on mower for the winter:
Make Sure the Underside is Clean
The underside of a ride-on lawn mower accumulates lots of dirt and grime. This is because it is the area closest to the grass clippings you are cutting. Today, most ride-on mowers come with a washout compartment to prevent the build-up of dirt. However, you still need to clean the underside to remove any grass clippings that might have found their way beyond the deck. Scrap off any clippings and spray the underside with some silicone. The silicone spray prevents the accumulation of dirt in the future.
Stabilise Your Fuel
Ideally, you should store the lawn mower when the fuel tank is empty. This may not be possible in all cases, as you cannot measure the precise amount that the lawn mower will use. If you must store the machine with fuel in it, then make sure that you stabilise the fuel so that it can stand up to the cold temperatures for a long period. During winter, condensation is a big challenge. Small droplets of water form on the fuel tank and lead to rusting, degrading the tank. Therefore, you should get an aftermarket stabiliser and add to the fuel in the tank before storing the machine for a long period.
Charge Your Battery
Another mistake you might make is to store the lawnmower when the battery is low or used to some extent. The cold conditions will wear down the battery very fast and pose problems when you need to start the machine. Ideally, you should charge the battery to full capacity before shoving the machine into the storage rooms.
Keep the Garage Warm
You can also keep your machine in good condition by storing it in a warm, heated room. Extend your air conditioning systems to reach the storage room so that you can occasionally raise the temperature in the room when winter gets too harsh.