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No matter whether you buy an electric lawn mower or a gas-powered mower, both are a huge investment into keeping the garden grass tidy, and you would want to ensure naturally, this mower of choice will have a long lifespan so as it can be worth your money.
On average, the longevity of mowers is around 7-10 years if you buy a brand new walk-behind mower that is maintained by the owner properly. However, this average number will change according to the quality of the model you buy and how much you use it.
So as you can get a feeling as to how long your lawn mower engine will last and how to make it last longer, we've put together our best info-packed guide below full of tips and tricks for getting the most out of your mower.
If you are wondering whether or not a lawn mower is worth the investment, these machines can last around ten years if you take care of them properly and buy the right mower.
For electric mowers, they can still last up till the 7-10 year mark, and in cordless mowers, the electric mower battery may need to be replaced around 5 years of use.
Some electric mowers or gas mower models lifespan might be measured in hours of service rather than years, for example, a standard mower by most manufacturers might suggest it can give 200 service hours, while other brands could potentially go up to 500 hours if your willing to spend more money.
Many factors will impact how long your lawnmower will last you, some of the major ones are the quality of the lawnmower you buy, how often you use it, how long for and if you take care of it regularly with ongoing maintenance.
We have explained this in more detail below.
As we touched on above, with proper maintenance you could potentially extend the lifespan of your lawn mower by a couple of years, electric mowers don't require as much maintenance as a gas-powered mower would, but still benefits from some care such as looking after the battery or cleaning the deck.
Lawnmower maintenance should be performed after every 20-50 hours of use.
To help you out, we have listed our best ways to take care of your lawn mower below so as you can factor them into a regular maintenance schedule to help prolong your lawnmowers life.
Making sure the oil in your mower is always clean and full is a must for your mower to be working properly. You should be changing the oil in your lawnmower after every 20-50 hours of use or when the oil starts to look black or discoloured.
You can change the oil in your mower by undoing the oil drain cap, you should have a container underneath to catch the drained oil, after doing this you can replace it with fresh oil up to the required measurement.
Always use high-quality oil in your lawnmower suggested by your manufacturer.
Next up is the fuel inside of your mower. Use high-quality fuel to power your mower and remember to drain it when you store your mower, failure to do so can lead the fuel to go bad inside of your engine and build up gum and debris inside.
If you don't use your mower that often and don't want to waste fuel you can consider adding a stabiliser to the fuel to extend its lifespan and prevent it from going bad inside of your mower's engine. Choose the right fuel too for your fuel tank, it should not have more than 10% ethanol as this can degrade the inside of the engine fast.
Cleaning your mower is part of proper maintenance and is one of the most important steps you can be doing if you want to keep your mower in good shape.
Wet grass can accumulate around the lawn mower blade, and damp grass when left can get stuck and corrode your mower fast, leaving rust and all sorts of debris.
Most push mower models or self-propelled petrol mowers will have a wash port where you can connect to and wash the deck of the mower, if not you can wash the deck below and use a steel wire brush to get rid of any lingering damp grass clippings.
This maintenance step is reserved for battery electric lawn mower models only, so if you have a petrol mower you can skip this step.
Battery-powered lawn mowers when left empty for a while in your mower can go flat, therefore decreasing their overall life span when you next re-charge it.
This means you should keep your electric lawn mower battery fully charged when possible as it is being stored.
You can buy some devices such as a trickle charger which keep your mower's battery alive throughout storage, you can also just take the battery out and charge it a couple of times when not in use.
Dirty air filters can put a strain on your lawnmower motor or engine, so it's essential to clean and replace these filters often depending on the type you use.
On average, the pre-filter that surrounds the standard filter on your lawnmower should be cleaned after every 25 hours of use, while the paper filter itself should be replaced after every 300 hours or when it looks dirty.
Changing and cleaning the pre-filter on your mower is simple, simply unscrew the cover of your air filter which should be at the top of your engine and wash the foamy part in some warm water, the paper filter can be switched out with a new one and voila!
No matter if you have an electric lawn mower, robot lawn mowers or a manual lawn mower, the blad is very important to the running of the machine.
You can take care of this blade by sharpening it regularly and replacing it when needed.
Sharpening your blade can be done at home with a file and should be done every 20-25 hours of use or when it starts to show signs of dullness, replacing your blades should be done as soon as the original blade is damaged or annually.
Running your lawnmower with an old spark plug can damage the whole engine of the lawnmower, so you should be replacing your spark plug after every 100 hours of use or when it gets damaged, inspecting your plug for any wear and tear should be parts of your maintenance routine in general.
Buying spark plugs are very cheap, and fitting one is very simple too, all you need is a socket wrench for your spark plug and a gauge for tightening it up. Make sure the spark plug you choose is right for your mower as they are not universal.
Lastly, this step isn't directly related to your mower's engine but can help it last longer. Before mowing it is a great idea to do a quick check of your garden for any big stones or sharp objects which could potentially cause damage to your mower.
Also, tall grass will put more strain on your lawnmower, so regular trimming could help solve this.
When Should I Replace My Lawn Mower?
Now you know how to take care of your lawnmower properly for it to last longer, you might be wondering when you should either replace it or just keep repairing the mower.
Well, this does come down to personal judgement and cost, most mowers can just keep being repaired, but if the whole engine fails, you might be better off just buying a new mower as both would cost a similar price to replace.
How often should I be performing maintenance on my lawnmower?
There is no set rule for how often you should be maintaining your mower but checking it at the start and end of each season is essential.
Does a riding mower have a long lifespan?
Riding lawnmowers have an average lifespan of around 1500 hours plus or even 20 years if the model is of high-quality and well taken care of.
How many hours should a petrol mower last me?
A petrol mower can last you anywhere from 200-300 hours depending on the model.
To conclude, a lawnmower can last you up to 10 years if it is taken care of properly and you buy a high-quality durable model, variable factors can affect the lifespan of your mower, but if you perform regular maintenance on the machine, you should be getting the most out of your investment.