5 TIPS TO HELP GET YOUR GARDENING TOOLS READY FOR SPRING

As the warmer months come around, it’s important to take a few steps to ensure that your power tools are functioning as intended. Maintenance can not only maximize the lifespan of your equipment and save you from unpleasant surprises down the road, but also improve performance quality in the long run.

We’ve put together a collection of essential tips on how to give your gardening efforts a boost this spring.

1. INSPECT AND TEST YOUR POWER TOOLS

It’s important to correctly store your gardening equipment over the winter. If your tools are sitting in your garage or shed for months on end, they could have rust, corrosion or other unwanted damage. This is why it’s important to perform a thorough inspection of everything you own.

On electric tools, check that the power cable isn’t damaged. And also look for any rusty, loose, broken or damaged parts. Some of these issues are fairly easy to fix or replace at home.

Pressure washers in particular can suffer from leaks if they’re kept somewhere that isn’t frost-free, as water in the tubes expands when it freezes and can cause holes.

After inspecting a power tool, start it and run it to test for any irregular noise and to make sure it’s still in good working condition. If you detect issues, assess if the damage is minimal and can be fixed at home.

If you’re the owner of an expensive petrol power tool, you should consider taking it for an annual service at an authorised dealer, so you can be sure it’s in top condition.

2. PERFORM GENERAL MAINTENANCE

Once you know your garden machine is still in working condition, you’ll want to perform some general maintenance such as wiping down the chassis and the exterior with a damp cloth to remove dirt. Also tighten any loose screws or bolts and make sure all the external wires are secure. Also clean off any old grass clippings from lawn mowers and grass trimmers.

It’s also good practice to oil and lubricate chains and blades on machines such as chainsaws and hedge trimmers. You can rub hedge trimmer blades with wire wool to help remove any build-up of plant sap.

Regular maintenance can prolong the life of your garden power tools significantly.

3. RECHARGE ANY BATTERIES

If your power tools are cordless, you’ll want to makes sure their batteries still work.

Charge the batteries and test them, and replace any that are no longer working. Power tool manufacturer Stihl suggests you should leave batteries at a charge level of 40–60% when in storage.

4. CHANGE THE OIL AND FUEL

Replacing the oil in your power tools is essential if you want to ensure they run smoothly and efficiently when spring comes around. This is also a good opportunity to detect any leaks or issues you may have missed previously.

Manufacturers of garden tools also recommend stocking up on the correct grade of oil before the season starts. This way you can get on with the gardening jobs straight away and top it up in small amounts when you need to.

Petrol tools that were drained of fuel before winter storage can be refilled. Also don’t forget to clean the spark plug on petrol tools.

5. REPLACE YOUR OLD TOOLS, IF NEEDED

If you’ve done all all you can and realised it might be time to replace your old power tools then we sigest to buy brand new from a reputable seller or if you can’t stretch to brand new go refurbished with a guarantee.