Lawn mower operating hours. How Early Can You Mow Your Lawn

TimeMaster® 30in Lawn Mower

This rotary-blade, walk-behind lawn mower is intended to be used by residential homeowners. It is designed primarily for cutting grass on well-maintained lawns on residential properties. It is not designed for cutting brush or for agricultural uses.

Read this information carefully to learn how to operate and maintain your product properly and to avoid injury and product damage. You are responsible for operating the product properly and safely.

You may contact Toro directly at www.Toro.com for product and accessory information, help finding a dealer, or to register your product.

Whenever you need service, genuine Toro parts, or additional information, contact an Authorized Service Dealer or Toro Customer Service and have the model and serial numbers of your product ready. Figure 1 identifies the location of the model and serial numbers on the product. Write the product model and serial numbers in the space provided.

Important: With your mobile device, you can scan the QR code on the serial number decal (if equipped) to access warranty, parts, and other product information.

This manual identifies potential hazards and has safety messages identified by the safety-alert symbol (Figure 2), which signals a hazard that may cause serious injury or death if you do not follow the recommended precautions.

This manual uses 2 words to highlight information. Important calls attention to special mechanical information and Note emphasizes general information worthy of special attention.

Warning

The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

It is a violation of California Public Resource Code Section 4442 or 4443 to use or operate the engine on any forest-covered, brush-covered, or grass-covered land unless the engine is equipped with a spark arrester, as defined in Section 4442, maintained in effective working order or the engine is constructed, equipped, and maintained for the prevention of fire.

The enclosed Engine Owner’s Manual is supplied for information regarding the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Emission Control Regulation of emission systems, maintenance, and warranty. Replacements may be ordered through the engine manufacturer.

Gross or Net Torque: The gross or net torque of this engine was laboratory rated by the engine manufacturer in accordance with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1940 or J2723. As configured to meet safety, emission, and operating requirements, the actual engine torque on this class of mower will be significantly lower. Please refer to the engine manufacturer’s information included with the machine.

Safety

This machine has been designed in accordance with ANSI B71.1-2012.

General Safety

This product is capable of amputating hands and feet and of throwing objects. Always follow all safety instructions to avoid serious personal injury.

Using this product for purposes other than its intended use could prove dangerous to you and bystanders.

• Read, understand, and follow the instructions and warnings in this Operator’s Manual and on the machine and attachments before starting the engine.
• Do not put your hands or feet near moving parts of or under the machine. Keep clear of any discharge opening.
• Do not operate the machine without all guards and other safety protective devices in place and working on the machine.
• Keep bystanders and children a safe distance away from the machine. Do not allow children to operate the machine. Allow only people who are responsible, trained, familiar with the instructions, and physically capable to operate the machine.
• Stop the machine and shut off the engine before servicing, fueling, or unclogging the machine.

Improperly using or maintaining this machine can result in injury. To reduce the potential for injury, comply with these safety instructions and always pay attention to the safety-alert symbol, which means Caution, Warning, or Danger—personal safety instruction. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

You can find additional safety information where needed throughout this manual.

Safety and Instructional Decals

Safety decals and instructions are easily visible to the operator and are located near any area of potential danger. Replace any decal that is damaged or missing.

Manufacturer’s Mark

• This mark indicates that the blade is identified as a part from the original machine manufacturer.

Electric-Start Model Only

• Warning—read the Operator’s Manual for information on charging the battery; contains lead; do not discard.
• Read the Operator’s Manual.

Electric-Start Model Only

• Warning—read the Operator’s Manual.
• Cutting/dismemberment hazard of hand or foot, mower blade—stay away from moving parts; keep all guards and shields in place.
• Cutting/dismemberment hazard of hand or foot, mower blade—disconnect the spark-plug wire and read the instructions before servicing or performing maintenance.
• Thrown object hazard—keep bystanders a safe distance away from the machine; shut off the engine before leaving the operating position; pick up any debris before mowing.
• Cutting/dismemberment hazard of hand or foot, mower blade—do not operate up and down slopes; operate side to side on slopes; look behind you when backing up.

Traction Adjustment

• Attention; read the Operator’s Manual—1) Loosen the knob by turning it counterclockwise; 2) Pull the cable(s) away from the engine to decrease the traction, or push the cable(s) toward the engine to increase the traction; 3) Tighten the knob by turning it clockwise.
• Scan the QR code for more information on traction adjustment.

Setup

Important: Remove and discard the protective plastic sheet that covers the engine and any other plastic or wrapping on the machine.

Important: To prevent accidental starting, do not insert the key into the electric-start ignition (if equipped) until you are ready to start the engine.

Warning

Assembling and unfolding the handle improperly can damage the cables, causing an unsafe operating condition.

• Do not damage the cables when unfolding the handle.
• If a cable is damaged, contact an Authorized Service Dealer.

How Early Can You Mow Your Lawn?

I love to cut my lawn. It is a time when I can escape into the serene yard around my home and get away from the hustle and bustle of life. Life today is so much more complicated than it was even a decade ago. So spending a few hours caring for the grass and the garden around my house is also a time that allows me to care for myself. In this day and age, I think that’s important.

That being said, before you begin working outside, you have to make sure that you do not disrupt the lives of the people living in your neighborhood. Your therapeutic garden adventures may cause too much noise. The noise of your mower may be disturbing others around you.

We many other articles on to help you properly mow your lawn. For instance, you may be interested in our article on how to mow patterns.

Not only is it important for you to consider your neighbors, you also have to consider the health of your grass and your local ordinances.

Wait a second. The health of your grass? Community ordinances? Am I reading this correctly? Yes, you are. There are a number of things that you must consider before you go outside to cut your grass.

Your lawn mower, unless you have a robotic model, is not a quiet machine. Every time you trim the grass, there is an inherent noise that comes with the activity. That sound is something you have to consider for several reasons.

So before you run out and crank up any heavy-duty equipment at the crack of dawn, keep reading. Remember, there is more at stake here than just creating more work for yourself in your yard.

What Is the Earliest Time You Can Mow Your Lawn?

You may ask yourself, “How early can I cut my grass?” Theoretically, you can do yard work any time you please. It is your property, after all. If, for some reason, you felt the need to fire up the engine at two o’clock in the morning and cut your grass, you certainly could.

However, it goes without saying that the middle of the night is probably not the best time to be outside mowing.

What you may not realize is that you might be breaking the law by choosing to mow too early in the morning or too late in the evening.

Plus, there’s the fact that your neighbors will be very unhappy with you for disturbing them.

Depending on where you live, lawn care professionals are not allowed to start working until 7 or 8 in the morning during the week. These times are not a suggestion. There are communal ordinances in place that dictate when work may start to avoid creating a ruckus too early in the morning.

On weekends and holidays, yard equipment is prohibited from running before 8 or 9 in the morning. Again, this time is dependent upon where you live and what the ordinances say in your area.

So, take the time to do some research online or call your local officials to avoid facing a fine for making noise outside too early in the day. You’ve already invested money in making your property look appealing, so you probably don’t want to shell out more money to pay a fine that could have been avoided.

When it comes to lawncare, it is important to tailor the care to the specific type of grass you have. Check out our guide on taking care of bahia grass.

What Is the Best Time to Mow Your Lawn?

Now that you understand what the law says in your area and what time you are allowed to begin cutting grass, it’s probably a good time to let you know that an early morning start is a bad idea. Mowing in the early morning is harmful to the grass.

By early morning, we mean between the hours of 6 and 8 a.m. But even though you might be allowed to mow at this time, it doesn’t mean that you should.

There are several problems with choosing to start this early.

First, obviously, is that you might violate the ordinances we mentioned earlier if you begin right at 6 a.m.

The second issue is that it is actually the worst possible time to cut your grass if you want to keep it healthy.

This early in the day, plants are still wet with dew. The dew will make cutting grass less efficient than if it were dry. It may also make your lawn more susceptible to disease.

So, avoid this early time of the day and prevent having to deal with unhappy neighbors and an unhealthy lawn.

The best time to mow your grass is mid-morning. This means the time between 8 and 10 a.m. By this time of day, you shouldn’t have to worry about offending your neighbors.

Also, the sun has dried all the dew. But the heat of the day hasn’t yet begun. So your lawn can “heal” before the heat of the afternoon that can put stress on your lawn.

Trimming your yard between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. is a very bad idea. The heat of the day is already hard enough on the grass without you mowing it. If you cut the grass now, you will draw moisture from the blades, which will cause heat damage.

Leave the mower in the shed in the middle of the day.

Operating yard machinery in the afternoon, meaning between 2 and 4 p.m., is also ill-advised. Even though by 4 p.m. the temperatures may have dropped from earlier in the afternoon, there is still some risk of heat damage to the plants.

If, for some reason, you aren’t able to get the machine out in the morning to trim the yard, wait until the early evening, that is, between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m.

By then, the temperatures have cooled down, so the heat won’t be an issue. This will leave nature to do its work and heal the blades before nightfall.

After 6 p.m., you should avoid trimming your grass. Your neighbors are likely to begin settling in for the evening and probably don’t want to be disturbed by the sound of the engine of your mower.

Additionally, you risk hurting the grass. The freshly cut blades will not receive enough sunlight to dry before night sets in. This will expose the plants to be invaded by disease and fungi.

FAQs

Where Can I Find my City Ordinances?

There are two preferred ways to find out what your city’s ordinances are. One way is to go to the city or town hall and ask in person. The second way is to search your city’s website. The city usually posts its ordinances online.

What If My City Doesn’t Have Ordinances?

Even if your town doesn’t prohibit early-morning or late-night mowing, be a good neighbor. Take the time to talk with your neighbors and discuss what times they don’t want you to run your equipment. People will be pleased that you made an effort to be considerate and will be more understanding if something comes up that forces you to run your machine at an inconvenient time.

I Mow at the Right Time of the Morning. Do I Do This Year-Round?

No. At some point, cold winter temperatures will cause plants to go dormant. You shouldn’t ever cut a dormant yard. Plus, you are unlikely to enjoy being out in the cold.

I Use a Commercial Lawn Care Service Because I Work Long Hours. The Service Does a Great Job, But I Think They Are Bothering my Neighbors. What Should I Do?

First, you should check with your neighbors and discuss the specific nature of the problem. Then, speak to your lawn care service and tell the management about the issue. Lawn care services are in the business to make money, and they certainly won’t want to lose yours. Any reputable company will work hard to ensure the issue is fixed promptly.

However, lawn care companies are allowed to begin their work whenever the city ordinance allows them to. If your service handles many lawns a day, the schedule might not be flexible enough to accommodate your neighbors.

So, you may be faced with having to choose between risking an unhealthy lawn and risking an unhappy neighbor. In situations like this, you can’t win them all. Choose wisely.

My City Ordinance Says That I Can Start Mowing at 7 a.m., But I Live in a Developed Neighborhood with an HOA. The HOA Says I Can’t Start Until 9 a.m. Which One Applies to Me?

You may not like it, but you signed an agreement when you moved into a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association. Legally speaking, you could start at 7, but there will likely be some sort of ramification from the HOA for violating its contract.

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About the author: Jeffrey Douglas is a horticultural hobbyist that loves everything related to plants and gardening. He specializes in gardens and houseplants.

Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips

Keeping your lawn mower in excellent working condition is a big part of maintaining a beautiful, healthy lawn, and it’s also key to ensuring your lawn mower will last as long as possible – approximately 10-15 years. Performing regular maintenance on your lawn mower, particularly its engine, will extend your lawn mower’s life and help it work its best all season long.

You can either tune-up your lawn mower yourself or hire a lawn mower service expert to take care of it professionally. Either way, lawn mower maintenance is something that should be done at least once a year and will only take a few hours to complete. Use this guide to learn how to properly maintain your lawn mower and extend its life.

When to Perform Lawn Mower Maintenance

Be sure to clear the area of objects like twigs, stones, and toys and never mow in the dark. Lawn mower maintenance can be carried out at any time of the year, but two of the best times for it are at the beginning of the season before it’s time for the first mow, or at the end of the season when you’re putting your mower away until next year. note that timing will vary based on geography.

The end of the mowing season is an ideal time to perform annual lawn mower maintenance because there are certain things you need to do to take care of it goes unused for months at a time. By performing routine maintenance and winterizing your lawn mower in the fall, you’ll be able to get mowing right away when spring arrives and be less likely to cause damage to your mower’s engine or lawn from dull blades or malfunctioning parts.

Annual Lawn Mower Maintenance Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure you’re doing everything needed to keep your lawn mower running at its best:

• Change the engine oil
• Add fuel stabilizer to the fuel system, or remove all fuel from the mower if discontinuing mower use for more than 30 days
• Replace the spark plug
• Replace and clean the air filter
• Sharpen the lawn mower blades
• Balance the lawn mower blades
• Keep the mower clean
• Fog the engine

Tips for Lawn Mower Maintenance

Many people opt to take their mowers to a professional for lawn mower service at the beginning or end of the mowing season, but plenty of people perform their own maintenance. Caring for a lawn mower can be a messy and time-consuming process, but it’s a necessary evil. Lawn Doctor can provide you with l awn mower maintenance services in your area. However, if you decide to care for your lawn mower yourself, follow these tips to help you succeed:

• Get familiar with the owner’s manual. The last thing you want to do is cause damage to your lawn mower, so make sure you understand how to care for it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. These instructions are provided to make sure your mower runs as long as possible.
• Disconnect or remove the spark plug. You’ll want to replace the spark plug annually to make sure your mower starts up easily, but taking it out at the beginning of maintenance is also a good idea for safety as it prevents the mower from being started accidentally.
• Drain the gasoline out if it’s the end of the season. Either run the mower’s engine until the remaining gas is all used up or drain it out, and begin with new gasoline in the spring. Old gas can keep your mower from starting.
• Clean the lawn mower. To aid in performance, clear out all the grass and any other debris that’s become caked on the undercarriage during the mowing season.
• Replace or top up the oil. Consult the owner’s manual to learn how to change lawn mower oil correctly and the proper type of oil for your lawn mower. Change the oil in your mower if it is old or contaminated; drain it out and replace it with new oil. Make sure to dispose of the oil properly. Most towns have oil recycling centers available for free.
• Clean or replace the air filter. A clean air filter helps your mower work at peak efficiency. Follow the owner’s manual for specific directions on installing a replacement air filter.
• Sharpen and balance the blades. Even if your lawn is relatively clear from branches, rocks, and foreign objects, the blades will wear down over time. You can sharpen the blades yourself, but this is one step that is generally better left to the lawn mower service professionals unless you’ve mastered the technique.
• Fog the engine. If your mower will be sitting idle during the winter, the lubricants in the engine can drain away over time, and then the water in the air can cause corrosion and damage to occur. Fogging oil can help prevent this from happening. Check your owner’s manual to see if your lawn mower needs engine fogging, and be careful to follow the directions exactly.

Lawn Doctor’s Mower Maintenance Program

Do it yourself not your thing? Lawn Doctor’s lawn care professionals are ready to help you identify what maintenance your lawn mower needs and help keep it operating at its top condition. When you use a Lawn Doctor professional to help maintain or repair your lawn mower, you get fast service with great results that assure trouble-free operation. You also save money as you protect the initial investment you made in your mower and are unlikely to need multiple repairs to enjoy optimal operation of your mower. Lawn mower tune up service is not available in all areas. Be sure to contact your local Lawn Doctor to find out if this service is offered.

Looking for lawn mower service near you? Contact your local Lawn Doctor professional today to schedule an appointment for lawn mower maintenance.

Franchises are independently owned and operated. Services vary by location.

Call Today 800.845.0580 Find A Location

Is It Time to Service Your Lawn Mower?

It’s tempting to fire up your lawn mower once a week, mow your lawn, and put it away again without a second thought. But a well-maintained lawnmower will last longer and may result in a healthier lawn. Here is what service your lawnmower needs and how often. Note: if you don’t do anything else today, bookmark this article and begin to record how many hours you are running your mower a week.

Beginning of the season lawn mower service

Before firing up your lawnmower do its first service: make sure it has enough oil and its tires are properly inflated. Also, drain any old gas and pour fresh, unleaded gasoline into the tank. The beginning of the season is also a great time to check that your lawn mower’s blades are sharp and–if it’s a lawn tractor–that its deck blade is tight.

Once a season, you also want to replace your mower’s spark plug, change its air filter, and swap its in-line fuel filter if it has one. In-line fuel filters are a great thing to add to a lawn mower’s fuel line if it does not come with one.

The Tractor Supply Company has an interesting suggestion for your first lawnmower oil change: run your mower for about five hours at the beginning of the season without changing the oil. During this first run, this oil will become especially fouled with any contaminants that floated into the engine during storage.

After this initial run, swap your oil and your filter. After changing your oil, run the mower for a few minutes and measure the oil level to make certain the mower is full. Here’s how to change the oil in your lawnmower.

Lawnmower service every 25 hours of use

If you use your mower more, you need to maintain it more often. Keep track of how many hours you are running your lawnmower. After 25 hours of lawn mowing, it is important to look over our mower.

Does your walk-behind lawnmower have a lightweight paper air cleaner? Does it have a foam air cleaner or pre-cleaner? If it has either of these (and not a heavy-duty dual-element filter found in a lawn tractor or ride-on lawnmower) you should swap it after 25 hours of mowing.

In addition, The Home Depot recommends you sharpen your mower blades every time you hit a rock, or after every 25 hours of mowing. Check out how to sharpen your lawnmower blades.

Lawnmower service every 50 hours of use

Did you run your lawnmower for 50 hours this season? This would equal five hours of use once per week for 10 weeks. If so, you will need to repeat all the 25-hour service/maintenance items: sharpen your blades and change any lightweight air cleaners.

In addition, the Tractor Supply Company (TSC) recommends you also change your engine oil after 50 hours of lawn mowing.

TSC also recommends you change your engine oil filter every season but adds that you can get away with swapping filters every other oil change if you change oil twice a season. So if you expect to run your mower for 100 hours this summer, and change the oil twice, you only need to swap its filter once.

Lawnmower service every 100 hours of use

If you’re a professional landscaper, using your lawnmower daily, you will likely have to do its 100-hour service items during the season. At 100 hours of runtime, you want to swap the oil again, changing the filter this time.

During this lawn more maintenance, you also want to swap out any air filters. Then, replace the in-line fuel filter if your mower has one. At 100 hours, definitely also give your blades another sharpen and double-check that deck belt tightness.

End-of-season lawn mower maintenance

It’s important that you pour some fuel stabilizer into your lawn mower’s gas tank and run it for a few minutes before storing it for the season. Without a stabilizer agent, the fuel in its gas tank and carburetor will go stale during the winter. TSC does not recommend draining the gasoline out of your carburetor, but some lawn mower owners do this anyway.

TSC does recommend storing your lawnmower with fresh oil in the engine, so do one more oil change before putting it away. If you have yet to change the air filter, spark plug, or fuel filter you will want to swap these–or note to replace them first thing in the spring.

Finally, wash any excess dirt and old grass off your mower: you don’t want it to attract pests during the fall or spring. Then store it in a clean, dry place such as a shed or garage.

Next, see how to service or change your lawn mower spark plug or learn how to service your lawn mower in the video below:

Lawn mower operating hours

Monday t o Thursday From 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Note: The reception desk is closed for payments between noon and 1:00 p.m.

Friday From 8:00 a.m. until n oon

Monday to Thursday From 7:30 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Friday From 7:30 a.m. to noon

Access to Drop-Off Site

Administration hours: Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to noon 1 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. to noon

Reception desk hours: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.Saturday and Sunday9 a.m. to 8 p.m

Monday to Friday: 10 a.m 8 p.m.Saturday to Sunday: 10 a.m 5 p.m.

The use of power tools outside: a matter of neighbourly respect!

Noise pollution is the cause of many neighbourhood conflicts, whether it is caused by individuals or professional activities. Often, the people making the noise and dust do not realize its adverse effects and the discomfort they inflict on others. Maintaining a peaceful environment is about respect and is everyone’s responsibility.

CONSTRUCTION OR VEHICLE REPAIR

Under By-Law BEAC-033, the use of noisy equipment and electric or gas powered tools used for construction, renovation or building repairs or vehicle is only permitted during the following hours:

Saturday: between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.It is FORBIDDEN to execute these activities on Sunday and statutory holidays.

GARDEN MAINTENANCE

Under this by-law, different hours to do garden maintenance causing noise on weekends are provided. On those days, use of a chain-saw, lawn mower, grass trimmer, hedge trimmer or other similar devices is permitted as follows:

Monday to Friday: between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.Saturday: between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.Sunday and statutory holidays: between noon and 4 p.m.