Winter power equipment storage tips

So none of us like the thought, but whether we like it or not winter is on us, and chances are you're about done with most of you power equipment for the year. Here are some tips we recommend for making sure your equipment is still functioning when you break it out next Spring.

• Riding lawn mowers - We don't like to see equipment stored with old oil in it. There is a lot of nasty stuff in there like metal particles that can create corrosion when resting against dissimilar metals over time. Start the machine up, let it get warm, drain the old oil out and put new in. Put a battery tender on it. We all mean to start our mower and let it warm up and recharge once a month but never do. If you have a slow leak tire put a block of wood under the axle, sitting with the rim against the tire all winter isn't good for it. Clean all the debris from on top of and under the mower deck, that grass and dirt retain moisture and is corrosive over time, we've seen a lot of badly rusted decks because of this. Either run the fuel out of it, or get good non-ethanol fuel mixed with a fuel stabilizer and fill it completely (remember to run it for a few minutes after to get the good fuel all the way through the system).
• Walk behind lawn mowers - Change oil, clean under deck, run fuel out of it, or fill completely with non-ethanol fuel mixed with fuel stabilizer (remember to run it for a few minutes after filling to get the good fuel all the way through the system).
• Pressure washers - Get all of the water out! You don't want any moisture in there to freeze, it does really bad things. Another option is to get (we recommend potable) antifreeze into it, or we sell a kit that puts it into the pump via an aerosol can. Change the oil. Either run the fuel out of it, or get good non-ethanol fuel mixed with a fuel stabilizer and fill it completely (remember to run it for a few minutes after to get the good fuel all the way through the system).
• Paint Sprayers - What is in the pump now? If you rinsed out the paint with water and left it, now is the time to put mineral spirits into the whole system including the gun and hose. Manufacturers are no longer warrantying damage due to freezing. One of the first components typically damaged is the pressure sensor also called a transducer. On electric powered computerized paint sprayers (most commercial grade electric paint sprayers are now controlled by a small onboard computer) this part is very expensive, and they will require we send them the part to analyze before approving a warranty claim. If your sprayer is gas powered, apply the same info. from "walk behind mowers" above to the motor.

Have a piece of equipment not listed that you'd like to know more about? Send me an email or post it to one of our Facebook pages and I'll see what we can come up with for you! 

-Tim-