Late Summer Is the Best Time to Get Ahead on Mower and Trimmer Maintenance
Once the hottest weeks start to fade in Spokane, Colville, Kettle Falls, and Airway Heights, it’s tempting to roll the mower into the corner of the garage and forget about it until spring. Don’t do it. The next few weeks are actually the smartest time all year to service your outdoor power equipment. Engines are already warm from regular use, parts stores (including ours) are well-stocked before the fall rush, and a little attention now means you won’t be fighting a dead battery or a gummed-up carburetor when it’s time to fire everything back up.
We’ve been helping Eastern Washington families keep their yards, garages, and firewood piles in order since 1979, and every year we see the same pattern: the folks who tune up their equipment in late summer breeze through spring start-up. The folks who don’t end up in our parts aisle with a mower that won’t turn over. Here’s exactly what to check this week.
Your Late-Summer Equipment Checklist
Eastern Washington’s combination of dry, dusty summers and early mountain frosts is tough on small engines. Here’s what to tackle before you put anything into storage or push through the last mowing weeks of the season.
1. Change the oil. A season of dust and heat breaks oil down fast, especially if you’re mowing regularly around Spokane or Airway Heights. Fresh oil now means your engine isn’t sitting all winter marinating in old, contaminated lubricant. Use the weight listed in your owner’s manual, and don’t forget trimmers and blowers have oil levels worth checking too. Bring your old oil by the store and we’ll point you to a proper local drop-off site.
2. Clean or replace the air filter. If you’ve mowed a dry lot in Kettle Falls or a dusty gravel edge in Colville this summer, your filter has taken a beating. A clogged filter chokes performance and burns more fuel than it should. Pop the housing open today — if you can’t see light through the filter when you hold it up, it’s time for a new one.
3. Sharpen or replace the blades. Dull blades tear grass instead of slicing it cleanly, which stresses your lawn right when it’s trying to recover from summer heat. A sharp blade now gives you cleaner cuts through the rest of fall and a much easier spring start-up. If you’re not set up to sharpen at home, bring your blades in — we can get you a replacement that fits your model without the guesswork.
4. Check the spark plug. A fouled or worn plug is one of the top reasons equipment refuses to start after sitting all winter. It’s a five-minute job and a couple of dollars now versus a frustrating no-start next April.
5. Stabilize the fuel. If any equipment is going into winter storage, don’t leave untreated gas sitting in the tank. Add a fuel stabilizer before you park it — this single step prevents the gummed-up carburetors that are, hands down, the most common spring repair we see walk through our doors.
6. Clean the undercarriage and housing. Grass clippings trap moisture, and moisture plus metal equals rust — especially through a wet Eastern Washington winter. Flip the mower, scrape it clean, and let it dry fully before storing.
Don’t Forget Trimmers, Blowers, and Chainsaws
Mowers get most of the attention, but they’re not the only equipment working hard right now. String trimmers need fresh line and a quick lubrication check. Leaf blowers should get their filters cleaned before the fall leaf season really kicks in around Colville and Kettle Falls. And if firewood season is on your radar, now’s the time to check your chainsaw’s chain sharpness, bar oil level, and chain tension before you’re relying on it every weekend.
Why Local Know-How Beats a Big Sale
You’ll see plenty of clearance ads this time of year pushing new equipment out the door. That’s fine if you’re in the market for something new — but if your mower, trimmer, or chainsaw just needs the right blade, filter, belt, or spark plug, our team can get you the exact part for your specific model, in stock, without waiting on shipping. And if a repair is bigger than a DIY fix, we’ll point you toward trusted local service options instead of leaving you to sort it out alone. That’s the kind of hands-on support that comes from actually living with the same dust, heat, and early frosts your equipment deals with every year.
Bundle Your Fall Prep and Save
Right now, our Fall Prep Bundle promotion combines equipment maintenance essentials — blades, oil, filters — with garage storage items like shelving, hooks, and bins for 15–20% off when purchased together. It’s an easy way to knock out your tune-up and get the garage organized before the snow flies.
Whether you’re in Airway Heights, Colville, Kettle Falls, or anywhere else in Eastern Washington, stop by your local Builders Supply & Home Center this week for tune-up essentials, or browse our current inventory anytime at bldrsupply.epicor-inet.com. A little effort now means your equipment will be ready the moment you need it again.