If you failed to bring your lawnmower inside before that afternoon rain or it was left outside during rainy days, it must be dried off before it can be used again.
Moisture in the carburetor, spark plug chamber or air intake ports of a lawnmower hinders combustion, and thus the engine will not start.
Water may have contaminated the lawnmower’s gasoline and oil if it was left outside for an extended period of time, necessitating their replacement.
Let’s see how water can harm your mower.
What Will Water Do To Your Mower?
Mowers for the lawn are tough machinery. After all, they were created to survive grass, sticks, mud, and other elements of nature.
Your mower will become wet at some point, whether it’s due to rain, sprinklers, or simply being left out overnight and being wet by the morning dew.
There’s typically nothing to be concerned about as long as it hasn’t been completely soaked or immersed. Constant exposure to moisture, on the other hand, may cause havoc to your mower, so keep an eye out for the warning signals.
There’s no problem if the lawnmower’s exterior is the only item that’s gotten wet.
However, as previously said, some sections of the mower, such as the spark plug, carburetor, air filter, gas tank, and other similar components, should not be exposed to dampness.
If your mower won’t start after being left out in the rain or sprinklers, it’s most likely because water has gotten into the carburetor or the spark plug has been destroyed.
Don’t jump to conclusions that you need to purchase a new one. It can be saved by following some steps. Let’s see how can you try to fix your mower if it gets wet.
You can also try cleaning the lawn mower carburetor to remove or dry water in it if any.
How Can You Fix Your Wet Mower?
Most of the time, getting rid of moisture in your lawnmower is a simple task. If you need to dry off a wet lawnmower, the first thing you should do is turn it on.
Once the motor starts to run, lawnmowers produce a lot of heat. This self-generated heat will probably be sufficient to dry out all of the moisture within a mower’s system.
Allow it to run for a few minutes, and your problem should be resolved. You should definitely make it a habit to switch it on anytime it gets wet since this will instantly eliminate any moisture.
This will also help to avoid corrosion on both the outside and interior of the mower, hence protecting your mower.
That’s all well and good, but what happens when the lawnmower refuses to start at all?
The first step should be to inspect the gasoline tanks. Most likely, the gasoline was tampered with. Remove the gas from the mower and place it in a clean container. If you detect stones in the container, remove them. Using unsuitable gas can may worsen the problem so make sure to use suitable gas for lawn mower can to solve the issue.
If the gas tank isn’t the problem, the spark plug should be examined next. Remove it and carefully clean it before allowing it to dry completely. Replacing the spark plug and attempting to restart the lawnmower are the next steps.
If the mower still won’t start, you’ll need to clean and replace the air filter.
If after following all these steps, the machine still won’t work then you need to reach out to a mechanic to get certain parts replaced.
Lawn Mower Maintenance
If your mower isn’t working, it does not mean that it had something to do with rain. It’s possible that it hasn’t been adequately maintained. Here are some helpful tips to keep your lawnmower in good working order:
- When the grass is wet, you run the danger of clogging your mower blades and putting unnecessary strain on your mower, so don’t mow while your mower or grass is wet.
- If a rock becomes lodged in your mower, it should be sent to a repair. Routine mechanic appointments might be costly, but one yearly visit may be sufficient.
- Also, check your mower’s oil after each season, and if the gasoline is depleted, add extra immediately.
Conclusion
There’s no need to be concerned right now if your mower was caught in the rain. Remove any water standing on the mower’s exterior.
If your lawnmower isn’t operating, follow the procedures above. If the condition is not too terrible, it will most likely start working again. If not, you’ll have to take it to a mechanic.
The necessary parts will be replaced, and the mower will be operational once again.
