How to Take Care of Your Small Engine Equipment (And Why to Hire Professionals to Help)
Maintaining your business property is essential all year round. That is why having the essential pieces of power equipment like snow blowers, lawnmowers and power washers are important to perform specific heavy jobs. Most of the time, small engine equipment operates well. However, after a few years, there comes a time when a piece of equipment starts malfunctioning.
When this happens, it can affect the efficiency of getting maintenance done, as well as your bottom line. Routine maintenance is crucial for maintaining your small engine equipment. By sticking to a maintenance schedule with the help of a landscape depot in Milton, you can improve your equipment’s efficiency andse save money on buying new replacements.
To ensure your small engine equipment operates at peak performance for the future, routine maintenance should be prioritized. Let’s discuss seven tips for how to take care of your small engine equipment and why it’s important to hire professionals for help.
1. Prepare your equipment before the season begins
Before a new season begins, it’s important to prepare your small engine equipment by checking the basic components. First, start inspecting the engine in a well-ventilated area away from igniting sources. Check to see the engine’s components are intact, not rusted or worn down including the wires, spark plugs, fuel cap, muffler and fuel hoses. If any of these components are broken or rusted, we recommend that you call a professional small engine power equipment repair service to make the replacements.
2. Refer to your owner’s manual
A good rule of thumb is to have your product manual out when you’re inspecting each item of equipment. Reviewing your owner’s manual is a great source of information that can guide you on the basic maintenance and provide you with care tips. It also has steps that can help you with troubleshooting. So while preparing your equipment for the new season, go through your owner’s manual, go through the steps, and if any issues occur during troubleshooting, make note of it and contact a small engine repair specialist to fix it.
3. Check and replace your oil
Oil is the lifeline of all small engine equipment and taking the time to check your oil levels is crucial in routine maintenance. Gasoline-operated engines last longer if the oil is replaced every year. You can start by checking the oil levels using a dipstick. If the oil is dirty and dark, it’s time to replace it. Double-check the type of oil that is suitable for your equipment and once it has reached its maximum level, add just a little bit more to fulfill its required amount.
4. Empty the gas
Besides oil, your equipment’s gas needs to be emptied and refilled with new gas. But refilling it with gas isn’t similar to filling up your car’s gas tank. Before starting the unit, it needs to be primed properly or you risk a surge when you start it up. In this case, you should contact a small engine repair service and let them know the engine model of the item you need help re-starting and they will be able to prime it properly.
5. Changing spark plugs
Many owner’s manuals recommend that you should change the spark plugs every 500 hours. But if it’s hard for you to keep track of how many hours your equipment has been used, it’s best to replace your spark plugs at the beginning of every season. Depending on how often you use your small engine equipment, if you use it on a weekly basis, it’s best to change the spark plugs more than once a season.
6. Check battery connections
If your small engines run on batteries, these will need to be replaced eventually. Since it might be complicated to check how much battery power is left, you can contact a landscape depot in Milton to check the strength of your battery and check to see if the connections are good. If the battery is weak and losing power, they will be able to evaluate it through their equipment and be able to replace the battery with a new one.
7. Get professional help
When in doubt, we recommend getting professional help. Minor things like loose or damaged bolts, can be replaced or tightened. However, parts of the engine or any part of the equipment that is connected to electrical units should be looked at by a professional small engine specialist. Otherwise, if you attempt to fix it yourself, you could cause more damage or put yourself at risk of injury.
Now that you know the seven tips for how to take care of your small engine equipment, here is a checklist of what you need to do if you are going to perform routine maintenance on your equipment:
Prepare your equipment before the season begins. As you take them out of storage, do a manual inspection of the exterior of each item and check the engine in a space free of igniting sources.
Refer to your owner’s manual. While preparing your equipment for the upcoming season, refer to your owner’s manual and go through the troubleshooting steps. If something is amiss, contact a small engine repair specialist to get it fixed.
Check and replace your oil. Start by checking the oil levels using a dipstick. If the oil is dirty and dark, it’s time to replace it. Don’t skip this step, as replacing your equipment with new oil will make them last longer.
Empty the gas. Before starting your equipment, empty the gas and replace it with new gas or you risk a surge when you start the engine.
Changing the spark plugs. If you use your equipment on a weekly basis, it’s best to change the spark plugs more than once a season. If it’s not used often, the owner’s manuals suggest you change them every 500 hours.
Check battery connections. Eventually, battery-operated equipment needs batteries to be replaced. You can test them by having a professional run them through a battery evaluator and if they need replacement, they will be able to recommend the correct battery.
To learn more about our landscape depot in Milton, call Peel Exterior Maintenance at 1-888-290-1216, or contact us here.