Do you know how long is a lawn mower supposed to last? Mostly, first-time buyers want to know how long their mowers will last.
The average lifespan of a lawnmower is largely dependent on several factors. Some of them include:
- The manufacturer
- The size of the lawnmower
- Its usage
Regardless, lawnmowers usually come with a manufacturer’s warranty that may provide an average lifespan. However, with proper care and routine maintenance, lawnmowers will last longer.
How long is a lawn mower supposed to last?
For a lawnmower, the average life expectancy is about 8-10 years with proper care and maintenance.
Lawnmowers that are not properly cared for may not last that long with a life expectancy of half the average time.
Many manufacturers measure the service life of lawn mowers including their components in hours of their use.
Hence, the more affordable mowers have a service life of about 200 hours, which is less than more expensive models having a service life of more than 500 hours.
Thus, two important factors that can affect the life expectancy of a lawn mower include:
- How long it is used
- How often it is used
Variables that Reduce the Life expectancy of a lawnmower
A number of factors determine how long lawnmowers will last,
Overwork
Giving your lawnmower more work than it was initially built for can affect the performance of the lawnmower and even shorten its life expectancy.
For instance, if you use your lawnmower to cut grass that is quite thick and long instead of thin and short, your lawnmower can easily develop a fault.
Lawn size
The size of your lawn can also affect the lifespan of your lawnmower. If you have a large lawn which will require more time usage of the lawnmower, then it can indirectly affect the lifespan of the lawnmower.
Hence, if you use your lawnmower for about two hours every week during spring, summer and during other mowing season weeks, this totals an average of 60 hours of mowing per year.
This simply means that a mower, which is rated for 200 hours of use, will most likely last only three to four years.
On the other hand, if the mower is used for only one hour each week, it may last for a longer period.
Maintenance and care
A lawn mower that is not properly maintained or taken care of will not last as long as it is expected to.
When should I replace my lawn mower?
One wrong perception that people have is that when a lawnmower has reached its life expectancy, it can no longer be used or it should be replaced immediately.
Old Lawnmowers can still work efficiently and effectively with proper care and maintenance. Also, some of their parts can be replaced with newer ones to provide more life.
The average life of a battery-powered mower’s lead-acid battery is about 4.5 years, but even after this period, the battery can easily be replaced with a new one.
The lawnmower can work perfectly fine as long as it has been properly cared for and maintained.
How To Increase The Lifespan Of A Lawn Mower
Increasing the lifespan of a lawnmower is quite easy. Some of the things that you can do to achieve this include:
Use Quality Fuel
Lawn mowers that are made using high quality materials will generally require high quality fuel. This may however affect the cost and expenses as high quality fuel is more expensive.
Regardless of the r lenses that may come with getting high quality fuel, it will be more beneficial to the inside of your lawn mower.
It will save you from unnecessary costs in the long run and prevent you from replacing the parts of your lawn mower.
More so, one chemical in gasoline that can wear and degrade the parts of your lawnmower is ethanol.
This ethanol can negatively affect the rubber and plastic parts of your lawn mower and can also gum the insides of the motor.
Employing the use of a stabilizer will ensure that the ethanol does not affect the parts of the lawnmower. Hence, ensure that you look out for ones that can be used alongside ethanol.
After each season, you must take out the remaining fuel to prevent it from staying in the mower over winter.
Change The Oil
One essential thing you must not miss out in your lawn mower is your oil. As the fuel is the energy, the oil acts as the blood component of the lawn mower. Every engine requires oil and fuel in appropriate quantities.
If you do not change the oil regularly and keep adding fuel, your lawnmower will eventually break down even if you are using high quality fuel.
Hence, you must have a high quality and clean oil in your lawn mower and ensure that the oil is changed regularly.
The owner’s manual can further explain the maintenance routine for your lawnmower.
Change or Clean The Filters
In maintaining a lawn mower, the filters are quite overlooked and not properly cared for. Although filters are cheap and easy to replace in three minutes or less, many people still do not replace them when necessary.
Usually, most lawn mowers come with about two to three filters. One for the fuel, the second for the oil and the third for air. The user guide can direct you on which filters to use.
Spark Plugs and Batteries
To keep your lawn mower in good condition for a long period of time, it is necessary to keep the contacts and charge at adequate levels. Make sure that the spark plugs are replaced after 100 hours of use. You can consult your manual for the exact time as this can vary among different models of lawnmowers.
The disadvantages of old spark plugs in your lawn mower include:
- It can damage the lawnmower shortening its life expectancy
- It can affect the overall performance of the lawnmower
As such, you must properly learn how to clean, remove and also replace the spark plug.
For Electric mowers, their batteries should be charged at several intervals over winter and while they are not in use to increase the durability of the battery life.
If the battery of the lawnmower is left uncharged and empty, it can affect the lawn mower and it will never be able to fully charge again. It will also affect its performance in the long run.
Keep The Blade Sharp
What is a lawn mower without its blades? The blade of the lawnmower is important in cutting the grass and a blunt blade will make the task very difficult.
Some of the ways you can keep your blade sharp include:
Sharpen it regularly:
The blade of the lawnmower should be sharpened about three times over the cutting season. You can either do this activity or hire someone who can do this perfectly.
Protect the blade:
You can protect the blade of your lawnmower by staying away from areas of your lawn that have sharp corners, large rocks, or stones. This will ensure that your place does not get blunt or dull over time.
Buy Quality
Purchasing lawn mowers that are made with quality materials is a good way to ensure the durability of your lawn mower.
Although these high-quality lawn mowers may be more expensive than models made with lower quality models, it is important to note that they last longer and will not break down as quickly as the other models.
In the long run, it will become obvious that high quality lawn mowers are a better option than saving cost while promising durability, efficiency, and effectiveness
How To Change Lawn Mower Oil And Which Oil To Use
While changing the oil in your lawn mower is very important, you must make sure that the fuel tank is empty before doing so.
This is necessary to prevent any spilling in the lawnmower while changing the position of the mower.
In order to change the oil, use something to contain the old or used oil from your mower while taking out the oil cap.
What is the life expectancy of a lawn mower?
When it comes to the life expectancy of any lawn mower, it depends on its usage and maintenance.
However, most lawn mowers can last at least 10 years. In addition, the climate and size of mowers determine life expectancy as well.
Also, if you notice any of these problems, consider purchasing a new mower:
Transmission Issues
If your mower suffers transmission problem, you should get a new one. The cost of repair is expensive.
You can replace your old mower if it begins to have this problem. It is better you invest in a newer model than struggle with the old mower.
Engine Problems
If your mower begins to suffer engine issues, you should not waste money trying to fix it. A repair might keep the mower for a period before it breaks down again.
Hence, you should not try fixing a blown engine. You can either upgrade or buy an affordable mower.
Crankshaft Damage
Is your mower having a crankshaft issue? This may happen if the lawn lower’s blade strikes a tree stump, a rock, or another hard object.
Crankshaft damage can cause lawn mowers to stop moving and not restart. In addition, if the mowers blade is bent, it cannot work properly.
Before you think of buying a new crankshaft, the amount is costly. We recommend that you buy a new mower.
It’s Not Under Warranty
If your mower does not have a warranty, you have to buy a new one when it starts having issues.
Most mowers come with a warranty for the first few years of use. If you mower has no warranty, it might be expensive to repair.
In a general note, you should be able to get 7 to 10 years out of a new lawn mower, but repairs come up.
Meanwhile, things like belts pull chords, or broken cables are easily replaced with little cost.
It Keeps Breaking Down
A lawn mower that is always breaking down should be replaced. As a result, you can save more money if you buy a new one, especially if it is a commercial mower.
You Want an Upgrade
Today, we have quite a number of lawn mowers that are great with features.
You can upgrade your mower with any of the latest models. Upgrading is a good idea, especially if you always use your mower.
The newer mowers offer better fuel-efficient, which can save you money over time. It may be worth the investment.
How long do most riding lawn mowers last?
On average, we can say expect a heavy-duty riding mower to have a 5-year to an 8-year lifespan for residential use.
If it is a commercial or professional-grade mowers that see heavy commercial use, that lifespan is between 4 years and 5 years.
You should replace your mower if it is closer to the end of year. This would save you money and time of repair.
How many hours should a lawn mower last?
If you have a good maintenance and normal use, your lawnmower should expect to last at least 8-10 years.
Therefore, when you convert this, it would be around 300 to 500 hours for a small engine and 750 to 1000 hours for a bigger engine.
Meanwhile, there are many examples where larger ride-on lawnmowers last for a much longer time.
How often should you replace your lawnmower?
We can say that most mowers can stay for 10 years, but this is based on their usage, the climate you live in, and the size of your lawn.
Hence, when your mower starts having issues, you should replace it with a new one.
How long does a gas lawn mower last?
The good thing about gas mowers is that they are more durable. They can last longer. This type of mower will run for 10 years or more.
However, a battery-powered mower will need to be replaced after about five years, on average. Meanwhile, we have stated that a mower can last longer with good maintenance and usage.
You can change your mower when it starts having serious issues after many years, but if it suffers from an accident or had issues with expensive parts, you will need a replacement.