Electric lawn mowers have made it much easier to maintain our lawn. However, with the onset of winter, snowfall slows down the growth of the grass. This eliminates the need for the mower during this period, which requires it to be stored.
How to store the electric lawn mower for the winter? Ideally, store the mower in a garage, or if it is outdoors, cover it appropriately. First, do a full wash, remove all removable parts, and disconnect the battery. Cover it properly and place a heavy object on it to prevent it from falling over.
Electric lawn mowers are machines that have many moving parts and systems. These internal components are susceptible to external factors such as moisture, snow, and dust. Storing your mower in a garage or somewhere indoors helps you control these external factors, thus extending the life of your machine.
However, garages are expensive affairs and not many people can afford to own one. In such situations, cover your mower with heavy cloth or a tarp to protect it from snow and rain. Or you can buy a small shed to store all the tools and accessories. But don’t leave your mower out in the open, snow and ice can easily damage it.
This is essential to protect your machine from damage and corrosion due to external weather factors. It also acts as protection against thieves looking to steal valuable household items.
Having the tarp and mower tied to a heavy object or to the house will ensure that it doesn’t tip over in high winds. This may seem strange, but lawn mowers can easily tip over due to their relatively small wheels and high center of gravity. This could prove damaging to the internal mechanism and could also damage the external frame.
Is it safe to keep a lawn mower in the house?
Yes, most lawn mowers have a compact folding design that allows for indoor storage. However, it may seem quite out of place if you don’t have a specific storage facility inside your house, such as a warehouse or basement.
If you choose to store your mower indoors, do not neglect the preparation required to store your mower to ensure that the life of your product is not shortened.
Please note that you should not store your mower next to corrosive materials such as fertilizers and salts.. These materials affect the atmosphere around them and can degrade your machine if left together for long periods of time in shared storage spaces.
Can I store my mower outdoors in the winter?
It is not ideal to keep your lawn mower outside during the winter. However, if you have no other option, you can store the mower outside.
However, you will need to make sure your machine is properly covered from top to bottom with a heavy cloth or tarp to keep snow, bugs, and small animals out. From time to time, be sure to shovel accumulated snow around your machine to keep it in good shape.
And to store your mower outside, you need to do a few preparations, such as emptying the gas tank, disconnecting and cleaning the spark plugs, removing the blade, disconnecting the battery connections, replacing the air filter with a new one, cleaning it properly and drain it. engine oil
And make sure the mower is raised off the ground to keep water and ice off the bottom, to prevent any kind of rust.
And cover it with a thick cover to keep snow and ice off the mower body, and tie the cover down with something solid, so it doesn’t shift from its place.
How to store a lawn mower correctly?
Covering your mower after regular use is an excellent practice for short-term storage.. This allows you to keep bugs and dust out while helping to preserve your machine’s finish. It also prevents thieves and vandals from stealing or damaging your machine.
To store your mower for long periods of time, store it in the garage. Make sure the storage facility is temperature regulated and has sufficient humidity control to ensure your mower does not degrade while in storage.
Clean and replace all major parts. If you have a gas mower, replace the air filter and clean the spark plugs, drain the gas tank and engine oil, and for an electric mower, disconnect the battery and remove the blade and wash it properly.
If you don’t have the luxury of a garage, build a small shed specifically for outside storage. These sheds are easy to assemble and help you increase storage space when needed. They also do an effective job of keeping snow, rain, and other external factors out.
Our personal recommendation would be to use the Rubbermaid Sliding Lid Garden Storage Shed. You can check all the features and price of this product from here. The product has a durable double-walled construction, while sliding lids ensure easy access to stored items. This product is resistant to leaks and dents, making it a great choice for year-round storage.
Regular checks on the machine from time to time will also ensure that you quickly catch any unforeseen consequences of its storage before the damage is irreversible.
How can snow and ice damage your lawn mower?
Water is one of the most unfavorable elements when it comes to machines with metal components. Whether it’s snow, water, or humidity, they all have similar effects on metals. Snow and ice can cause corrosion of metal parts. Cold temperature can also severely degrade battery life and endurance. Small bugs also get into the lawn mower for warmth during winters.
Snow and ice can corrode the exterior and internal components of the mower.. Chemical reactions between water and iron-based components cause oxidation, which can severely degrade the quality and efficiency of parts if left unattended. Damage due to corrosion is irreversible and you may have to completely replace parts beyond one point.
Batteries don’t work well in the cold, especially the liquid inside. When the volatility of the liquid changes, the battery loses strength and discharges very quickly. As a result, the battery may be completely drained and may not recharge even when connected to a slow charger.
snow and ice can force insects into the machine in search of heat. They can interfere with moving components and cause damage to your product.
How do you prepare a lawn mower for winter storage?
You simply cannot store your mower in your garage, you have to take care of its different parts and very few people know what to do to store it properly.
So how do you prepare a lawn mower for winter storage? Carefully read the manual of your lawn mowers. Electric lawn mowers must be properly cleaned and washed. Removable parts, such as blades and wheels, must be separated from the main frame.
The battery should be disconnected and stored indoors. In the case of gasoline lawn mowers, you have to clean the spark plugs and empty the gasoline and engine oil tank, replace the old air filter and wash it properly.
Washing and cleaning your mower is important to remove dirt, moisture, and insects from the machine. When stored, these factors can have especially harmful consequences.
Moisture can accelerate the oxidation of internal components, while dirt can mix with moisture and accumulate as dirt, which can cause internal mechanisms to malfunction.
Insects, on the other hand, can get into small spaces and corners of the product in search of warmth during the winter. This can have a negative impact on your machine, especially when you turn it on after long periods of storage.
However, avoid using hoses or pressure washers while doing this. This can cause water to collect inside and accelerate oxidation.
Eliminating removable parts like blades and wheels helps save storage space. They also allow you to service these components separately, allowing you to inspect them for damage. This helps you extend the life of your machine.
The battery should be stored indoors as it is the most susceptible to temperature changes. Battery fluids lose their volatility as the temperature gets colder, weakening the battery.
As a result, the battery may not have enough charge to start your mower when the weather improves. However, make sure your battery has at least a 40% charge and is stored in a dry place to prolong its life.
For more information on cold weather storage, read the product manual. Each company has different design and advice on battery storage and component maintenance.
While they are similar, some companies require a couple more steps and precautions to ensure the longevity of their machine.