Explorable Guide of Lawn Care Equipment Maintenance for Pros (with Intervals!)

Unlocking Longevity:

Essential Lawn Care Equipment Maintenance Intervals

It’s no secret, as a lawn care pro, that one of the best ways to preserve your lawn care equipment is to maintain it properly. 

But with so many factors to consider from spark plugs to oil changes, it can be overwhelming to deal with. 

Well, we did the groundwork and have compiled all of the maintenance intervals for your lawn care equipment in one place. 

Here is a simple guide of maintenance intervals you can use to keep your equipment running optimally.

Below you will find maintenance intervals for: 

• Spark plugs
• Mower's oil and oil filter
• Hydro oil
• Sharpening blades
• Air filters
• Fuel filters
• Lawn mower belts

How frequently should I change my equipment's spark plugs?

Maintenance Interval: Check Annually, Replace As Needed

This is a controversial issue. Many sources claim that you need to change your spark plugs after 25 hours of use. But this misconception comes from a Briggs and Stratton guide that says to check your spark plug every 25 hours of use and be sure it looks good. 

The reality is, that most people never change spark plugs on their average machine, and you don’t really need to unless you find that your engine's performance is dropping. 

Here’s the catch, although your spark plugs will rarely need to be replaced, they can get seized in the engine if they never get removed. So it’s wise to remove your spark plugs annually and treat the threads with anti-freeze. While you're at it you may as well gap the spark plug too. 

When to change your mower's oil and oil filter?

Maintenance Interval:  Every 50 Hours of Use, or 500 Hours if using an Oil Gaurd system

One of the most important things you need to replace on your lawn mower is your engine's oil. And for most engines, the answer is pretty straightforward replace your oil and change your filter after every 50 hours of operation. Meaning that you should replace your lawn mowers oil fortnightly if you are running your mower for 25 hours a week. 

However, there is an alternative option. Many lawn care pros use an Oil Gaurd system which allows them to operate their mower for 500 hours before needing to replace their oil. Which can save a lot of time and money in the long run.

Some lawn care pros never change oil, but simply add more as the level drops. While this is not advisable, some push mowers are actually marketed as never needing an oil change.

How frequently do I need to change my hydro oil?

Maintenance Interval:  Every 200 hours of operation

If your lawn mower takes hydro oil, you should change it after every 200 hours of operation. 

Be sure to replace it with the oil that the manufacturer suggests for the best performance of your lawn mower. 

How often should I sharpen my lawn mower blades?

Maintenance Interval: Sharpen your blades after 25 hours of use. 

75% of lawn care professionals sharpen their lawn mower blades every week. And it’s generally recommended that you sharpen them after 25 hours. So if you have 5 full days of work each week, and you use your mower about 5 hours a day, you should sharpen your blades every week. 

However, this isn’t the case in all markets. In places like Florida where there is a lot of sand, you may need to sharpen your blades as frequently as once a day. 

While it is a pain to sharpen or change out your blades, doing so regularly can greatly improve the quality of your services, and prevent unneeded wear and tear on the mower.

How frequently do I need to change the air filter?

Maintenance Interval: Annually

Whether it’s your weed eater, leaf blower, or lawn mower, air filters rarely need to be replaced, but as a good rule of thumb, it's a good idea to change them annually. While you could get away without changing your air filter, doing so annually will ensure you are getting optimal performance out of your equipment. 

Related article: Is it safe to use aftermarket air filters or oil filters?

How frequently do I need to change the fuel filter?

Maintenance Interval: Annually for your mower, As needed for other small engines.

As with your equipment's air filter, it’s a good idea to change your mower's fuel filter annually. 

On the other hand, the fuel filters in your weed eater, leaf blower, and other small engines are inside of the gas tank and difficult to reach. 

In my experience, I find that they can wait to be changed until the fuel lines need to be replaced.  As long as you are not running bad gasoline in your engine, the fuel filter will do its job until the fuel lines need to be replaced. 

How frequently should I change my lawn mower belt?

Maintenance Interval: Annually

It’s true, you could just wait until your belt breaks to replace it. The last thing you want to do is be stranded on a job site with a broken belt and no replacement. 

So ideally, you should change your lawn mower’s belt annually to prevent that from happening. But you never really know when a belt is going to go, so you should always have a replacement on the truck.

Easy Lawn Care Equipment Maintenance Guide:

1. Spark Plugs: Check yearly, replace if needed (not every 25 hours!).
2. Oil & Filter: Change every 50 hours (or 500 with Oil Gaurd). Don't just add oil!
3. Hydro Oil: Every 200 hours. Use manufacturer's recommended oil.
4. Blades: Sharpen every 25 hours (weekly in sandy areas). Dull blades damage your lawn.
5. Air Filter: Change annually for optimal performance.
6. Fuel Filter: Change mower filter annually, others when fuel lines need replacing.
7. Belt: Change annually to avoid breakdowns. Keep a spare on hand.

Bonus Tip: Regular maintenance saves money and keeps your business running smoothly!

In Conclusion: Maintaining Your Lawn Care Equipment

Maintaining your lawn care equipment is a great way to preserve your investment. 

The last thing you want to do is run into issues with your equipment that could have been prevented. In the lawn care business, the more time your equipment is down, the less time you can be out there cutting grass and making cash.

Looking for more great ways to improve your lawn care business operations? Check out our intermediate guide to running a lawn care business.