It's that time of year again, when lawn mowers have come off the busy spring growth period and are in need of some serious TLC.

This annual service season equals a busy time for the team at Sunshine Coast Mowers, with a large influx of mowing enthusiasts looking to improve the longevity of their mower, as well as avoid inopportune breakdowns in the summer heat.

The team at Sunshine Coast Mowers will give your mower a professional tune-up, from having the blade sharpened, cleaning under the mower, replacing spark plugs and air filters, changing the oil, replacing old fuel if necessary and inspecting the carburettor, cables and belts.

There are many benefits of a professional mower service, the look of your grass being just one. If your not already aware, a dull blade will tear the grass, whereas a sharp blade will cut the grass and give you an even cut — and who wants an ugly lawn for summer?

A regular service at Sunshine Coast Motors can not only improve the longevity of your mower, the team will also be able to look over the machine for anything that might potentially go wrong in the near future.

When you don't maintain your lawn mower, it's going to break down. When it breaks down, you can't mow your lawn regularly – it’s that simple.

Regularly cutting the lawn is very important for its health. If you miss a week, it grows taller. When you come back to cut it, you're ripping a lot of the moisture out of the lawn. You're causing a lot of problems by not doing it regularly, which is why maintaining your mower is so important.

FIVE SIGNS YOUR MOWER NEEDS A SERVICE

Lawn mowers are tough, but like any machine they need some TLC from time to time. Here are five warning signs your lawn mower is in need of professional attention from the team at Sunshine Coast Mowers.

  1. A lawn mower with a starter cord should start in less than 10 pulls. If it takes more to get the engine to fire, then the mower should be serviced. Continuously yanking the cord to get the engine to start will not only lead to extreme frustration, but it could also cause the starter cord to break.
  2. Sputtering engines indicate that the mower's engine is not receiving the correct blend of air and fuel. This is usually the result of a dirty air filter and carburettor.
  3. When an engine makes a knocking noise, it can be an indication that the engine needs more oil or is running hot. A knocking engine will lead to reduced power and if unaddressed could lead to the destruction of the engine.
  4. If the lawn mower is producing puffs of black or blue smoke, it is trying to tell you something. Black smoke is a sign the mower's carburettor is running rich and is burning too much fuel.
  5. Self-propelled lawn mowers are designed to make mowing the lawn easier, but when the propulsion system is malfunctioning, it can make mowing very difficult. A problem with the mower's self-propel feature is often a sign the transmission is worn or needs an adjustment.