If you have a large yard or want to maintain a garden in your property, there is no doubt that lawnmower is one of the best investments you can make. Although this equipment has long been associated with farming properties, several models now come in more compact versions making them the ideal choice for residences.
If you are a first-time user, though it is important to keep the following safety tips in mind. This will help you mow your lawn properly and make sure there is no accident or injury that can arise from using this machine. In addition, always read the instruction manual that comes with your unit as this includes some of the main steps for proper use of equipment. It will also include information on maintenance and a guide for storing the machine when not in use.
Safety Tips
1) Make sure children stay away from the lawnmower at all times – Children have a natural tendency to play with everything they see especially if they find something new around them so keep them away from any moving equipment. It is also certainly a huge mistake to allow teens to operate your lawnmower no matter how “lightweight” it promises to be.
2) Don’t make unnecessary stalling or extensive use of the lawnmower – Most models give you a cut-in time ranging from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the specific model. If your machine comes with this feature, it is advisable that you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines so you do not have any problem with its use in future.
3) Take off all jewelry before starting to cut grass – This includes watches and bracelets since they can get stuck which is very dangerous when dealing with sharp blades.
4) Make sure there are no guests or bystanders near the area being mowed – People must always stay away from an area where someone is using a lawnmower especially if they are still it. There are morbid cases of toes or feet getting stuck beneath the sharp blades of lawnmower. It’s not enough that your know the safety features of your lawnmower, the people around you needs to be aware of it too.
5) Cut the lawn in “S” pattern – One of the main causes of accidents is making too many passes on a single side by pushing the lawnmower perpendicularly. This often leads to the mower being jolted out of control or its blades being stuck with stones, twigs or other debris. The best thing you can do is cut the lawn in an “S” shape to avoid this unnecessary complication.
6) Do not allow children and pets near the area juat finished cutting – Children and pets both like playing outdoors and running around so make sure they stay away from freshly cut grass as it can be sharp especially if you are using a rotary mower. Their skin may also come into contact with chemicals that were used for fertilization or weed control in the lawn.
7) Always put away the mower when done – After using a lawnmower, it is important that you clean up and store it properly. Make sure to remove all debris from its blades and surrounding area if necessary before putting your equipment indoors. This prevents the lawnmower from rusting which can cause further damage to your cutting tool after an extended period of time. In addition, make sure to empty the gas tank so you don’t have any spills later on when there is still fuel inside.
How to Maintain Lawnmower
After following these safety tips, you can definitely work on keeping your equipment in the best condition possible. It is important that you understand how to take care of a lawnmower and what it takes to make sure it’s safe for use each time. Maintain the equipment by doing the following:
- Keep a sharp blade always for a cleancut – A dull blade can tear through grass instead of cutting it cleanly which causes more friction compared with a sharper blade. This causes the machine to heat up easily which may cause an accident especially if debris or rocks get stuck underneath. Avoid this fiasco by getting all branches, leaves and twigs off the mower before starting each session.
- Sharpen blades often – To keep your lawnmower blades sharp and shiny, you need to sand them down using sandpaper or a steel brush at least once every week. A dull blade can easily get stuck on the ground so it is imperative that you always check your equipment before cutting.
- Clean up after yourself – It’s very important that you clean any debris from the lawnmower so they do not cause accidents later on or build up inside the unit and cause damage.
- Change oil and spark plugs – All equipment requires regular maintenance and proper care especially if you want them to function well for a long time. Since we’re talking about mowers, these units require their specific type of oil which must be changed depending on how much you use it.
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