What Do I Need To Consider Before Buying A Lawn Mower
When buying a mower, its important to first have a look at your yard size and the terrain.
The main elements to consider when buying a lawn mower are:
- Size of your lawn
- Yard size & mower type
- Type of grass
Below is a breakdown of each element you need to take into account when choosing the perfect lawn mower.
How To Grab Best Lawn Mower Black Friday Deals
It is a sure sign that you have a backyard or garden with too many plants and flowers, as well as weeds. It is important to maintain a clean and tidy backyard.
Yes, it is possible. Get the best lawn mower to help you cut all the grass and weeds in your yard and make it look neater.
However, it can be difficult to find the best mower. After doing extensive research, we have compiled a list of the top lawn mowers that you can purchase here. You must grab the Best Lawn Mower BlackFriday 2021 Sales and Deals before it expires.
Mowing Schedule For A Lawn Kept Tall
Its best to mow your lawn once weekly and never take off more than 33% the height of the grass blade.
If you mow less frequently, you might find yourself taking off more and this, which is bad for the lawn.
Also, taking off only a little a time is good if you want to leave the clippings on your lawn for extra nutrition. If you leave too thick a layer of clippings on your lawn you can end up with thatch buildup, or even smother and suffocate your lawn.
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Petrol Vs Electric/battery Lawn Mowers
When it comes to deciding whether you want a petrol or battery lawn mower it comes down to your yard and your preferences.
For most modern suburban blocks with a small yard, an electric mower is probably good enough. Electric and/or battery mowers benefit from quieter operation, have no emissions and are commonly cheaper than petrol mowers.
However, petrol mowers win out by their sheer ability to get the job done because they often feature more powerful motors, with leading torque figures and cutting widths. For homeowners living on older, bigger blocks or semi-rurally, a petrol lawn mower is probably still the best option.
Commercial Vs Retail Robot Mowers Whats The Difference
So what makes a robot mower a commercial model?Well, its mainly about capacity, normal consumer robotic mowers are designed to be used in yards of a house rather on large stadiums or parks.Some of the biggest differences that set commercial robot mowers apart from retail modes are,
- They have much larger batteries, for longer run times and to be able to run more cutting heads for the bigger cutting width of commercial robot mowers.
- Much wider cutting width, to cut larger areas of lawn in shorter amounts of time.
- Designed to work together with other robotic mowers to cover large areas.This is important for very large areas like golf courses where it is important to have multiple robots working together to cover the large area as it is too much for a single unit.
- The management software is more sophisticated for controlling multiple robots together.With more management features and also designed to control groups of robots rather than just a single unit.
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When Was The Last Time You Checked Your Lawn Mower Oil Check Out These Helpful Hints For Lawn Mower Maintenance
There are still some drivers who check their oil levels every time they gas up, but most mowers of lawns tend to ignore the oil needs of their gas-powered lawn mowers. As a general rule, the essential lubricants in your lawn mower should be refreshed after every 30 to 50 hours of operation andat a minimumonce every mowing season.
Most gas-powered lawn mowers sold and in use today have 4-stroke engines that accept engine oil in much the same way as cars. You check the dipstick and if it reads low you add more, but not too much. Most mowers have an oil capacity of around 475 mL. Drain the oil as needed . Then add the new oil. Youll have to dispose of the old oil at a disposal site.
He Wants You To Mow Their Lawn
I Want To Mow Your Lawn, Inc. is a non-profit organization that recruits landscaping professionals to provide no-cost, tip-free and socially-distanced lawn mowing and other yard care services for seniors, military veterans, disabled persons and those in underprivileged communities. Its newly redesigned website, www.IWantToMowYourLawn.com, makes it easier than ever for licensed and insured landscaping and other certified industry professionals to volunteer.
There is a massive need for those who cant afford regular lawn maintenance or dont have the physical capacity to do it themselves, or who simply deserve overt recognition, so IWantToMowYourLawn.com was established to fill all of those gaps, explained Organization Founder and Chief Lawn Mower Brian Schwartz. This is why that, in addition to serving seniors, the disabled and low-income individuals, we also expanded our audience to help out those who served in the U.S. Military as a show of thanks for their service in protecting our freedoms.
This organization is about way more than just free lawn mowing its a small but meaningful and easy way to bring the citizens of our communitiesand country at largetogether by helping our fellow neighbors, he continued. While the individuals receiving service are always appreciative, a clean-cut community contributes to everyones overall well-beingits a meaningful way to serve a greater good.
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Riding Mowers Are Usually More Complicated
Adjusting the height settings on a riding lawn mower is usually more complex and can vary considerably from model to model. My best advice is to thoroughly read the owners manual that came with the riding mower to make sure you know what you are doing.
If you cant find your manual but have the manufacturer and model number of your mower you can find and download the manual with a quick Google search.
Tip 2: Build A Team Of Trustworthy People
As your business grows, there may come a time where you need to pull in some extra help. Regardless of the position, whether its a fully time field tech or a part time worker to help you manage your business, the individuals you decide to hire can have a major impact on your company. Before you hire someone, we recommend performing a background check there are numerous companies that can offer in-depth checks. You should also ask for references and follow up with them.
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Inches Or Taller Is The Best Setting
When choosing the right height for your mower, the time of year is one of the biggest factors that will determine the mower height setting you should use.
I recommend that most people increase the mower height to a minimum of 3-inches from the middle of April through September. Depending on your mower, this might be its highest setting.
Why would you keep your mower setting at 3-inches, which is often the tallest setting?
Keeping your mower set this high will:
- Help the lawn conserve water
- Promote the development of deep digging roots
- Boost turf density
- Improve turf color
The only times when you shouldnt use this high setting is when you are doing the first and the final mow of the season. At these times, a 2.5-inch mowing height is best for most cool-season lawns .
Many homeowners imagine that the middle setting is best for their lawn, but this isnt the case. In most cases, its too short. You should almost always go with the highest setting.
How Often Should I Mow
Many peoples strategy towards lawn care consists of dragging the lawn mower out or scheduling lawn mowing whenever their grass begins to look bad, but there is more to the process. How and when you mow your grass plays a big part in the overall quality and presentation of your lawn.
Regularly watering, fertilizing, and cutting of a lawn is essential to a healthy life cycle for your grass and vegetation. The more diligent a person is about mowing their yard, the healthier and greener it will become. Many people who can’t spend very much time tending to their yard elect to hire a lawn service so that their lawn gets the proper maintenance it requires.
The standard rate at which you should mow your lawn is generally once per week, or possibly once every two weeks depending on the season and water restrictions in your area. During wintertime, you may cease mowing or mow monthly, depending on weather. If you are unable to mow your grass one week or forget for some reason, then its important to still adhere to the 1/3 principle when mowing your grass. Even if you have to gradually cut the grass 1/3 at a time until it reaches the right height, its still recommended to maintain that standard. Most lawn mowers have an adjustment to ensure that the mower blades are at the correct height to achieve this objective.
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Consider The Costs Of Equipment Repair And Maintenance
Look, you cant just consider the up-front costs of purchasing the equipment. There are a lot of additional costs that go into maintaining and repairing equipment in the long run.
What if your equipment breaks? It will cost more money to repair or replace.
Get this, thats not all. You also need to do an annual oil change and tune up on the mower.
It is also important to keep the equipment in tip top shape. For example, sharpening the blades of the lawn mower twice a year is a must, and can cost about 75 dollars.
Not to mention, if you hit a rock or stump and need to take your mower to a shop for repair. You could quickly rack up $200-$300 in repair costs.
Consider The Costs Of The Equipment
First, you will need to take a look at the costs of all the equipment you would need to care for your own lawn.
A cheap riding lawn mower can cost about $1,750.
A leaf blower can cost $150.
A weed eater will cost you $100.
The total cost of all of that is $2,000 dollars. That is a lot of money!
“But, It will pay for itself in the long run, right?”
Unfortunately, that is not necessarily true.
One of the things that people who take care of their own lawns may not think about, is the costs of maintaining the equipment.
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A Combination Of Diy And Pay
Its hard to do everything yourself, so most lawn mowers tend to work with a combination of the DIY approach and the get-my-customers-for-me approach. Theres no right or wrong option. It just depends on how you much you enjoy chasing customers versus how much youd rather be mowing lawns versus how much you like juggling the two marketing options. Its your lawn mowing business, so its totally up to you!
Robot Mowers Are Better For The Environment And Community
Needless to say that robot mowers are better for the environment. They produce much fewer greenhouse gasses. This also reduces the direct pollution released into the air and as we show in a recent article we posted about the number of deaths caused by the pollution from gas-powered lawnmowers, they have a real impact on the health of everyone.
If your business has environmental goals, as all businesses should have these days, then changing over to robot mowers is a great step to take towards meeting those goals. They really do reduce the impact a business has on the environment and improve the health of everyone around you at the same time.
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Confusion Over Lawn Mower Height Settings
As mentioned earlier, many homeowners assume that the middle height setting on their lawn mower must be best. If you dont know the proper height setting, go with something average, right?
Wrong. The highest setting is often the best one for your grass. And remember that the numbers you see on the settings dont link with the lawn cutting height.
Always remember to put your mower on the highest setting or to cut your grass at a minimum of 3 to ensure your lawn stays healthy.
How To Find Your First Lawn Care Clients
So, you decided to take the leap and start your own lawn care or landscaping company
Fantastic.
Youre feeling both exhilarated and a little scared at the same time, because you need to find your first clients.
But its a lot easier than you think.
Heres how lawn care professionals get their first clients:
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How To Pick The Right Lawn Mower
While personal preference should be a factor in what type of lawn mower you select, theres perhaps no bigger influencer than the type of yard youre going to be cutting.
For instance, if you have a small lawn, walk-behind mowers, electric models and small gas-powered lawn mowers are probably a safe bet. But if youre cutting a large lawn, or you have to cut through thick grass, then youre likely going to want something thats a little bit bigger and more powerful.
In this section, well discuss how yard size and terrain should play a role in lawn mower selection. Heres a closer look:
How Often Should I Perform Maintenance On My Lawn Mower
Lawn mower maintenance can range from cleaning the undercarriage to a professional inspection.
Before Each Mow
Before each mow, make sure that gas and oil levels are at the correct levels. Much like a car, your lawn mower’s oil needs to be changed. Most mowers need their oil changed after 20 hours of operation, but check your mower’s owner’s manual to see what the manufacturer suggests.
The Blades
Sharp blades are crucial for your lawns health. Dull blades can ruin your lawn by tearing at the blades of grass rather than cutting them clean. If you don’t have the proper tools to sharpen blades, it is recommended that you can take it to your nearest mower repair shop.
Winter/Seasonal Mower Storage
If you’re planning on storing your mower for a period of time, make sure that you drain the gas from the tank to ensure that no bad gas sits in the mower. Your mower’s spark plugs should aslo be replaced yearly, and a great time to do that is before each season. Follow these steps and you’ll have a stress-free start to the next mowing season.
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How To Change The Height Settings On Your Mower
The first step when you want to change your mowers height settings is to consult with the manual.
The manufacturers manual will have information on how to increase and lower the setting of your mower. The way to adjust the mower and what the different adjustments mean vary from brand to brand of lawn mower.
A common mistake is to just assume that you understand all the ins and outs of your mower. Youd be surprised at the features and nuances you can learn when you take a few minutes to read the manual.
Once you understand the instructions in the manual about how to change the settings, do the adjustments on a flat surface. You will need to put the mower on a flat surface to see how low or high the mower is. A flat pavement surface or a garage is a great place to do this.
And dont make the mistake of thinking that the bottom of your mowing deck is the height at which your grass will be cut your mowers blade is usually higher.
Finding Your Own Customers
Tip 4: Remember to think ahead for the winter, also encouraging any commercial clients to sign up to a twelve month contract is also a great way to ease the pressure off making money during the off-peak season.
Tip 5: Place an ad in your local newspaper. We also recommend creating a brochure for your business and placing them at a couple of the local gathering places in your area.
Tip 6: Deliver door hangers, marketing flyers, and/or business cards to the houses in your local area. If you have enough confidence, try to knock on doors as part of your process, so that customers will be able to put a face with the name of your business and you can try meeting people in person in order to earn initial rapport with them.
Tip 7: Make improvements to your customer service. All of us think of ourselves as being friendly. However, there is a big difference between being passionate-and-willing-to-impress and being friendly-and-not-interested. It also doesn’t necessarily involve extra time or money on lawnmowing jobs. Quite often it is simply the way that you respond and listen to customers. After each interaction you have this week be completely honest with yourself and ask, “what else could I possibly have done if I was the customer?”
Tip 9: Offer your current customers incentives to refer you to their neighbours, family, and friends.
Tip 15: Ask satisfied customers for reviews on expertEasy or video testimonials that you can use on your website and/or your Facebook business page.
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