If you are a homeowner or have to maintain someone else’s lawn, and have an electric lawnmower, you will most likely need to service your mower at some point. Like all mechanical tools, mowers can have problems and need repairs or maintenance. In the first part of this article, we gave an overview of how to take care of the power supply and battery for users of corded and cordless electric lawn mowers. Now let’s move on to more common electric lawn problems and some simple and effective ways to overcome them.
The other important feature of a mower is the cutting blades. Sharp blades will not cut as effectively as blunt blades, which means you may need to make several passes over a section of grass to get the same result – and that means more work for you and more time to spend mowing. To sharpen mower blades, be sure the mower is off and unplugged, and the mower is turned upside down. Clean off any grass clippings, dirt, and other debris with a damp cloth before moving on to removing the blades. If you secure the blades to a piece of wood or similar, this will make it easier to loosen the screw that attaches the blade to the mower. Once these are removed, you can either sharpen the blade yourself using a heavy metal file or electric grinder, or take the blade in to be professionally sharpened if you don’t have those tools or aren’t comfortable doing it yourself. After the blade has been sharpened, reattach it to the mower taking extra care to ensure it is firmly and securely attached.
Another common complaint when using electric mowers is that the blades will block while mowing. This is more likely to happen if you are trying to mow very heavy or thick grass or if the grass is wet where you cut. Mowing wet lawns is a no-no, since wet grass clippings will stick to the inside of the mower and any mulching attachments, and there’s a good chance of them slipping on the wet surface, too. If the grass is particularly tall, set the cutting height to the maximum it will reach. Push the mower slowly into the lawn, and if it seems to get bogged down, back off and give the blades a chance to clear the clippings before mowing forward again. You may need to mow at full height before lowering the cutting arm to the desired height and mowing again.
Sometimes the mower wheels become loose or even fall out of the mower blade. Before cutting, check to make sure they are firmly attached to the axle, as cutting on a rough or uneven surface may cause them to loosen. Many electric mowers come with a polymer or plastic top instead of metal, which means they won’t rust, are lightweight, and can be easily wiped down with a damp cloth after use. However, plastic is not as hard as metal, and may be more brittle and easily damaged if used improperly. If you have a lot of rocks or obstacles in your lawn or garden that go straight up to the fence, be careful not to run your mower into these as this can damage the deck. Many electric lawn mowers come with a lifetime deck warranty, so if you crack or break your lawn mower deck and need a replacement, check with the manufacturer for more information.