Tips to Store Landscaping Equipment in Cold Weather
According to statistics, about 90% of Australians who own a yard believe in its proper maintenance practices mainly because it is found around their houses. In most cases, over the summer, these lawns are not maintained and hence the tools which were previously used e.g. a lawn mower, ground shovels and hand held trowels need to be cleaned and stored properly for future use. The following four tips are very important in preparing your landscaping tools for storage:
Stabilise Fuel
Before storing your machinery, you should drain the oil that was left in the tank because it can cause inefficiency or shorten the engine life if left for a long period of time. Therefore, lawn mowers and trimmers should be drained off their fuel and oil to avoid reducing the life span of the engine.
Replace or Repair Damaged Parts
To be certain that your equipment will run again come spring, you should check out for worn out, damaged or missing parts to do necessary maintenance. Before storing your equipment, you should do a thorough check up before storing your items to avoid future complications when you are in dire need. You should be very keen to either repair or replace the following or any other faulty part:
- Worn out lawn blades, belts or pulley system
- Missing nuts or screws
- Leaking fuel or oil tank
- Dirty air filters
- Faulty spark plugs
Keeping an eye on these parts makes your equipment run perfectly next season. However, if you happen to store your equipment without repairing it, you may not even remember the cause of the problem or amplify the problem after storing the faulty equipment.
Clean Dirt and Rust Before Storing
If you ask any landscape designer, one of the basic principle of storing tools and equipment is regular and proper cleaning. When storing your equipment, remove any dirt or soil thoroughly using water and then leave the equipment to dry to avoid rusting because moisture predisposes metals to rust. This prolongs the lifespan of your tools while still maintaining their efficiency when using them.
Poorly maintained tools wear out fast, are ineffective and may cause harm to the user causing injuries or blisters because they are not fit for use. Landscape tools and equipment e.g. rakes, trowels, mowers, hoes, chain saws and ground shovels should be thoroughly cleaned to make sure they will remain in a good condition after their storage.
Use a Self-Storage Unit
To ensure safety and safe storage of your equipment, you should look for a self-storage unit which is easily accessible 24-hours a day and the following additional amenities:
- Climate-control unit- the storage unit should be able to control weather conditions to prevent your tools from rust or water damage which is a common occurrence in long term storage. These might cost you a little extra but you can rest assured knowing that your landscaping tools will be safe and secure.
- Premium security- The storage unit should have reliable security and surveillance to safeguard your equipment
- The storage unit should have various unit sizes to successfully store a variety of equipment in relation to size
By just following the tips listed above, you can store your landscape equipment for a long period of time without causing any damage to either of them. Consequently, you should read equipment’s specific manual guide to become knowledgeable about their maintenance and operational procedures for better and safer use.
Before spending a lot of money on buildings or land, it is advisable to do some thorough research into the storage market. One of the most challenging decisions to make when setting up a facility for storage is choosing a site. The ideal site is the one located on a major road or city and is clearly visible. You will also consider the level of competition around the area, whether the service is in high demand in the area, and whether the area is already flooded with storage facilities. If the number of storage businesses in the area exceeds the number of customers, chances are you will invest and end up having empty containers almost always, thus a loss.…