Coordinating proper storage for equipment is essential to keep it running. Whether your lawn mower is electric or gas powered, it is important to keep it protected from the elements. The easiest way to accomplish this is to store your mower in an outdoor shed.
Where to Store a Lawn Mower When You Don’t Have a Shed
If a shed doesn’t already exist on your property, you’ll need to find other means to store your lawn mower.
A quick spring cleaning of your garage may reveal that you have room to store it there. You trust your garage to keep your car’s engine out of the rain and wind, why not put your lawn mower in the same area? When there’s no room in your garage or one does not exist, you’ll have to resort to storing your lawn mower outdoors.
Use an Elevated Surface
To properly store your lawn mower outdoors, you’ll need to park the mower on an elevated surface.
This can be achieved by driving the mower up onto ramps or using two small car jacks underneath the mower to keep it lifted off the ground.
Your mower should remain on the elevated surface when it is not in use.
The elevation allows the mower to remain dry underneath its hood and prevents small animals from nesting below or in the mower.
The elevation should be even across the whole mower. Propping only one side of the mower up could cause precious fuel to drain.
Protecting the Surface
Now that the undercarriage is properly attended to, we can focus on protecting the surface of the mower.
When not in use, your lawn mower should be covered with a heavy duty tarp.
If the tarp is heavy and thick enough, you can simply lay the tarp over your mower.
If the tarp is likely to be blown off by the wind, strap it down with ropes or bungee cords. These ties can be secured to the mower itself or your platform of choice.
Construct your own lean-to
This is a storage option for smaller equipment and yards that don’t permit temporary structures
Choose a level spot in your yard adjacent to a structure that you can lean materials on such as the side of your house or a corner of your fence.
Lean a piece of metal or plastic against the supporting structure.
Now you’ve got a small section of your yard that is protected from the rain. You can place your ramps here under the cover.
Additionally, you could use pieces of lumber or another piece of metal perpendicular to your makeshift roof to reinforce it.
Then, you could use your tarp to cover the third side of your makeshift enclosure. Now you’ve got an open ended shed that will allow you to store your equipment away from the rain.
Hanging up Your Mower
If your lawn is small, you may own a push mower. These mowers are typically light in design. In your garage or under cover elsewhere, you can hang your mower up after use.
Install two to three heavy duty screws with large heads or hooks in a straight line not exceeding the breadth of the mower’s handlebars.
Lift the mower up and hang it on the new hooks with the engine facing outward and not in contact with the wall.
For additional support, you could also install brackets or a small shelf underneath the lawn mower’s wheels.
Other Alternatives
Another option for storing your lawn mower when you don’t have a shed is to utilize someone else’s space.
If you have a neighbor or friend close by, you can ask them if they would be welcome to you storing your equipment on their property.
As penance, you could offer to allow them to use your mower or even offer to mow their lawn yourself. With a sweet deal like that, there’s no way they’ll say no!
Why Proper Storage of You Lawn Mower Is Important
Proper storage and maintenance of your lawn equipment increases its longevity.
The average lawn mower has a service life of eight to ten years with proper maintenance.
Without proper maintenance or if stored under improper conditions, your lawn mower will only last a few years.
Lawn Mowers Are Expensive
Lawn mowers can cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. Protect the investment you made when you purchased your lawn mower by taking care of it. You can spend thousands of dollars every decade on lawn mower repair and replacement, or you can spend the extra time it takes to properly store your lawn mower.
Damage
Inadequate storage of lawn equipment can lead to damage of the equipment. Damaged equipment will not perform at its full capacity and could be a danger to you.
Inefficiency
Blades that are rusted from constant moisture exposure won’t cut your grass efficiently. The result will be a rough chop that is uneven and could damage your grass in the long run.
In Summary – Where to Store Your Lawn Mower with No Shed
The mechanical and electrical components of a lawn mower should be protected from the elements. If you don’t have the means or the space to install a shed, you can make a lean-to.
When that is not possible as well, ensure your mower is stored in a manner that is elevated from the ground and protected from wind and rain by a tarp.
When using a tarp, you need to routinely evaluate the tarp. Make sure there are no holes in the cover, and when holes do occur, they should be patched immediately.
When a hole is too severe to patch, discard the tarp.
