| Keep Your Summer Tools in Good Condition |
Master gardener Joe Lamp'l, host of Fresh from the Garden, gives tips on properly maintaining lawn and garden equipment.
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Each time you use lawn and garden equipment, try to remember these suggestions for optimal performance and a lighter carbon footprint: remove debris, check the oil level, apply lubricant, clean or replace air filters and drain the old oil.
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By Joe Lamp'l
May 12, 2008 — Chances are that as you read this article, the omnipresent sound of a lawnmower or blower is within earshot. It's that time of year when many of us are outside, mowing, edging, cutting and blowing. Besides the loud and often intrusive noise, did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that "small engines are big polluters" in other ways, too? "And power-equipment users inadvertently contribute to the problem by carelessly handling fuel and by improperly maintaining their equipment." So it only stands to reason, an ounce of prevention is worth far more than saved fuel and reduced emissions, not to mention the years of extra service well-maintained equipment provides. It's a basic premise any handyperson knows: Maintain tools for maximum performance. Start with a novel idea: Read the instruction manual! Following the manufacturer's guidelines for maintenance should provide optimum efficiency of the tool. But those instructions? Well, they're on paper, and at my house they have probably already been shredded and composted. Even when the directions are still close at hand, all too often we ignore them altogether. But for the environmentally conscientious gardener, or anyone for that matter, following good maintenance practices means you'll use less fuel, pollute less and your tools will last longer, saving on all the energy that goes into purchasing new ones and the waste of tossing poorly maintained ones into the landfill. So each time you use lawn and garden equipment, try to remember these suggestions for optimal performance and a lighter carbon footprint:
- Remove debris from the air-intake screen, muffler, oil filter and other areas as needed. Keeping a tool clean is an amazingly simple way to make sure it runs well.
- Check the oil level.
- Apply lubricant as needed, such as a small amount of lightweight oil, lithium grease or silicone lubricant, to all exposed control cable and pivot points, usually the clutch and throttle controls.
- Clean or replace air filters as specified by the manufacturer. If you aren't a knowledgeable mechanic (and I'm not), timely tuneups at a specialty shop will ensure that your engine is running at maximum efficiency and prolong its useful life.
- Drain the old oil in standard four-cycle lawnmower engines at the end of the season or as you gear up for the new season. Of course, dispose of the old oil properly. Check with a local gas station, quick-lube center or auto mechanic for possible disposal sites.
Add fuel sparingly, as the lawn- and landscape-maintenance season comes to a close. Tools should be stored without fuel. If there is only a little bit of gas in the tank at the end of the season, run the engine until it's empty. But if you end up running an engine in your driveway for an hour or so, it's just a waste of fuel and unnecessary air pollution. Better yet, remove the fuel and store it in an approved container with the rest of your gasoline. Also, be careful when refilling the engine. The EPA points out that even small gasoline spills evaporate and pollute the air. And, what will this accomplish for the planet? A well-maintained tool hits every environmental button. They are replaced less often, saving on fuel costs and pollution in manufacturing and transport. Equipment operates with fewer emissions. And you're less likely to have to pitch the whole thing before its time. But it's another drop in the huge ocean of waste we Americans produce each year. (Joe Lamp'l, a master gardener, hosts DIY's Fresh from the Garden as well as a gardening radio show. For more information, visit www.joegardener.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.) | Get DIY On Your TV. Just follow the instructions to see if DIY Network is available through your cable or satellite provider. |
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