You've given your lawn its due diligence. You've aerated, seeded and fed it, and now you wait. You wait for warmer days. You wait for sun. You wait for bluer skies. But with confidence (and patience), you know the grass will soon be growing and greener.
You may have checked off everything on your lawn prep to-do list, but the work isn't quite done. Ongoing maintenance will soon find its way to the top of the list, and trimming is a frequent task aimed at keeping pathways and small areas well-kept and clear of overgrown grass and brush.
But before you get started, here's a simple string trimmer tune-up to-do list to make sure you're ready to tackle your outdoor tasks:
- Fuel: Trimmers will have a healthier, grass-ready engine if you add a fuel stabilizer to the gas mix. For long-term storage, be sure to empty the machine of all fuel. Then, start the engine and let it completely run out of fuel throughout the entire carburetor system. When it comes time to refuel for another season, it's important to use a premixed oil and gas product like TruFuel®, which ensures optimal performance in 2- and 4-cycle trimmers. Premixed fuel helps eliminate the mess and hassle of mixing oil and gas, and prevents fuel from becoming stale. It also ensures high performance for two years after it's opened.
- Engine: The off-season is an ideal time to replace your trimmer's spark plug, fuel filter and air filter, as tuning up your engine will reduce fuel consumption and increase power. For trimmers with 4-cycle engines, you should make sure the engine oil is fresh and full.
- Cutting Systems: Round trimming lines can become dry and brittle over time. To prevent this from occurring and to increase the life of your round line, simply store it in a sealed bag with a small amount of water. However, as another option, keep in mind some Troy-Bilt® trimmers come equipped with the Aero-Flex® Trimming System, which includes Aero-Flex line formulated to withstand moisture loss and brittleness.
- Upgrade Your Tool Shed: Products with versatility not only provide convenience when it comes to day-to-day yard maintenance, but they can also allow you to be more efficient in completing various lawn and garden projects. Troy-Bilt's suite of TrimmerPlus® attachments makes it easy to check off different yard tasks with one tool, transforming attachment-capable trimmers into other pieces of yard equipment like a hedge trimmer, cultivator, pole saw, edger and blower; you can even change out the cutting head.
