When you have a lawn, it must always look its best throughout the year. One way to make the maintenance task manageable is to use a ride-on lawn mower. A ride-on lawn mower or lawn tractor is a practical and powerful machine that makes lawn care a quick and hassle-free chore.
Things To Do When Using Lawn Mowers
If you want to ensure safety while keeping your lawn in good shape, here are several things you should do when using a ride-on lawn mower:
Do: Read The Manual Before Using The Machine
Reading the manual carefully is important because it’ll include details regarding safety features. It’s crucial to learn everything about riding lawn mowers to ensure safe operation at all times.
Do: Perform Regular Care And Maintenance
If you overlook the maintenance for your machine, it can become inefficient and also unsafe over time. Thoroughly inspect the screws and bolts and keep all movable components lubricated.
Do: Prepare The Lawn For Trimming
When the area you’re living in has harsh winters, it’s likely for your property to end up with various debris such as rocks, large tree branches, and many more. It’s best to walk through your lawn to remove any debris present. Anything that the lawn mower hits can be launched out, potentially causing injuries to you or any bystanders around.
Do: Make Sure You’re Alert When Operating
Even at low speed, remember that you’re maneuvering a large machine at some velocity. Similar to driving a car, it’s an activity that requires complete focus and attention. If you want to learn more about lawn mower operation, checking out garden guides and other sources will significantly help. Also, make sure your feet are firm while you’re driving around the lawn.
Do: Switch Off The Lawn Mower Before Dismounting
Even if there’s no automatic cutout, you should stay on the safe side by turning off the machine even for a short while. Also, ensure you turn off the engine and remove the ignition key if you’re going to move away from the lawn mower, especially if you’re going to leave it unattended.
Do: Wear Proper Clothing When Working On Your Lawn
Make sure you have durable footwear, helmet, and ear protectors. Don’t forget to wear goggles along with thick and heavy-duty clothing such as long pants. Avoid wearing sandals or any open footwear since they’re unstable, putting you at risk for a trip, slip, or fall that can potentially put you at risk for contact with any moving or hot components.
Having ear protection is crucial since lawn mowers can produce more than 100 decibels. Remember that listening to sounds over 85 decibels for long periods can damage hearing over time.
Do: Be Aware Of The Stored Energy
The majority of motorized lawn mowers and other gardening tools can store energy in the drive mechanism. When a mower jams and stalls, it’s likely that there might be excessive tension in the machine. If you decide to reach in an attempt to get rid of the obstruction, it can cause the blades to move again abruptly. The mechanism can result in severe injuries to your fingers and hands.
Do: Watch Out For Possible Burns
Most people don’t realize how hot the engine and exhaust of the lawn mower can become. You’re likely to end up with burns if unprotected skin comes in contact with these surfaces, even for a brief period. When adding fuel, make sure no hot surfaces or other ignition sources are present such as cigarettes that might ignite the fuel or vapor.
Do: Remove The Spark Plug Prior To Replacing The Blades
Although it might seem basic, make sure the spark plug is removed when you’re changing the blade. If there’s a piston above the compression blade, a slight jerk might force it to go into a power stroke, causing the blade to go forward and possibly damaging your hands or fingers.
Things To Avoid When Using Lawn Mowers
Similar to all machines, you must know how to handle one with care to ensure safety at all times while getting the best results. Here are some things you shouldn’t do:
Don’t: Disable The Safety Features
The automatic stalling devices and cutout switches are in place to protect the driver and anyone else around when using the lawn mower. Also, don’t start before checking the surroundings. Just like driving a vehicle, you must be aware of any obstacles or people, pets, or animals that might be nearby.
Don’t: Trim At Excessively Steep Angles
It’s best to stick to the maximum of a 15-degree tilt when cutting on slopes. Do it across the slope and not from the bottom to the top or the other way around.
Don’t: Allow Children To Operate The Lawn Mower
Toddlers should stay indoors and don’t allow children below 12 years of age to operate a push mower or children below 16 to operate a ride-on lawn mower. Additionally, children shouldn’t be allowed to ride as a passenger when you’re running the lawn mower since it can only accommodate only one person.
Don’t: Move The Lawn Mower Over Gravel
Avoid crossing over a gravel driveway, especially when the blades of the lawn mower are engaged. If you’re living on a gravel road, trim the grass near gravel only if no pedestrians or cars are nearby. If the lawn mower blades strike the rock, it’s likely to launch in different directions and hit someone or an object.
Conclusion
Maintaining a healthy lawn for years to come is possible with a ride-on lawn mower, especially if you have an expansive outdoor space. Lawn mowers are highly efficient machines that can make lawn care a quick and manageable task.
If it’s your first time operating a ride-on lawn mower or already using one for years, always consider the do’s and don’ts of using a lawn mower to ensure safety and to get the best look for your lawn. Consider the ideas mentioned here as you manage and maintain your lawn.
