Get matched with top lawn tool repair specialists in Kerrville, TX

Lawnmowers require seasonal maintenance to continue working correctly. With routine maintenance, you can extend its life to the fullest, which is around 10 years for push mowers and 5-8 years for riding mowers. To keep your lawn mower working correctly, you’ll want to take the following steps at least once a year:

• Replace the spark plug

• Change the oil

• Drain the fuel tank

• Clean the mowing deck (ideally, after every mow)

• Replace the air filter

• Check the carburetor

• Sharpen the blades

• Fog the engine

• Check the tires

Repair costs range from $50 to $400, depending on issue severity, part replacements, and labor.

The American ideal of a large, perfectly-manicured lawn is tied to the post-World War II suburban housing boom. In the decades that followed, technological advances made self-propelled mowers more affordable and plentiful. Many Americans came to see reel mowers as old-fashioned, inconvenient, and time-consuming, and they eventually fell out of fashion.  

Sometimes dark smoke trailing out of your lawn mower is the result of excess oil. It smokes as it burns off. Other times, it could signal a problem with the combustion or contaminated fuel. If changing the fuel and cleaning your mower doesn’t help, call a professional (especially if the smoke is white).