The winter can be a hard time to deal with your lawn and garden equipment. It is a tough time on many aspects of your home and your lawn, because of the frigid temperatures. The equipment usually has a much rougher time than you would imagine, because many people seem to forget about their lawn mowers, weed whackers, and other types of equipment when the leaves fall. Many people stick these pieces of lawn and garden equipment into the shed or the garage without a second thought, and are then surprised when they don’t work right in the spring. You spend a lot of money on these pieces of lawn and garden equipment, so why not make sure that they are taken care of?
When you have pieces of lawn and garden equipment that you want to take care of, there are many things that you can do to make sure they are taken care of well when the snow flies. First of all, the pieces of lawn and garden equipment that run on gasoline should be emptied after the last time they are used. Before you mow your lawn for the last time in the fall, be sure that you put in just enough gasoline to do the job. After you are finished, run the mower so that all of the gasoline is used, or empty it completely out. For these items that use gasoline and have a motor, you want to make sure that they are cleaned, and then drain the oil and take out the spark plug. After that, you want to put in just a few drops of oil and crank the engine only enough to move that oil around. Then, you should put the spark plug back in place. The next thing that you should to the pieces of your lawn and garden equipment that have engines is to tighten any of the loose screws in the machine. Now, wipe down these machines and get them ready for storage along with the others.
For the lawn and garden equipment that don't run on gasoline, you should make sure that they are functioning properly and then unplug them for the year. If they have batteries, remove the batteries and store them someplace else. Wrap the chords around these and get them ready for storage.
The other parts of your lawn and garden equipment - the ones that don’t run on gasoline or electricity - should be completely cleaned before the fall ends. Make sure that they are wiped off, that all of the dirt and grass is removed, and that they are ready for storage.
After you have taken care of each individual piece of machinery or other pieces of supplies, you have to gather them all together for storage during the winter. This is a very important aspect of getting all of your items stored properly. You want to find a place where you can store your items safely and where they won't be bothered by the weather. Usually, your garage or your shed will suffice.
Once you have chosen a location, be sure that you gather all of your equipment together. You want to store it all neatly and in a well organized fashion, so that you can find it again in the spring. Be sure that anything you leave out is covered well. This will help them from gathering moisture. Also, you want to be sure that you are able to secure anything that is attached to the walls. This is because often things slip and slide during the winter or animals get into your shed or garage. You simply want everything to be secured during this time of year.
Another thing that you should think about is the moisture on the floor. Leaving your garden supplies and equipment in a wet garage or shed is just as bad as leaving them outside. If you have a garage or shed that tends to lead or one where the floor tends to get wet, an easy solution is to lay down some plywood or some higher pieces of board, and put your equipment on that. You can secure the equipment to these pieces of wood, and then cover everything with a tarp.
Remember, it might seem like much too much work to do for a small amount of time. However, each piece of lawn and garden equipment that you own is something that you are going to want to hold on to, and something that you have already spent a lot of money on. Take the time to do these fall chores, and you will be able to rest easy over the winter - waiting for the spring.
The problem, however, is how to pay for them in the short run.
Here are six frugal ways you can save a substantial amount of money when you buy a lawn mower, edge trimmer, chainsaw, leaf blower, or any other yard care tool:
- Choose basic models, without the fancy gadgets. Bells and whistles raise the price on anything, usually by a significant amount; and they're also the features that malfunction the soonest, resulting in costly repairs. So go for the basic, stripped-down models of top-quality brands and you'll be making a smart investment in equipment you'll use for years.
- Shop in February. Lawn and garden equipment dealers need to move out their remaining stock of last year's equipment to make room for this year's models, and February is one of the slowest months of the year for their sales. However, from March through June is peak season for this industry, and accordingly prices will be at their highest then.
- Look for sales just after July 4. The yard-and-garden sector typically hits another slump in sales once summer has peaked, and you should be able to find discounts of around 20% on most lawn and garden items.
- Check warehouse stores such as Sam's, Costco, and BJ's. Their yard equipment markups tend to be lower than what you'll find in hardware or home improvement stores. And when they start clearancing these items at the end of the season, you'll be able to purchase them at rock-bottom prices - if you're lucky enough to get one before they're gone.
- Check the Internet. Many items are cheaper, even with shipping and handling charges included, if you buy them from an online supplier. Thanks to their low overhead costs and broad customer base, website-based suppliers of lawn and garden equipment often have much lower prices than brick-and-mortar businesses.
- Buy used, reconditioned lawn and garden equipment. Check the classified ads of your local newspaper, and in lawn mower / small engine repair shops. If these places don't have what you're looking for, they're usually very helpful in suggesting other places you can try. Also check your phone book's yellow pages under such headings as "lawn mowers", "garden equipment", etc. for businesses selling used yard equipment.
Once you've purchased your yard care items, you can save even more money by taking proper care of them. Follow the manufacturers' maintenance schedules listed in the instruction booklets. Take care to thoroughly clean, dry, and oil everything before you put it away, and store all tools and equipment out of the elements.
Both Craig Elliott Elliott & Philip Spendlessmoney are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Craig Elliott Elliott has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Security, Education and Landscaping. Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to home maintenance such as . Craig Elliott Elliott's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Philip Spendlessmoney has sinced written about articles on various topics from Landscaping. Save thousands of dollars every year with the smart shopping tips and frugal living ideas you'll find in .. Philip Spendlessmoney's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.