Overlooked Lawn Equipment Tips to Take Care of Them Now

Tips For Taking Care Of Overlooked Lawn Equipment

You can find tons of advice on how to take care of lawn mowers and snowblowers, but not much in between. Repair Clinic thought it was time to focus on the more ignored pieces of lawn equipment such as string trimmers, edgers, leaf blowers and chainsaws and share some simple maintenance tips to ensure they’re in working order when you need them.

String Trimmer

• Change the Fuel Filter – Most string trimmer models let you remove and clean the fuel filters. Check out your owner’s manual to see if yours is one of them and where to find its fuel filter. Once you find it, look for debris clogging the mesh screen inside. If it’s clogged, replace it.
  • Watch our video on how to replace an Echo string trimmer fuel filter.
• Replace the Cutting Line – Eventually your string trimmer line will become weak and brittle. Both sure signs it’s time to replace it. Non-rounded high quality string trimmer line is your best pick.      
  • We have a video that shows how to replace string trimmer line on a Poulan Pro string trimmer.
• Clean/Replace the Spark Arrestor – You’ll find the spark arrestor inside of your string trimmer’s engine muffler. Plan on cleaning it and/or replacing it every 25 hours of use or once per season.
  • See how to replace a spark arrestor on an Echo string trimmer.
• Change the Spark Plug – Once the season is over, change your string trimmer’s spark plug. Read your owner’s manual for instructions.  
  • This video shows how to replace a spark plug in a Poulan Pro string trimmer.
• Degrease – At the end of each season of use, use a degreaser on greasy and dirty areas of your string trimmer.
  • Find out how a string trimmer works.

Simply the process with our string trimmer tune-up kit with air and fuel filters as well as a spark plug.

Edger

• Check the Belt – Take a look to see if the belt on your edger is frayed or cracked. If it’s showing signs of wear, you’ll need to replace it.
• Change the Oil – Look at your owner’s manual to see how frequently you need to change your oil. At the very least, do so at the end of each season.
• Replace the Air Filter – Again, at the end of each season, you’ll want to replace your edger’s air filter. Check your owner’s manual for details.
  • View our video on how to replace an air filter on a Weed Eater edger.
• Change the Spark Plug – Once the season is over, change your edger’s spark plug. Read your owner’s manual for instructions.  
  • We show you how to change the spark plug on a Weed Eater edger.
• Degrease – At the end of each season of use, use a degreaser on greasy and dirty areas of your edger.
  • Discover how to safely disassemble an edger.

You may want to get our edger tune-up kit has air and fuel filters as well as a spark plug.

Leaf Blower

• Flush the Fuel Tank – At the end of the season you’ll want to flush the fuel and add a fuel stabilizer to the tank.
• Change the Spark Plug – Once the season is over, change your leaf blower’s spark plug. Read your owner’s manual for instructions.  
• Clean/Replace the Spark Arrestor –Plan on cleaning and/or replacing the spark arrestor every 25 hours of use or once per season.
  • Check out how to replace a spark arrestor on an Echo leaf blower.
• Inspect the Fuel Filter and Fuel Line – If the fuel filter or fuel line appear clogged or damaged, you’ll want to replace them.
  • Don’t miss our video that shows how to install a fuel line kit on an Echo leaf blower.

Repair Clinic has a leaf blower tune-up kit complete with air and fuel filters as well as a spark plug.

Chainsaw

• Examine for Loose Bolts or Screws – This is something to do before and after each use.
• Inspect the Air and Fuel Filter and the Fuel Line – If the air filter, fuel filter or fuel line on your chainsaw appear clogged or damaged, you’ll want to replace them. Air filters should be replaced every 100 hours of use or every three months.
  • Find out how to replace a fuel filter on an Echo chainsaw in this video.
• Check the Chain – This is important to do before each use and at the end of the season. If you find any damage, replace the chain before using it again. If it’s dull, you can get the chain professionally sharpened or you can buy a kit to do it yourself It’s usually cheaper and easier to simply replace the chain.
  • This video shows you how to replace a cutting chain on an Echo chainsaw.
• Replace the Spark Arrestor –Plan on replacing the spark arrestor every 25 hours of use or once per season.
  • We show you how to replace a spark arrestor on a Craftsman chainsaw.
• Change the Spark Plug – Once the season is over, change your chainsaw’s spark plug. Read your owner’s manual for instructions.  
  • See how to change the spark plug on a Homelite chainsaw.
• Clean the Battery Terminal – if your chainsaw is battery-operated, you’ll want to follow the owner’s manual instructions on how to clean the battery terminal.
• Lubricate the Bar and Chain – Use special bar and chain oil to lubricate the bar, it has more viscosity and lasts longer than conventional motor oil.
• Degrease – At the end of each season of use, use a degreaser on greasy and dirty areas of your chainsaw.

To make life easier, you may want to get a chainsaw tune-up kit that includes an air filter, fuel filter and spark plug.

If you need additional assistance with any of the above lawn equipment parts, we have repair help pages for string trimmers, edgers, leaf blowers  and chainsaws. Repair Clinic has millions of parts available for same-day shipping  and we offer a 365 return policy guarantee. Call 800-269-2609 if you need help placing an order today.