The Lawn Mower Task To Do In August To Keep It Running Smoothly

As the summer days wind down in the month of August, you probably have several chores on your lawn care to-do list, including plants to prune and areas of grass to overseed. But you should not ignore one simple, yet vital, task related to your mower. Sharpening the mower blade improves the overall maintenance of your mower and your lawn. All types of mowers, including riding and push, gas and battery-powered, eventually require their blades to be sharpened. By mid- to late summer, your mower is likely due for this routine task, too.

Regular maintenance of mower blades is recommended every 25 hours of use. For the average home owner, that equates to around twice every mowing season. Another recommendation suggests sharpening them before the mowing season begins, again in late spring, and for a final time in summer. Keep in mind, however, that more frequent mowing will lead to more abuse of the blades. By the time August rolls around, you might have already needed to sharpen your blades several times. Not all lawn mower blades are universal, either, so get this task done in August to avoid scrambling to find a replacement blade by the time fall arrives.

There are several warning signs that indicate your lawn mower's blades need sharpening, including uneven lawn cuts, torn clippings, and uncut areas. A dull blade on your lawn mower is not only inefficient; it can also be detrimental to the health of your yard. If you continue cutting the grass with a dull blade, you risk stressing your turf out and allowing weeds, insects, and disease to push in. You want to avoid stressing your lawn out during summer, when the temperatures can be volatile and rain either excessive or nonexistent.

It's also good practice to sharpen your mower's blades in August if you want to keep your machine in working order. Dull blades are often also imbalanced, which can lead to vibrations that damage other mower parts. That means a mower with freshly sharpened blades will likely run smoother than before. The clean cuts of a sharpened blade also allow your mower to work more efficiently without as much unnecessary work for the engine.

Finally, before you complete this essential mower maintenance task, you should determine if the blade requires replacing altogether. To decide when to sharpen versus when to replace your lawn mower blades, consider whether you can see visible, irreversible degradation (like cracks) in the blade. Remember, if your mower blades just need sharpening, keep up this task a few times a year to avoid replacing them too early.