Many folks do one of two things to their outdoor equipment at the end of a season: drain their equipment dry or leave untreated gas in the tank. Both are mistakes and should be avoided.
Running all the fuel out in equipment is bad news because fuel is the heart of the equipment; without it, it cannot run. If there is not gas in the lines, then this leaves room for air and where there is air there is water. Water can lead to a whole host of problems including corrosion of the tank and fuel lines.
Additionally, leaving untreated gas in your equipment’s tank to sit for long periods of time without use is bad news too. Believe it or not, gas goes old and turns stale. The additives put into gasoline begin to break down leaving a gummy varnish to ruin and corrode the fuel tank, carburetor, fuel lines, and fuel filter. Over time, this will cause your mower to not run as smoothly, it may sputter or can even cause it to die.
So if draining the fuel and leaving untreated gas in your tank to sit when the season of use is over; what are you supposed to do? The answer is simple: stabilize your gas. One of the best and easiest ways to maintain the longevity of your lawn mower, snow blower or any other outdoor equipment at the end of the season is to use a gas stabilizer. Stabilizing the gas well help to prevent the additives from oxidizing, which will decrease the gummy varnish and corrosion.
We suggest that about a month prior to finishing equipment use for the season, start using stabilizer to begin the process of adding basic protection. When the time comes to officially put the equipment away for the season, buy fresh gas and mix in stabilizer (if old gas is used, the gas may already have started to degrade). Fill the tank full and run for a couple minutes to be sure the stabilized gas is worked through fuel lines and carburetor. Finally, top off the tank to leave little room for expansion or water vapor to potentially contaminate the fuel.
Adding an extra layer of protection to your equipment will not only save you time but will extend your equipment’s lifetime. So take the time to stabilize your outdoor equipment’s gas to save you the worry of problems when it comes time to break it out of hibernation.
For any questions on stabilizing gas or any other outdoor equipment questions, the friendly staff at Snappy’s Outdoor Equipment Sales & Service is here to help. Give us a call at 419-879-1196 or stop by for a visit!
